COLUMBIA PUBLIC SCHOOLS QUARTERLY CONNECTION SUMMER 2017 SPRING FALL WINTER MONDAY, AUGUST 14 (Elementary and Middle Schools) MARCH 26-30 Jump Start Day (Grades 6 and 9) Spring Break; school not in session NOVEMBER 22 - 24 TUESDAY, AUGUST 15 Thanksgiving Break; school not WEDNESDAY, APRIL 11 Opening Day of School in session Teacher collaboration; 2.5 hour early (Grades 1-12) dismissal DECEMBER 22 - JANUARY 2 THURSDAY, AUGUST 17 Winter Break; school not in session FRIDAY, MAY 18 First Day for Kindergarten DHS and RBHS Graduation WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 3 MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 4 Teacher Work Day; school not SATURDAY, MAY 19 Labor Day; school not in session in session BHS and HHS Graduation MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 25 MONDAY, JANUARY 15 MAY 21-25, 29 Teacher Work Day; school not MLK Day; school not in session Built-in snow days in session MONDAY, FEBRUARY 5 MONDAY, MAY 28 TUESDAY, OCTOBER 17 Teacher Work Day; school not Memorial Day; school not in session Teacher collaboration; in session 2.5 hour early dismissal TUESDAY, MAY 29 FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 16 Teacher collaboration; 2.5 hour early MONDAY, OCTOBER 30 Teacher Work Day; school not dismissal Teacher Work Day; school not in session in session Parent Teacher Conferences JUNE 5 - 29 (Elementary and Middle Schools) Summer School FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 10 Teacher Work Day; school not MONDAY, FEBRUARY 19 in session Presidents’ Day; school not in session 2017-2018 SCHOOL YEAR CALENDAR YEAR 2017-2018 SCHOOL Parent Teacher Conferences Dr. Peter Stiepleman Peter Dr. Superintendent James Whitt James Helen Wade Helen Jonathan Sessions Jonathan Christine King Christine Paul Cushing Paul Permit No. 319 No. Permit Members Columbia, MO Columbia, Columbia, MO 65203 MO Columbia, PAID 1818 W. Worley Street Worley W. 1818 Jan Mees Jan US postage US Aslin Administration Building Administration Aslin Vice President Vice Non-profit org. Non-profit Darin Preis Darin President Special Services at 1818 W. Worley Street, Columbia, MO 65203 (573)214-3462. 65203 MO Columbia, Street, Worley W. 1818 at Services Special EDUCATION opportunity employer. Inquiries regarding Columbia Public Schools’ compliance with IDEA and Section 504 regulations should contact contact should regulations 504 Section and IDEA with compliance Schools’ Public Columbia regarding Inquiries employer. opportunity Family and Medical Leave Act, in its programs, activities, or with regard to employment. The Columbia Board of Education is an equal equal an is Education of Board Columbia The employment. to regard with or activities, programs, its in Act, Leave Medical and Family BOARD OF BOARD gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, disability, age, or use of leave protected by the the by protected leave of use or age, disability, ancestry, origin, national orientation, sexual expression, gender identity, gender children and district residents. The Columbia Public School District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, gender, religion, color, race, of basis the on discriminate not does District School Public Columbia The residents. district and children QUARTERLY REPORT QUARTERLY is published by the Columbia Public School District as a public service to the parents of school-age school-age of parents the to service public a as District School Public Columbia the by published is COLUMBIA PUBLIC SCHOOLS’ 2016-2017 VALEDICTORIANS ROCK BRIDGE HIGH SCHOOL CPS GROWS FUTURE of minority teachers. He reached out to TEACHERS AT HOME Monica Naylor, who previously served as the district’s coordinator of multicultural According to the Missouri Department of education, to counsel him about her Elementary and Secondary Education accomplishments in the district, one of (DESE), approximately one-third of all which was the Minority Intern program. teachers leave the teaching profession Allison Foster, Rachel Spurling, Chase Heim, John Swift, Zane Durante, Boonakij Palipatana and Dzung Ho Nguyen. in less than three years, and almost half Naylor started the program in 1994 and of all teachers leave teaching within HICKMAN HIGH SCHOOL it worked in two phases: high school five years. Columbia Public Schools students worked in classrooms as paid is working to combat the problem teacher aides during the summer and by establishing a pipeline of locally college students worked in the classroom educated and highly effective teachers during the school year. The idea was through the Grow Our Own program. to introduce students to the teaching profession, as well as potentially The program is part of a greater effort persuading college students to change to diversify CPS’ teaching force. their majors to education. The program Verna Laboy is a board member