Cory and Endia Lee take in children as part of Boys & Girls Club Blue Diamond Drumline: A lesson in dedication

Cory Lee wants all youth at the Boys & Girls Club of Jefferson City to learn dedication.

“You’ve got to practice; you’ve got to rehearse,” he said. “Practice and rehearsal are two different things. You practice at home; you rehearse when you’re with your group. The more you practice, the better you get.”

For more than a year, Cory and

wife Endia have taken in more than 40 children as part of the

Boys & Girls Club Blue Diamond Drumline. The members have attached themselves to the family and become a family of their own, Endia said.

When the members aren’t rehearsing or performing, they are spending q u a l i t ytimeattheLees’ home.

“I had to adjust to it at first,” Endia said. “But after a while, I figured it’s something they aren’t getting at home to want to be over at our house.”

Cory, Endia and their children moved to Jefferson City from St. Louis in summer 2017. After learning about the drumline program, Cory came in as a volunteer.

“I wasn’t looking for any payment,” Cory said. “I do stuff out of my heart for kids.”

His passion for music and youth was overflowing, said Stephanie Johnson, executive director of the club. After two months, she offered him the club’s music, sports and recreation director position.

“I was so impressed not only with Cory’s skill to teach the kids and connect, but his mentorship,” Johnson said.

The Boys & Girls Club offers a number of programs at no charge to local youth, Johnson said. The organization receives funding from the United Way of Central Missouri as a partner agency.

The club has provided opportunities for the entire Lee family. Their sons, Cory Lee Jr., 14, and D’Monte Lee, 12, are on the club basketball team. JaMila, 11, and JaNiece, 7, participate in other club programs.

The three older children are in the drumline. The students rehearse 10 hours a week, and some wish it was more, Cory said.

“If it was up to the kids, they would practice every day,” Cory said, chuckling. “They want to practice more than I want them to practice. They motivate me more than anything. I was the one motivating them; now it’s to the point where they’re motivating me. They want to learn new stuff. They want to try new things. They want to travel, but we’re going to have to do something about it.”

Cory’s Christmas wish is to get the students to the battle of the bands in Memphis this spring. The group would need a sponsor to get there.

Drumline is more than a fun activity that keeps the students engaged after school, Cory said. The skills, determination and dedication could get them further in life than they know.

“I have a goal for them,” Cory said. “My goal is for each of them to learn how to read music and get to college. Coming from where I came from, I didn’t graduate, I didn’t get to experience college or get to experience a college band like everyone else I went to school with. I don’t want the kids to miss out on that.”

Music and sports are tools; however, his passion for the club extends beyond that. Cory often drives the club’s van to transport students to the club and activities.

“There are kids that aren’t in sports or in music that look up to me just by me being at the door to welcome them in,” Cory said. “Every day I want to be at that door, but I’m such a jack-of-all-trades that I’m used everywhere … wherever they need me, I’m here.”

The organization will soon add music production, which Cory will lead.

“It seems like everything is coming together for me,” Cory said. “Stuff that I’ve been wanting to do, this job has helped me get to that point, so I’m forever grateful for it.”

A growing need – JC Schools committee studying overcrowding in school district finds similar issues, but reaches vastly different conclusions from 2014 community report

In the span of six years, the Jefferson City School District has commissioned two groups to explore building needs to educate future generations of schoolchildren.

While there were some similarities between the findings of the two groups, they came to vastly different conclusions.

In 2013-14 and 2019, community members, teachers and staff were pulled together to assess space considerations in existing school buildings, as well as future needs for the district.

After a mega-high school plan was rejected at the polls by more than 64 percent majority in April 2013, the JC Schools Board of Education formed a 37-member Long-Range Facilities Planning Committee to conduct facility assessments and recommend plans to address K-12 space needs for the next 20 years.

The co-chair of that panel was Lorelei Schwartz, who is currently the JC Schools board president.

The committee, which met for 18 months, recommended:

• Building a second elementary school on the east side of Jefferson City for an estimated $13.7 million.

• Adding 10 classrooms and renovating Callaway Hills Elementary for an estimated $5.5 million.

• Making additions and renovations to Jefferson City High School for an estimated $40 million.

• Building a second high school for an estimated $76.4 million.

Future needs identified by the committee to address overcrowding included:

• Adding a middle school in Callaway County in 2019 for an estimated $34.4 million.

• Adding an elementary school on the west side of Jefferson City for an estimated $19.3 million.

• Renovating Lewis and Clark and Thomas Jefferson middle schools for an estimated $13 million.

• Expanding the two high schools by 2034 for an estimated $19.8 million.

In the ensuing years, the district pursued some of the suggestions from the 2013-14 long-range plan in an effort to address space needs. Among those were $3.5 million in renovations at East Elementary School in 2015 and redrawing the attendance boundary lines in 2017 for East, Moreau Heights and Thorpe Gordon elementary schools, which created smaller classroom sizes at East.

Today, East is the second-least populated elementary school in the district, according to a 2019 study by ACI Boland. Moreau Heights and Thorpe Gordon have overcrowded classrooms and trailers on-site for support services.

