R-II school district moves forward with long-range plan

By Phil Cobb | September 29, 2023 |

SKYE POURNAZARI/THE FORUM
Jill Baker, senior instructor and elementary education coordinator at Northwest Missouri State University, told students that they were fortunate to have such a good example of a “high-functioning” board of education.

MARYVILLE, Mo. — Last week the Maryville R-II Board of Education met at the Lee and Nina Schneider Center for Performing Arts for its regular meeting, thus offering more seating for members of the Northwest Missouri State University Education Department to attend.

Each year the board opens one of its initial meetings to the department for education students to attend and ask questions. This year, Jill Baker, senior instructor and elementary education coordinator at the university, told the group that it is fortunate to have such a good example of a “high-functioning” board of education.

Board members and staff introduced themselves and told students how long they have been on the board.

Several students asked questions and some even inquired about potential positions within the district.

Long-range plan
Superintendent Logan Lightfoot updated the board regarding the district’s three open bids and during a work session following the regular board meeting discussed more specifics on the upcoming projects.

Lightfoot told the board that the long-range plan project, as it stands now, will have four phases to be completed over 10 years, with each phase to be aligned with the district’s upcoming regularly scheduled debt retirements.

Earlier in the regular meeting, the board approved a contract between the district and Incite Design Studios for the upcoming project design needs at the Maryville Early Childhood Center, Eugene Field Elementary, Maryville Middle School and Maryville High School.

With regard to bids, the district received 15 requests for a request-for-qualifications packet for construction manager of the upcoming long-range plan work. Lightfoot told the board on Wednesday that the district has also received 14 requests for packets from energy service companies and 26 requests for packets from sport turf companies.

While the district is receiving bids for these projects, no work is set to start until after the April 2024 election, where a no-tax-increase bond will be placed before voters.

On hand to answer board questions during the work session were three representatives from L.J. Hart & Company, including Larry Hart himself. He told board members that he had been happy to work with the district last time a bond was placed on the ballot in 2014, when the center for performing arts center project was in the works.

The three representatives led the board through a packet of information explaining that the district’s current bond capacity is around $29 million, though the scope of its long-range plan would only require asking voters to approve $20 million, thus leaving them a cushion should it be necessary later.

“We’re really pleased to be involved and hope to work with you on this,” Hart told the board.

Following the funding discussion, Lightfoot led the board through slides explaining the scope of the project. From the two-story addition that will take the place of the Kiva and the MECC to the turfing of athletic fields at the high school, each building will see improvements at some point throughout the project.

Working with Incite Design Studios, Lightfoot showed how a new circle drive to the east of the elementary school will allow for 12 school buses to enter, pick up or drop off students and make their way out in a safer manner than is currently available. The two-story addition will provide more spacious classrooms of 750-800 square feet with common learning spaces and staff meeting areas.

He said that should four-sevenths of registered voters approve the no-tax-increase bond in April, which will continue the district’s current debt levy, demolition could begin in summer 2024. The elementary school project is scheduled to take 64 weeks. While work would need to happen during the following school year, there would be plans in place to hold just two grades’ worth of classes in other locations. This would keep four grades at EFE.

At the middle school, the HVAC would be replaced and additional learning spaces would be created in the open areas amid the classroom hallways, and four study carousels that can hold 12 students would be constructed.

At the high school, goals included renovating classrooms and hallways, adding a parking island, building a road around the district’s new greenhouse and moving utility lines underground as well as turfing athletic fields. Lightfoot told the board that the cost of artificially turfing the fields is only about 10 percent of the entire cost of the project and would benefit more than just athletes, but also the marching band, which currently rehearses on pavement.

In addition to that work, the building would also receive a dedicated and secure main entrance on the west side of the building near the commons. Also located there would be the school resource officer’s office and possibly other offices. When exiting the building, students would be able to leave from any exit.

These plans still may fluctuate. Lightfoot is planning to lead board members through tours of the facilities to help them envision the project. Work sessions will be scheduled for these tours at 5 p.m. prior to board meetings in October (MECC/EFE) and November.

Lightfoot said the district plans to start a steering committee in the coming months to help disseminate this information to the public.

Assistant superintendent’s report
Assistant Superintendent Steve Klotz’s report recognized the hard work office staff, counselors, registrars and teachers have put in during the transition to the district’s new student information system, Infinite Campus.

“They have worked tirelessly to ensure that the data we are capturing through our system is providing the level of accuracy that we are required to adhere to as a school district,” he wrote in his report.

Other notes

Filing for candidates interested in two open board seats will begin at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 5, and end at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 26. The seats that will come open are currently held by Traci Westfall and JR Kurz.
The board approved staffing changes, including adding a full-time paraprofessional position at the elementary school and another at the high school as well as a supplemental webpage designer at the high school and a Center for Advanced Professional Studies (CAPS) sponsor at the high school.
CAPS programs provide professional innovative educational experiences for students in a fully-immersive professional experience that helps to foster education and business relationships while providing real world experience, according to yourcapsnetwork.org. Superintendent Logan Lightfoot said a lot of work still will need to be accomplished before the program can begin.

Personnel

Resignations

Leslie Leasure, evening custodian at the high school, effective Sept. 13, 2023

Staff reassignments

Linda Stiens, evening custodian at the elementary school, reassigned to evening custodian at the high school effective Sept. 21, 2023

Recommendations for Employment

Beth Mires, part-time paraprofessional at the early childhood center, effective Sept. 5, 2023
Brylie Schwebach, paraprofessional at the elementary school, effective Sept. 21, 2023
Anita Ess, part-time AEL secretary, effective Sept. 25, 2023
Layla Wolf, paraprofessional at the elementary school, effective Sept. 21. 2023
David Million, evening custodian at the high school, effective Sept. 21, 2023
Remington Long, evening custodian at the elementary school, effective Sept. 21, 2023
Zachary Lay, youth development worker at the elementary school, effective Sept. 21, 2023
Alyssa Nauman, youth development worker at the elementary school, effective Sept. 21, 2023
Peyton Toole, youth development worker at the elementary school, effective Sept. 21, 2023
Kamryn DeMarr, paraprofessional at the high school, effective Sept. 26, 2023