saw great success, but eventually ended and vice president of the Worley because of district budget cuts. However, Taryn Johnson, Jasmine Jalali, Anna Vaclavek, Ann Lei, Sarah Frost and Dishti Goyal Street Roundtable, a local grassroots Stiepleman and Laboy saw the potential BATTLE HIGH SCHOOL organization that supports Columbia in resurrecting the internship. Public Schools, students and parents. She said she wanted the makeup of CPS With the help of Naylor, the Worley educators to reflect the representation Street Roundtable and university partners, of the children they’ve been assigned to the district created the Educational teach. The Columbia Board of Education Experience Intern program, or EdX. agreed, and both sides began working During its inaugural year, Naylor and on ways to form a more inclusive members of the Worley Street Roundtable teaching staff. interviewed and selected 10 students from a pool of 42 applicants who served Dane Steinhauer, Kathryn Carey, Elaine Miller, Madison Null and Caleb Bavinka. “We want more culturally competent as paid interns in various classrooms educators, but we also want children throughout the summer. Naylor worked to be able to see themselves as leaders with the students and served as a mentor DOUGLASS HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATING CLASS around the school and the ones doing the and adviser. educating,” Laboy said. “That will not only inspire minority children, but all of “The students thoroughly enjoyed the our students.” opportunity and were pleased to work in a professional setting like summer Last summer, CPS Superintendent Dr. school,” Naylor said. Peter Stiepleman wanted to convene people interested in recruiting CPS students to become future teachers for the Story continues on next page. district, while also enhancing CPS’ ratio CPS Honors Seven Elite Educators Columbia Fund for Academic Excellence celebrates 38th year Rachel Howard Erin Marbaker Joy Bess Jessica Lucas Erica Bruington Molly Krueger John White Seven Columbia Public School District educators were recognized as Outstanding High School Educator this year’s Columbia Fund for Academic Excellence honorees. Jessica Lucas, Hickman High School language arts teacher Since its inception in the 1979-80 school year, the Columbia Outstanding Educator in a Specialized Area Fund for Academic Excellence has served to recognize more than Erica Bruington, Oakland Middle School business education and 250 educators in the Columbia Public School District. Each year, AVID teacher educators are selected from nominations submitted by parents and peers as outstanding educators. This year’s honorees and their Outstanding Beginning Teacher respective categories are: Molly Krueger, Russell Boulevard Elementary School music teacher Outstanding Elementary Educator, Grades Pre K-2 Outstanding Administrator Rachel Howard, Rock Bridge Elementary School first-grade teacher John White, Director of Safety and Security Outstanding Elementary Educator, Grades 3-5 Honorees received a $1,500 cash award and an engraved silver Erin Marbaker, Battle Elementary School third-grade teacher tray. The fund began through the work of Ray and Jeanne Lewis, with an initial contribution and extensive fundraising efforts. The late Mr. Outstanding Middle School Educator Lewis was a local attorney and former Board of Education member. Joy Bess, Gentry Middle School social studies teacher Mrs. Lewis is a former teacher and has actively served our community. SUMMER BOND UPDATE and cafeteria, freeing up the gym for physical better accommodate the staff and building users. The Grant Elementary School addition and education activities and assemblies. The recent This includes the addition of a nurse’s office, renovation will be a two-story addition on the change in the local building codes requires workroom and an adult restroom. The main office south end of the existing classroom wing that schools to include storm shelters. The new entry will be relocated to align with the pickup/ will include three general classrooms as well as addition will use the new cafeteria area as the drop off loop near the Eco Schoolhouse. The art and music rooms. The gym at Grant currently storm shelter for the building. building fire alarm system will be upgraded and doubles as the cafeteria, and the kitchen is in a fire suppression system added. major need of upgrades because it doesn’t The new addition will also include an elevator, support the school’s mission of fresh food daily. and an additional elevator will be added to The construction budget is approximately $5.6 Currently, students get their lunch trays in the the original building to make it accessible. The million. Construction is expected to start in June main hallway and carry them to the gym to eat. existing restrooms, lounge and main office will 2017 and be completed by