In an effort to address overcrowding at Jefferson City High School, the school board asked voters to approve a $130 million bond issue and levy increase in 2017. The bond issue was to fund the renovation of the existing high school and build a new high school off Missouri 179; the operating levy increase was to fund the added costs of running both schools. Voters approved both propositions in April 2017 by a vote of 60.4 percent.

Capital City High School opened in August with its initial phase of construction — 40 classrooms, a kitchen, commons, administrative offices, a practice field and a parking lot. CCHS construction is expected to be completed this month.

JCHS renovations included upgraded classrooms, gym, cafeteria, kitchen, commons and administrative offices and a new connection between the high school and Nichols Career Center. Final classroom renovations are expected to be completed this month.

But the district is still looking at ways to address its space issues. Eight of the 11 elementary schools and both middle schools are over capacity, according to the 2019 ACI study.

While the 2013-14 long-range planning committee invested a lot of time and effort in drafting the plan, those needs are not consistent with where the district is now, Schwartz said recently.

“I felt like we had a pretty good plan,” she said. “But it was always known that it was pretty fluid, that things were going to change along the way (and) that would change the plan. We were using the information that we had in (2013-14) to make that plan. Things have already changed here in 2019, just five years later.”

For instance, adding a new elementary school would require the district to redraw boundary lines again, which causes frustration among parents who purchase homes in certain areas, Schwartz said.

Also, the district did not move forward with adding a middle school in Callaway County because it would not address a bigger issue, she said.

“Building a middle school at Callaway Hills isn’t going to move the needle enough (and) enough kids out of each middle school to really create the kind of space that we need,” Schwartz said.

In an effort to address its space needs in 2019, the district took another look at overcrowding. Superintendent Larry Linthacum formed a 21-member facilities focus group to review K-8 space needs.

The 2019 committee, which met for nine months, explored four options to address space needs. They were:

• Adding a 12th or 13th elementary school would mean one could be added on the east side of town and another on the west side, with a capacity of 500 students each, according to the committee notes. The operating cost of adding one elementary would be more than $2 million, officials have said. Other costs include $1.75 million in salaries, $180,00 in utilities, $120,000 for additional buses and $117,600 for tax revenue.

• Adding a middle school would solve middle school space needs but not elementary space needs, according to the committee’s report. The district has not done a detailed analysis of the cost of operation; however, it would come at a 12-cents-per-building tax increase, officials said.

• Constructing fifth-and sixthgrade centers on district-owned property near Thomas Jefferson and Lewis and Clark middle schools at an estimated $70 million, not including administration, support staff, some teachers, utility cost and building access roads to both buildings.

• Adding two kindergarten through first-grade centers would offer the district the same solution as the fifth-and sixth-grade centers. With no tax increase, the district could expand preschool and create space in the elementary and middle school buildings.

In December, the consensus among the committee members was the best solution was adding the two fifth-and sixth-grade buildings, JC Schools Chief Financial and Operations Officer Jason Hoffman previously said.

The buildings would offer the promise of addressing space needs for kindergarteners, elementary school students and middle school students, according to a report of findings from the group.

As part of the committee’s exploration of fifth-and sixthgrade centers, JC Schools staff interviewed 11 of the 21 Missouri school districts with intermediate centers. Chief of Learning Brian Shindorf and his staff compiled those responses into an executive summary for the focus group.

According to the report, a majority of the 11 districts’ buildings have been in place for over 10 years with an average student population of 525.

Educators from the 11 districts noted the intermediate centers created a slower transition from elementary school to middle school and removed the influence of seventh-and eighth-grade students on younger students, according to the report.

When facing space needs and building a larger high school, the Camdenton R-3 School District transitioned a former fourth-through sixth-grade building into Oak Ridge Intermediate, a school for fifth-and sixth-graders, about 14 years ago, Superintendent Tim Hadfield said.

The district’s elementary and middle school buildings are split into five buildings: preschool through second grade, third and fourth grade, kindergarten through fourth grade, fifth and sixth grade, and seventh and eighth grade.

Moving the students around opened up space in the buildings, Hadfield said.

“The positive was we had more space to offer some additional programming for our students that we might not have had otherwise,” Hadfield said.

The Oak Ridge Intermediate model is similar to what the JC Schools facility focus group has discussed in that it would create a soft transition from elementary to middle school.

Fifth-grade students have one teacher for English language arts and social studies and another for math and science. In sixth grade, students are introduced to the team method, switching between three or four classrooms.

“That way, when they get to middle school, they are used to switching,” Oak Ridge Principal Bob Currier said.

The two-year time frame limits the amount of time staff and faculty have to build relationships with students in intermediate and middle school, he said.

“We start to make headway with them relationally and social-emotional type learning, and then we lose them,” Currier said.

Some schools interviewed by JC Schools staff mentioned having lower behavior incidents and increases in test scores and Annual Performance Reviews — how the state collects data on academic achievement, subgroup achievement, college and career readiness, attendance and graduation rate.

Those responses were limited, Shindorf said.

“In terms of reporting lower behavior incidents and an increased APR, that was only a limited number of schools,” Shindorf said. “So we did not say that it was a significant number, but some did report that.”

