(Missouri Independent) – Clay LaRue, superintendent of the Van Buren R-1 School District, made a tough decision Sunday. With COVID-19 cases spiking in Carter County in southeast Missouri, and many of those infections among very young children, LaRue shut down the district’s pre-kindergarten program for two weeks. He had previously directed faculty, staff, and students […]
Tag: schools
GEC Community Foundation now accepting grant applications
The GEC Community Foundation, Incorporated is accepting grant applications. Qualified applicants may apply for a grant by completing an application with supporting information. The deadline is October 1st. The application is available at this link or by calling the Grundy Electric Cooperative at 1-800-279-2249 extension 33 or 23. The trustees will review the applications, and […]
Daviess County Library to participate in 9/11 Memorial and Education Exhibit
Daviess County Library announces its participation in September 11, 2001: The Day That Changed the World, a downloadable educational exhibition that presents the history of 9/11, its origins, and its ongoing implications through the personal stories of those who witnessed and survived the attacks. Told across 14 posters, this exhibition includes archival photographs and images […]
Funds are now available for northwest transportation safety programs
Over the past several years, agencies and organizations across Northwest Missouri have received funding for programs to reduce injuries and fatalities on our roadways. With preliminary reports showing 43 fatalities in the 20 counties of Northwest Missouri during 2020, the work is not over yet. To assist agencies in the fight towards zero deaths in […]
Biden administration opens civil rights investigation into states banning school mask mandates
(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 […]
Audio: Missouri pediatricians group responds to attorney general’s lawsuit about school masking requirements
The Missouri Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics is responding to Attorney General Eric Schmitt suing to block mask mandates in Missouri’s K-12 public schools. Schmitt, a Republican running for U.S. Senate, says a mask mandate “flies in the face of science, especially given children’s low risk of severe illness and death and their […]
Audio: Missouri School Board Association leader responds to attorney general’s lawsuit challenging school mask requirements
State Attorney General Eric Schmitt is suing Columbia Public Schools and any Missouri K-12 public school requiring students and staff to wear masks. Schmitt, a Republican running for U.S. Senate, says a mask mandate “flies in the face of science, especially given children’s low risk of severe illness and death and their low risk of […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
Four area schools begin the year with increases in student enrollment
More area schools began classes on August 25, with increases in enrollment compared to 2020’s first day of school. Pleasant View R-6 had a first-day enrollment total of 141 in preschool through eighth grade, which is an increase of seven. Preschool has 20 students, and kindergarten, second, and third grades have 15 students each. The […]
NCMC Board of Trustees set tax levy, hear reports on various matters, and hire new employees
The North Central Missouri College Board of Trustees heard reports on housing and other matters on August 24. Resident Life Director Donnie Hillerman reported one new residence hall is open, and he hopes the other new residence hall will open September 1st. There are some displaced students currently staying in Selby Hall in the wing […]
Children’s Mercy Hospital doctor responds to Missouri Attorney General’s lawsuit banning mask mandates in schools
A children’s hospital doctor is responding to the Missouri Attorney General’s lawsuit that aims to ban schools from requiring students and staff to wear masks. Dr. Jennifer Watts of Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City says the hospital is strongly advocating to keep children in school. Attorney General Eric Schmitt is suing Columbia […]
Nine area schools report student enrollment on first day of school
Multiple area schools have begun classes for this academic year. Milan C-2 began August 23rd with a first-day enrollment of 662 in kindergarten through 12th grade. That is made up of 355 students in the elementary school and 307 at the high school. Green City R-1 began August 23rd with an opening day enrollment of […]
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 […]
FDA gives full approval to Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine
The U.S. has its first fully approved vaccine against COVID-19, with federal health officials announcing Monday the approval of Pfizer-BioNTech’s two-dose vaccine. The green light from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to move Pfizer’s vaccine from emergency use to full approval is a milestone in the national pandemic response, and one that comes as the […]
As Missouri students head back to class, state launches new COVID testing program
(Missouri Independent) – Monday marks the first day of school for thousands of students across Missouri and it’s also when schools can begin enrolling in a new federally-funded testing program aimed at helping facilitate a safe return to the classroom. The Department of Health and Senior Services announced Friday evening that Ginkgo Bioworks, Inc., a […]
Area students return to the classroom this week
Classes begin today (Monday) in the Milan and Green City school districts, with many other area schools beginning classes on Tuesday or Wednesday. Those beginning school on Tuesday are Trenton, Grundy R-5, Chillicothe, Laredo, Princeton, North Mercer, Newtown Harris, Linn County of Purdin, and Gallatin. Wednesday is the first day of school for Pleasant View […]