(Missouri Independent) – Federal education officials have launched civil rights investigations in five Republican-led states that have prohibited school districts from mandating mask-wearing, saying those policies could amount to illegal discrimination against students with disabilities. The Biden administration notified the education chiefs in Iowa, Tennessee, South Carolina, Utah, and Oklahoma of the investigations through formal letters Monday. The new investigations will examine […]
Tag: UCA
Community Foundation of Northwest Missouri sets annual Leadership Breakfast for October 1
The Community Foundation of Northwest Missouri, Inc. announces its annual Leadership Breakfast. The event is scheduled for Friday, October 1, 2021, at 8:30 am at the M.W. Jenkins Expo Center in Chillicothe, Missouri. The guest speaker will be Marshall Stewart, Vice Chancellor for Extension and Engagement, University of Missouri, and Chief Engagement Officer, UM System. […]
Advocates press for reform before student loan repayment deadline
In January, student loan borrowers will have to start paying off their loans again, as the pandemic-related pause on payment is set to expire. Now, a new report looks at ways to fix problems in the student loan system. Report co-author Michelle Dimino – senior education policy advisor at Third Way, a public policy think tank in […]
Missouri adopts first update to HIV criminalization laws in 30 years
A bill that went into effect over the weekend makes the first reforms to Missouri’s HIV criminalization laws since they were passed in the 1980s. Among other measures related to prosecutors and police, the bill requires prosecutors to prove someone knowingly exposed someone who contracted HIV before getting a felony conviction and reduces the minimum sentence […]
Audio: Another 180 Missourians are preliminary winners in COVID-19 vaccine incentive program
Another 180 Missourians are preliminary winners in the ‘MO VIP’ coronavirus vaccine incentive program. The Department of Health and Senior Services says more than 566,000 entries were included in the second drawing on Friday night. Eighty winners randomly selected from each of the Red and White categories will receive a $10,000 prize and […]
Missouri ICUs filling as Delta variant wave moves into northeast, southeast regions
(Missouri Independent) – New cases from the Delta variant wave that has killed more than 1,150 Missourians since June 1 have plateaued, but hospital ICUs continue to fill — and small, rural hospitals are among the hardest hit. There were 690 patients in ICU beds across the state on Tuesday, the most recent day reported by the state Department of Health […]
Audio: Standardized test scores for Missouri’s K-12 public school students are on tap to be released in October
Standardized test scores for Missouri’s K-12 public school students are on tap to be released in October. Due to the pandemic interrupting in-person schooling, many education leaders nationwide have warned that they anticipate test scores to show a learning loss. During a House Budget Committee hearing this week, state Education Commissioner, Dr. Margie Vandeven, says […]
Grundy R-5 Board of Education discuss declaring all staff as “essential workers”
The Grundy County R-5 Board of Education August 26 discussed declaring all staff members as essential workers. Superintendent Phillip Fox reports the board agreed to revisit the discussion at the next regular meeting on September 13th. Jerry Kiger was approved as the quiz bowl sponsor.
Trenton R-9 School District updates tracing and quarantine guidelines for COVID-19
Updated COVID-19 contact tracing and quarantine guidelines have been released for the Trenton R-9 School District. The guidelines say a positive case will be isolated for 10 days from symptom onset. Close contact will be quarantined at home for 10 days from contact with the positive case. Students who are six feet or closer to […]
Schools to continue mask rules despite legal challenge from Missouri Attorney General
(Missouri Independent) – The schools in Gov. Mike Parson’s hometown will continue to require students, teachers, and staff to wear masks indoors despite a lawsuit filed by the Missouri attorney general challenging public school mask mandates across the state. The Bolivar R-1 Board of Education in Polk County voted in a special meeting this month to […]
Local winners announced in the Missouri VIP Lottery vaccine incentive program
There are a few area winners in the drawing for residents who have received a COVID-19 vaccine and entered a state drawing. The Missouri V I P Lottery held the first of five drawings with 180 winners of a cash prize or education savings account. The cash prize is listed as $10,000 for eligible adults […]
Fourth judge announced for Missouri Days Marching Festival
The latest judge to be announced for the 2021 Missouri Days Marching Festival is a midwest resident with experience in many states as a director, educator, facilitator, musician, and experienced festival judge. Kehan Knapp is a member of the Central States Judges Association and a judge for numerous competitions, including Winter Guard International, Drums Corps […]
Audio: New partnership launches to regularly test Missouri teachers and students for COVID-19
A new partnership has been launched to test Missouri teachers and students for COVID-19 on a regular basis. The Missouri Departments of Health and K-12 Education have partnered with a company called Ginkgo Bioworks to provide pooled testing through the new school year. The company will provide all the training and testing materials, […]
Vaccinated Missourians win $10,000 in first round of state’s vaccine incentive program drawings
Governor Mike Parson announced the winners of the first drawing of the MO VIP. At the time of the August 13 drawing, a total of 495,296 MO VIP entries were received. The MO VIP incentivizes vaccination for those who have not yet been vaccinated, as well as provides an opportunity for rewards for the more […]
Vaccine lottery winnings can be put toward MO ABLE accounts
Missourians who have received COVID-19 vaccinations can enter to win the Missouri Vaccine Incentive Program Lottery – 900 winners will receive $10,000 in cash, in an education savings account or a Missouri ABLE Account, between now and October. Missouri ABLE provides people with disabilities an account to save and invest money without losing eligibility for public benefits, like […]
Northwest Missouri State University reports student death; Boone County Sheriff conducting homicide investigation
Northwest Missouri State University reports a student pursuing her educational specialist degree through Northwest Online was found dead at her home in Boone County on August 22. The Boone County Sheriff’s Office is conducting a homicide investigation and has identified the victims as 43-year-old Allison Abitz and her daughter, 11-year-old Jozee Abitz. The sheriff’s office […]
Grundy R-5 Board of Education to hold special meeting
The Grundy County R-5 Board of Education will hold a special meeting to discuss making employees essential workers. The meeting will be at the high school on August 26 at 6 pm. The agenda also includes a closed session for personnel records, employees, and student discipline.
Missouri Attorney General files class action lawsuit against school districts forcing masks on kids
Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt today filed a class-action lawsuit against school districts forcing a mask mandate on schoolchildren and teachers. The lawsuit, which is a reverse class action that was filed earlier this morning, names Columbia Public Schools, the Board of Education for the School District of Columbia and their board members, and the […]
Maggie Bowman selected as North Central Missouri College Outstanding Employee
Maggie Bowman, Campus Bookstore Business Operations Associate has been selected as North Central Missouri College’s Outstanding Employee for August 2021. Maggie has been employed at NCMC for six and a half years and holds an associate degree in Business Management/Accounting. Maggie has been working on making the Campus Bookstore website better and in the […]