In January, the JC Schools school board is expected to place a no-tax increase bond issue on the April 7 ballot to fund construction of two fifth-and sixth-grade centers.

Under a no-tax increase plan, the district would extend the length of the 2017 bonds by public vote without increasing the tax rate to fund any construction, said Ryan Burns, director of communications for the district. If the district were to relocate current fifth-and sixth-grade staff, officials expect the district would be able to absorb the minimal differences in operating costs, she said.

The other options explored by the 2019 facility focus group are not the most financially responsible, said Steve Bruce, a current school board member who was a member of the 2013-14 committee.

The fifth-and sixth-grade centers are the most logical extension of the 2013-14 plan, Bruce said.

“This was a logical extension of saying, “We have this 20-year plan in place, we’ve been able to address a couple of these needs at the elementary level by doing some things that the committee really didn’t take up,” he said.

“We made recommendations (in 2013-14), but we were also laying the groundwork for an effective flexible plan that the district would use and pursue,” Bruce said. “To me, the 5-6 buildings are just an extension of that.”

Ashley French, a member of the 2019 committee, agrees.

“I feel like the fifth-, sixthgrade centers are an elegant solution to address a wide swath of crowding problems in JCSD, both in the middle schools and elementary schools,” French said earlier this month. “Having it be a no-tax-increase bond issue, it’s not very often that we have the opportunity to do something as dramatic as reduce overcrowding without a tax increase, and I think we should embrace this solution.”

Sharing Christmas joy – Local couple strives to bring happiness to area school through Santa Day

A day-long Christmas celebration filled hearts big and small at Southwest Early Childhood Center on Wednesday.

The annual Santa Day brought presents, crafts and songs to more than 200 students.

For nine years, George and Gayleen Ousley have brought the Christmas holiday experience to more than 1,250 preschoolers at the center.

“I do believe that it’s the true meaning of Christmas to give,” George said. “The saying goes, ‘You’ve been given much, much is expected.’ Gayleen and I have been lucky in life and been fortunate. God has shined on us, and we really enjoy sharing this day with these kids down here.”

What started as a journey to help Jefferson City teachers in 2009 led the Ousleys to the center. After learning the teachers, students and parents work together to provide good experiences to low-income and special needs students, they were sold.

“(I didn’t) just want to write a check to the school district,” George said. “I want(ed) to do something that will affect the kids directly.”

The day has grown to be a community effort including music, crafts, photos with Santa, cookie-decorating and books.

More than a dozen volunteers dress in holiday attire, and they help the students make crafts. George in a red blazer with Christmas trees and Gayleen in a reindeer sweater supervise with bright smiles.

“There’s so much happiness and cheer all around,” George said. “Ain’t no sadness here today.”

It’s all about impacting the students and getting new stories to tell each year, Gayleen said.

“My favorite part is seeing the kids and how excited they get,” she added.

Local musicians — including Jefferson City School District Superintendent Larry Linthacum — keep the students engaged, singing holiday songs such as “Feliz Navidad” and “Santa Claus is Coming to Town,” before they sit with Santa and Mrs. Claus.

Students tell Santa what they want for Christmas and receive a gift donated by the Ousleys.

For years, Bert Johnson has traveled from Kirks-ville to serve as Santa. He comes to enjoy the experience with the students, he said.

Ayahni Campbell, 5, filled her decorated ornament Wednesday with her school picture and covered it with stickers. Before she went to see Santa, she knew she would ask for a Barbie dollhouse.

Retired JC Schools teacher Susie Jones enjoys acting as Mrs. Claus every year.

“It’s my favorite day of the year,” Jones said. “I taught kindergarten for 30 years, and this is such a treat to be back with the children.”

Mrs. Claus talks to the students and gives them each a hat hand-knitted by Jefferson City resident Lena Crawford.

Organizer Brenda Hatfield has been involved with the activities since the beginning. Part of her job is making sure each child gets one minute with Santa.

The school provides students with many experiences they wouldn’t get anywhere else, she said.

“Santa Day is the greatest day of the year,” Hatfield said. “But you must remember to wear washable clothes — because at Southwest, love is always sticky, and there’s always lots of love.”

The event is part of the Ousleys’ giving through the Jefferson City Public Schools Foundation. Twice a year, the couple donates a certificate for dinner and a movie to a random Southwest Early Childhood Center employee. Next year, the Ousleys will get back to their goal of helping teachers with the Southwest Teacher of the Year award.

DNR to preserve Rock Island Line Corridor

The Missouri Department of Natural Resources will preserve the 144-mile Rock Island Line Corridor, officials announced Tuesday at Rock Island Park in Eldon.

The Rock Island Line Corridor is owned by Missouri Central Railroad Company, a subsidiary of Ameren, which donated the gift to the state for the development of a walking, biking and horseback riding trail.

The two organizations have signed an interim trail use agreement to transfer ownership to DNR after fundraising efforts are complete. In the interim, the trail is not open for public use.

DNR will take ownership of the corridor if the Missouri State Parks Foundation can raise $9.8 million for initial development, security and management costs, DNR Deputy Director Dru Buntin said Tuesday.

