In its first meeting of the new school year, the Columbia School Board will hear updates on the district’s achievement and workplace development efforts.
Achievement update
Superintendent Brian Yearwood will provide the board with an update on the district’s Continuous School Improvement Plan, a state-mandated, five-year plan approved by the board last year. The report will focus on what the district is doing to address its goals regarding attendance, discipline and achievement.
Board members will also be shown recent district performance data from the Missouri Assessment Program test, a state standardized assessment; and i-Ready assessments, which track student progress over the course of the school year.
Workforce development update
The board will hear a presentation on the district’s work-based learning efforts.
The district offers programs, mainly for high school students, that “assist in preparing students who choose to pursue employment as their postsecondary transition goal,” according to the district website. Work-based learning can include opportunities like job shadowing, internships and clinicals.
District personnel will highlight the program for the board and speak on how it can be expanded in the future.
Safety grant
The board is being asked to ratify an application for a grant that would allocate $300,000 for school safety equipment.
In June, Gov. Mike Parson signed House Bill 2, which approved $50 million to assist schools in implementing school safety programs and technology. The district is requesting funds to implement a system to track and screen non-employees visiting school buildings, as well as upgrades to various security equipment.
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According to the agenda, this is the second round of grant funding available to school districts. The district was not selected for the first round of funding.
The grant is being considered as part of the consent agenda, a group of measures that, if approved, are all passed at once.
Construction projects
The board will consider a list of construction agreements and change orders, including additions to Russell Boulevard and Battle elementary schools, ADA upgrades and heating, ventilation and air conditioning system replacements.
Special recognition
The board will recognize several community members early in the meeting. They are:
Saathvik Kannan, a senior at Hickman High School, who was awarded $50,000 and the Regeneron Young Scientist Award for his research on the causes of heightened infectivity of mpox.
- Board member Blake Willoughby, for achieving Advanced and Master Certification from the Missouri School Boards’ Association.
- Pat Wehmeyer, district human resources supervisor, who was named HR Office Professional of the Year from the Missouri Association of School Personnel Administrators.
- Columbia Public Schools, for receiving the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting for its Annual Comprehensive Financial Report for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022 from the Government Finance Officers Association.
Where to watch
The meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. Monday in the Aslin Administration Building, 1818 W. Worley St. It will be livestreamed on CPS-TV, CenturyLink, Mediacom, Charter Spectrum, Roku, Apple TV and Fire TV.