Under the agreement, parks foundation has until Dec. 31, 2021, to raise the initial funds, according to the park’s website.

“Today, the signing of the interim trail use agreement is just the next step in the process,” Buntin said. “What will happen now is the State Parks Foundation will engage in a fundraising effort to raise what we’ve determined to be the cost over a 10-year period that would be required to just accept the corridor, not develop it.”

The announcement comes 13 days ahead of a Dec. 31 deadline for DNR to decide whether to accept the gift.

Once the trail is developed, it is planned to connect to the 47.5-mile Rock Island Spur in Windsor which connects to the Katy Trail. The connections will create a 400-mile trail loop around the state.

Missouri State Parks contain 91 locations of sites and parks, including the Katy Trail, a 240-mile former rail corridor.

The decision to accept the gift was previously delayed to fully analyze the decision, Buntin said.

When DNR started looking into accepting Ameren’s gift years ago, there wasn’t a lot of information on what accepting the corridor and executing the agreement would look like, Buntin said.

To vet the process, DNR held two public surveys which yielded more than 10,500 comments, according to the park’s website; held three public information meetings in fall 2018; and looked at each section to determine what development would look like.

The goal was to seek public input and not take funds away from the existing state parks. Partnerships with the State Parks Foundation will ensure funding is available, Buntin said.

“Once we would close on that property after the $9.8 million is raised, that would open up a number of opportunities for us in the Department of Natural Resources and Missouri State Parks to work with those communities in partnership to actually move to develop the trail, assuming we get to that point,” Buntin said.

Fully developing the Rock Island Trail is estimated to cost up to $85 million, not including trail operation and maintenance, Buntin said.

Buntin told the few dozen stakeholders and community members in the crowd the multi-year effort to develop the trail would be similar to riders of the Tour de France — a 23-day bike race.

“If we decide to enter this race and work toward a fully-developed 144-mile Rock Island Line Trail, I think it will be comparable in many ways to the Tour de France,” Buntin said. “It will be one immense 144-mile effort that will have to be completed in stages with incremental success — perhaps even measure in feet.”

Challenges could come when repairing missing bridges, adding missing highway and developing tunnels along the corridor.

Those developments are included in the estimated development cost. Trail operation could cost approximately $576,000 annually, according to the park’s website.

While the scope of the project is large, State Parks is ready to work with private and public partners, Missouri State Parks interim division director Mike Sutherland said.

“This has been a long journey getting to this point,” Sutherland said. “I think that now we are ready to say yes and take the next step. That yes means that the journey continues and is really just beginning. The effort to get to this point has depended on partnerships.”

“I’m hopeful and glad that we will be going on this journey together,” Sutherland said.

Rep. David Wood, R-Versailles, spoke regarding the adjacent landowners’ concerns for the trail and safe transportation for biking residents in Versailles.

“This is one of the most polarizing issues I’ve had in my seven years,” Wood said. “You’re either really, really for this or you’re really, really against it. I think the process of taking this much time and doing it right will alleviate a lot of those concerns. There is no organization that is going to be better at taking care of the farmers along the trail and putting in the fences and making sure things are done right than DNR.”

If state parks becomes trail manager, fencing along the route, law enforcement and grave crossings will be in the next phase, Buntin said.

The state also plans to honor previous agreements landowners have with Ameren, he said.

Proponents of the trail celebrated the announcement with applause and cheers.

Missouri Rock Island Trail Inc., a coalition of businesses, organizations and citizens supporting the project, are excited Missouri State Parks is moving forward, Executive Director Greg Harris said.

“We’re so excited,” Harris said. “This is something we’ve been working so many years to make happen, and today is a huge day.”

MoRIT will participate in fundraising for the corridor, along with other outdoor recreation groups, Harris said.

In August, Gov. Mike Parson signed the Rock Island Trail State Park Endowment Fund, allowing individuals and organizations to donate to the trail.

Donations can also be made to Missouri State Parks Foundation.

Also on Tuesday, Ameren gifted the Eldon Depot on 6th Street to the city of Eldon. The structure will be renovated and developed into a museum, welcome center or new headquarters for the Chamber of Commerce, said Mark Birk, senior vice president of consumer and power operations for Ameren Missouri.

Ameren sees this as an opportunity for tourism, outdoor entertainment and economic development, Birk said.

The city is thankful for the effort and is looking forward to owning the depot, Eldon Mayor Larry Henderson said.

In Eldon last year, a pedestrian signal that would allow a pedestrian to stop road traffic and safely cross the street was installed at U.S. 52 and Rock Island Trail crossing, which was part of the plan, Eldon R-1 Superintendent Matt Davis said Tuesday.

Other towns along the corridor, such as Owensville, Rosebud and Gerald, are excited about the safety and local use development would provide.

Several students will use the trail as a safe way to get to school in those communities, said Jody Miles, former vice president of MoRIT and current trail advocate.

JCAC student donates blankets to preschool class

Naptime for 15 Callaway Hills Elementary preschoolers got a little cozier last month after Jefferson City Academic Center student Gannan Mossor donated fleece blankets to Paula Hotz’s classroom.

Mosser, a junior at JCAC, is in a service class this semester. While working in the Callaway Hills library one day, he wandered into Hotz’s classroom to see if they needed help.

“He noticed we had the saddest blankets,” Hotz said.

The old blankets that she purchased years ago were thin like towels with holes and frayed ends, Hotz said.

At naptime, the students spread out around the room and lie on collapsible cots. The cots are kept in a cool space each day and are often not warm before the students return from lunch.

The blankets were inadequate, and everybody deserves to be warm, Mossor said.

With permission from JCAC staff, Mossor sold ice cream bars for $1 at lunch, raising about $90, he said.

Mossor returned to the class Nov. 14 with plaid and maroon fleece blankets.

Shock and appreciation filled Hotz and the students.

“I didn’t expect anything would come of it,” Hotz said.

Now, the students wrap themselves in the larger blankets around 11:30 a.m. for an hour-long nap every day. The 4- and 5-year-olds sing “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star,” take off their shoes and turn off the lights before closing their eyes.

“This time of year it’s just perfect,” Hotz said. “We went from sad, little blankets to these nice fuzzy ones — all because he saw a need.”

Danika Jarvis-Daniels uses a maroon blanket, which doubled as a superhero cape for her and other students during storytime Tuesday.

Building a personal relationship with the students is important to Mossor, he said. Each student knows his name, and he is working to learn all of theirs.

During his service time twice a week, he talks to the students at lunch and listens to them read.

“I like helping the community,” Mossor said. “I like seeing them happy. I like making them feel happy.”

The students are happy to see Mossor, and he’s glad he wandered into their lives, he said.

“I haven’t missed a service day,” Mossor said. “I go to school early just so I know I’m going to be there. (The students) know when it’s Tuesday and Thursday that I’m coming. I’m going to be there no matter if I have to walk or not, I’m going to get there.”

With the remainder of the money from the ice cream fundraiser, Mossor and JCAC teacher Debbie Cornell began a schoolwide candy cane project.

Students and teachers wrote inspirational notes for patients receiving chemotherapy at Goldschmidt Cancer Center and Jefferson City Medical Group, Cornell said.

“We do service because it’s one of the pillars of JCAC,” Cornell said. “Our three pillars are academics, character and service — and so that’s what we build our school on. … We feel the need to give back.”

Over 300 candy canes and letters were delivered Monday, Cornell said.

Community, school board talk intermediate center

The Jefferson City School District will hold two community meetings before the Jan. 13 Board of Education meeting to discuss plans for addressing K-8 space needs.

Discussions by the community and board members at Monday night’s meeting included positive and opposing comments for two fifth- and sixth-grade centers.

Jefferson City resident Jackie Coleman told the board after briefly studying intermediate centers she did not agree it would best serve the school district and the public.

“I’m not sure that I believe in fifth- and sixth-grade centers as it is,” Coleman said. “As I traveled the state in my 28 years of working in state government, there are very few fifth- and sixth-grade centers throughout the state.”

Some residents are interested in building another elementary school on the east side of town, she said.

“My position on this is, we have land on the east side of the town for an east elementary school,” Coleman said. “This community voiced their opinion on that, and I would hope to see that we build an east elementary building.”

Those conversations predate Superintendent Larry Linthacum, but the district has not dismissed them, Linthacum said.

In the spring, he created a facility focus group comprised of school district employees, board members and members of the public who believe the intermediate centers would best address overcrowding.

JC Schools’ Jason Hoffman, Chief Financial and Operations Officer; Director of Quality Improvement Brenda Hatfield; and Chief of Learning Brian Shindorf gave the board an updated report from the group’s findings.

Coleman expressed frustration to the board that the focus group meetings were not open to the public.

“We should have had public meetings,” Coleman said. “We should have had open discussion before you put something on the ballot because, at the end of the day, it’s our tax dollars that are getting you here.”

After hearing details of the focus group’s report including the pros and cons of building the centers and other considered options — building intermediate centers, kindergarten and first-grade centers, elementary schools or middle schools — the board agreed the presentation should be shown to the community.

Board member Stephanie Johnson, who supports the intermediate centers, originated the idea of showing the community the differences between options to bring more understanding.

“To Jackie Coleman’s point, do we need to take this presentation out in the community now in a few different forms?” Johnson asked.

Those who have been involved with the focus group and planning can clear up any questions within the community with the town hall meetings, board member Steve Bruce said.

Two meetings will take place at Thomas Jefferson Middle School and Lewis and Clark Middle School, Linthacum said.

The district will finalize dates this week, he said.

“There’s a lot of different parts to it,” Linthacum said. “I’ll be more than open to facilitate this is what we’re looking at (and) asking for feedback as we weigh the pros and cons. At the end of the day, voters will decide if we put it on the ballot by saying yes or no.”

The board will review formal ballot language for the no tax increase option at the 6 p.m. board meeting Jan. 13.

Facility focus group members Ashley French and Matt Tollerton told the board Monday the fifth- and sixth-grade option makes sense to address space needs.

“I’m a big supporter,” French said. “Overcrowding in all of the different grade levels is a big concern. I think that this is the most balanced and comprehensive approach that’s reasonable and realistic to address as many of the problems as we can.

“I have heard that there is this historic yearning for another elementary school on the east side but it really limits our ability to address problems.”

Shindorf and his staff conducted interviews with 12 of 21 districts in the state who use fifth- and sixth-grade buildings, he said Monday.

Board member Ken Enloe suggested the district staff look at comparable districts in size to JC Schools within the Midwest to gather more information about the option.

Jefferson City School District considers two new buildings to address space

The Jefferson City School District Board of Education on Monday will be updated on a plan to construct two fifth- and sixth-grade centers to address overcrowding in K-8 schools with the idea the board in January could authorize an April vote on the plan.

Under the plan — studied by a facility focus group comprised of school district employees, board members and members of the public — the centers would be built on district-owned land near Thomas Jefferson and Lewis and Clark middle schools, JC Schools Chief Financial and Operations Officer Jason Hoffman previously said.

The school board will be told Monday that voters would have to approve a no-tax increase ballot issue on the April 2020 ballot to pay for the intermediate school plan. If voters approve the plan, the schools could open in fall 2022, Hoffman said.

In 2015, Superintendent Larry Linthacum noticed the district had K-12 space needs, Hoffman said. The 2017 bond issue, which funded renovations to the existing Jefferson City High School and construction of Capital City High School on a new site, addressed the needs for the high school population.

Capital City High School opened in August with its initial phase of construction — 40 classrooms, kitchen, commons, administrative offices, a practice field and a parking lot. CCHS construction is expected to be completed this month.

JCHS renovations included upgraded classrooms, gym, cafeteria, kitchen, commons, administrative offices, and a new connection between the high school and Nichols Career Center. Final classroom renovations are expected to be completed this month.

After addressing high school needs, the next step was addressing K-8 space needs, Hoffman said. A report from ACI Boland Architects showed most of the elementary and middle schools were filled or beyond capacity.

Linthacum created a facility focus group to “informally bring together a variety of individuals with different perspectives (parents, community members, staff members, etc) to review the current state of our schools and provide feedback on their thoughts regarding how to address overcrowding,” JC Schools Director of Communication Ryan Burns told the News Tribune.

JC Schools staff on the committee were Linthacum; Paula Hotz, teacher and parent; Kate Leary, teacher; and Joni Henderson, teacher.

School board members on the committee were Steve Bruce and Lori Massman.

Members from the public were Rich Aubuchon, parent and former board member; Brad Bates, parent who has since announced his intention to run for school board; Julie Burcham, parent and business owner; Ashley French, business owner; Kim Hardin, parent; Debra Kaiser, retired teacher and grandparent; Brian Mutert, parent; Ashley Pederson, business owner; and Matt Tollerton, community member.

The group is supported by JC Schools staff: Hoffman, Director of Quality Improvement Brenda Hatfield; Director of Elementary Education Lorie Rost; Chief of Learning Brian Shindorf; Frank Underwood, director of facilities and transportation and safety and security coordinator; and Director of Secondary Education Gary Verslues.

The committee began meeting in the spring and gathered over the course of nine months to consider the best solutions for addressing K-8 space needs, Hatfield said.

The group met monthly, and the meetings were not open to the public. When asked why the meetings were not open to the public, Burns said the “informal working group was primarily tasked with information gathering and analysis.”

The committee toured the district’s 18 buildings; reviewed the ACI Boland assessment; and surveyed building staff, students, teachers and parents, Hatfield said. The tours showed the group how faculty and staff use non-classroom spaces for services and share spaces, she said.

For instance, instead of going to a music classroom, Moreau Heights Elementary students have a music cart come to their room. Support services such as English as a second language, behavior supports and speech therapy are being done in unique spaces including hallways, stairwells, closets and common spaces at Lewis and Clark Middle School that were divided into two classrooms.

Although the creativity of teachers was necessary, it is not the solution to the long-term problem, Hatfield said.

“We took what was space that we would have normally used for collaboration or presentation or for kids to be able to do stuff, and we divided it in half and made it into two classrooms,” Hatfield said. “So that’s not the intended use of that actual space, and they are still over capacity.”

The district has used trailers for support services at Pioneer Trail Elementary, Thomas Jefferson Middle School, Callaway Hills Elementary and East Elementary. There is an immediate need for trailers at Lawson, Moreau Heights and North elementary schools, Hatfield said.

The group also reviewed the ACI Boland assessment, discussed solutions for space needs, financial impacts, and weighed the pros and cons.

Several solutions were considered to address the overcrowding, Hoffman said. They included:

• Adding one or two elementary schools to the 11-school mix.

• Adding a third middle school.

• Building two fifth- and sixth-grade buildings.

• Building two kindergarten and first-grade buildings.

The intermediate grade buildings was the favorite of the group, he said.

Some options didn’t stick because of cost and difficulties for the students, Hoffman said.

“It’s definitely cheaper to build elementary schools than middle schools, but where the increase comes in is in the operating side,” Hoffman said. “By adding a 12th and 13th elementary school in order to keep them all K-5, you’re just moving a few students from every building, and it would just be reducing class sizes and not reducing the number of teachers. We would need to add teachers.”

Architects Alliance in July drafted, at no cost to the district, preliminary bubble graphics of what the fifth- and sixth-grade buildings would look like, Hoffman said. Those sketches include two-story buildings with space for 40 classrooms, administration offices, support services, media center, locker rooms, gymnasium, collaboration space and a vestibule.

Two buildings could cost about $70 million, not including administration, support staff, some teachers, utility costs and building access roads to both buildings, Hoffman said.

“Overall, we can cover all the operating costs within our current budget,” he said.

The fifth- and sixth-grade plan would open two or four classrooms in each elementary building and an estimated 15 classrooms in the middle schools, Hoffman said.

To add the fifth- and sixth-grade buildings, students would switch buildings in fourth grade and seventh grade. Currently, students switch buildings at kindergarten, sixth grade and ninth grade.

The extra space could also open the opportunity for preschool options in some buildings, Hoffman said. The district offers preschool at Southwest Early Childhood Center and Callaway Hills Elementary. Having space in neighborhood schools would provide the district the option to offer more preschool classrooms, he said.

The fifth- and sixth-grade centers would impact bus pairings and lunch schedules, officials said. Bus routes would likely be grouped by kindergarten through fourth grade, fifth and sixth grade, seventh and eighth grade, and grades 9-12, Hoffman said.

In Missouri, 21 districts use the fifth- and sixth-grade or intermediate centers, according to information from the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

JC Schools Chief of Learning Brian Shindorf and his staff conducted interviews with staff at 11 of those schools. The responses were turned into an executive summary of their findings and given to the focus group. Information from the summary was included in Hoffman and Hatfield’s November report to the board.

If the board puts the plan before voters, the district would host public meetings to present information and collect feedback on the plan, Burns said.

“It is important to us that we provide the public with a current reality regarding overcrowding in our elementary and middle schools and that they understand how the addition of fifth- and sixth- grade buildings would help to address this issue while also allowing for an improvement to the learning environment moving,” Burns said.

Nichols Career Center welding students craft holiday signs

Nichols Career Center welding students are putting Christmas cheer to work with the school’s annual yard sign project.

Students will craft metal signs to raise funds for Special Olympics Missouri and the VA Clinic in Jefferson City, instructor Kenny Thomas said.

Nearly 30 students from the Jefferson City School District, Helias Catholic High School, the Cole R-1 (Russellville) School District and other sending schools work on the project about three times a week.

Nichols offers career and technical training to students at 12 area high schools.

Holiday pieces range from 40 inches to 3 feet tall with a variety of phrases such as “Joy,” “Noel” and “Merry Christmas” as well as a figure of the nativity scene. The group is also selling monogrammed door hangers and taking custom orders.

Signs are made from donated low-grade stainless steel and cut on a computerized plasma cutter the center purchased in 2017, Thomas said.

Designs are cut by the machine in less than five minutes, and the long stakes slide into the ground easily, he said.

“If you don’t like climbing on your roof putting Christmas lights on, pop these in the ground and they’re there,” Thomas said.

Prices range from $25-$150. The group will stop taking orders Dec. 12.

Sales from 2017 and 2018 raised a total of $8,000 for local charities including The Salvation Army and Toys for Tots, Thomas said. This year, the goal is to land between $3,500-$4,500.

A small portion of the holiday sign sales go toward taking the students to welding competitions around the state.

The project teaches the students to give back, Thomas said.

“I like giving back because I got a talent,” he said. “I was blessed with a talent of welding and knowledge. In return, I try to teach my kids: Always give back the extra that you have been given.”

Before the holiday break, Helias senior Beau Winge cut a 36-inch three-piece nativity scene. The plasma cutter took about one minute to cut Joseph’s image.

Winge is training other students to use the machine.

“I like the fact that we’re working for the community doing the charitable stuff,” Winge said. “My neighbors have the Christmas signs in their yard. I like seeing my work out around town and knowing that I did it, that we did it as a class.”

Orders can be placed by email to kenny.thomas@jcschools.us.

JC Schools score below average on APR science

The Jefferson City School District’s science scores from the Missouri School Improvement Program’s Annual Performance Report for the 2018-19 school year were slightly below state averages.

The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education released science data Monday. DESE administers assessments to non-charter public schools to measure progress and accreditation. Scores for academic achievement in English, math, college and career readiness, attendance and graduation rates were released in October.

Science scores were held until mid-November because a new test was administered by DESE this year. A more rigorous field test was given in the 2018-19 school year. When new tests are given, assessments cannot be compared to previous years, according to DESE.

Social studies scores were not included because a field test took place this year. New social studies assessments will be given in the 2019-20 school year.

The MSIP system calculates

student performance data for districts. This year, the state changed the language used to measure schools’ performance.

Schools’ overall performance for the year makes up their status. Progress reflects a school’s level of achievement on the Missouri Assessment Program test over a three-year average.

APR labels status and progress by whether schools are below expectations, defined as “floor;” near expectations, defined as “approaching;” meeting expectations, defined as “on track;” or exceeding expectations, defined as “target.”

JC Schools’ average status and progress scored as 327.2 points, showing some improvement this year.

The state’s average science score was 333.9, or near expectations.

The APR scores schools’ performance from 100-500. Since a new science test was given this year, progress was measured by each district’s typical percent of improvement, DESE Communications Coordinator Mallory McGowin said.

Academic achievement is also tracked for subgroups such as low-income students, students with disabilities, English learners, and black and Hispanic students who haven’t historically performed as well, according to DESE.

JC Schools’ subgroup status and progress also scored 291 or below expectations, according to the APR data. The state’s subgroup achievement average was 295.4 points or below expectations.

The scores aren’t where the district wants them, but they are comparable with the state, JC Schools Superintendent Larry Linthacum said.

“We don’t want to compare ourselves with the state, but we are comparable to them in overall progress,” Linthacum said. “We know that we have room to improve.”

The district has not looked at individual scores for each school building, he said.

Overall, 41 percent of JC Schools students who took the science test received proficient or advanced scores, according to APR data. Subgroup achievement science scores show 28 percent performed at the same level.

The state proficient or advanced total was 41 percent, McGowin said.

Subgroup achievement totals were unavailable at the time News Tribune requested them.

The next steps will be looking at the scores and having conversations with teachers to implement skills in the classroom, Linthacum said.

Other APR data for JC Schools, as previously reported, include:

• English and math scores were near expectations, or “approaching” status. The state’s average for English and math were “approaching” status.

• Attendance, graduation rates, college and career readiness for college credit, secondary placement and college assessments were meeting expectations, or “on track.” The state average for graduation is meeting expectations or “on track” and attendance is exceeding expectations. State averages were meeting expectations for college credit and exceeding expectations for secondary and college assessments.

Blair Oaks science APR scores exceed expectations

he Blair Oaks R-2 School District’s science scores from the Missouri School Improvement Program’s Annual Performance Report for the 2018-19 school year were above state averages.

The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education released science data Monday. DESE administers assessments to non-charter public schools to measure progress and accreditation. Scores for academic achievement in English, math; college and career readiness; attendance; and graduation rates were released in October.

Science scores were held until mid-November because a new test was administered by DESE this year. A more rigorous field test was given in the 2018-19 school year. When new tests are given, assessments cannot be compared to previous years, according to DESE.

Social studies scores were not included because a field test took place this year. New social studies assessments will be given in the 2019-20 school year.

The MSIP system calculates student performance data for districts. This year, the state changed the language used to measure schools’ performance.

Schools’ overall performance for the year make up their status. Progress reflects a school’s level of achievement on the Missouri Assessment Program test over a three-year average.

APR labels status and progress by whether schools are below expectations, defined as “floor;” near expectations, defined as “approaching;” meeting expectations, defined as “on track;” or exceeding expectations, defined as “target.”

Points range from 100-500.

Blair Oaks’ science academic achievement status scored as 385.9, in the highest level of expectation range.

Since a new science test was given this year, progress was measured by each district’s typical level of improvement, DESE Communications Coordinator Mallory McGowin said.

Blair Oaks’ progress was scored as “floor,” meaning DESE does not expect to see much improvement from the school’s current achievements.

Academic achievement is also tracked for subgroups such as low-income students, students with disabilities, English learners, and black and Hispanic students who haven’t historically performed as well, according to DESE.

The Blair Oaks district’s subgroup achievement scored as 326.1, or meeting expectations.

Superintendent Jim Jones is pleased with scores from the science test and the APR overall, he said.

With the new science tests focused on applying skills compared to remembering knowledge, seeing advanced marks for fifth and eighth grades is crucial, he said.

“One of the things that we are most excited about is when we see advanced and proficient in fifth grade and eighth grade,” Jones said. “Kids are getting a great foundation in science.”

The test is given to fifth-graders, eighth-graders and high school juniors who take biology, said Blair Oaks Director of Curriculum and Assessment Tracey Burns.

Overall, 61 percent of students who took the science test received proficient or advanced scores, according to APR data. Subgroup achievement scores showed 38 percent of students performed at the same level.

The state proficient or advanced total was 41 percent, McGowin said.

Subgroup achievement totals were unavailable at the time News Tribune requested them.

“We’re pleased with all of our scores,” Burns said. “All of our scores are above the state average, but especially in fifth and eighth grade.”

The district gave freshman students the optional physical science test, which also yielded good scores, Burns said.

About 37 percent of test-takers scored proficient or advanced, Burns said.

“I think it speaks highly to teachers that they are really laying that foundational groundwork for applied skills beyond just knowledge,” Burns said.

The next step is for the district to break down the scores and make improvements in the classroom, Jones said.

Other APR data for the Blair Oaks district, as previously reported, includes:

• English scores were exceeding expectations and math scores were meeting expectations. The state’s average for English and math were approaching status.

• Attendance and graduation rates were exceeding expectations. The state average for attendance was exceeding expectations, while graduation rates were meeting expectations or “on track.”

• Blair Oaks college and career readiness for college credit, secondary placement and college assessments are exceeding expectations. State averages were meeting expectations for college credit and exceeding expectations for secondary and college assessments.