The Finance Committee agenda proposes leasing 12 mobile classroom buildings—24 classrooms total—for renovation work at Pleasant Lea Middle School and Pleasant Lea Elementary.
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The district transitioned from NWEA to i-Ready Inform for its adaptive reading and math assessment this school year. The assessment is administered three times annually, and district staff said the results are being used to identify student needs and adjust instruction.
The board approved safety film for entries and windows throughout the district’s K–12 buildings. District staff said the safety committee had evaluated the measure for six to eight months and ranked it among the district’s top five safety and security options.
The board approved a $1,830,900 universal baseball and softball field at the existing varsity baseball site, plus a 5% construction contingency. The district expected work to start within 30 days and committed to a February 15 completion target; nearby athletic facilities are to remain open during construction.
District leaders estimated that state funding could fall about $1.2 million short of the state formula target this year and said next year’s outlook appears worse. They outlined possible levy changes—including one that would raise the total rate by 30 cents per $100 of assessed value—but said no decision has been made and they are seeking community input.
The Board approved a Local Compliance Plan update requiring postsecondary transition services to be included in an eligible student’s IEP before the student leaves eighth grade, starting in the 2027–28 school year. An IEP team may determine that services should be included earlier.
The superintendent said the district cut 20 positions over the past two years, including six at the middle school last year. He said the cuts left fewer middle-school electives and made scheduling harder, while the district expects state funding to stay roughly flat and insurance costs to rise.
The board agenda proposes authorizing the district to transport students who live less than one mile from school as part of its 2026–27 bus-route approvals. The proposal would extend transportation eligibility to students in that distance group; the agenda does not state how many students or schools would be affected.
Belton High School found mold in several classrooms, and three rooms were cleared for deep cleaning after testing showed elevated levels; the school also temporarily closed its kitchen during testing and remediation. The district reported cleaning about 74 classrooms, discarding most kitchen food, and expanding testing and preventive cleanup; it said air tests were within compliance.
The Pleasant Hill R-III Board of Education placed “Curriculum Approval: GamePlan” on its September 15 regular-session agenda as a consent-agenda item. The supplied record establishes consideration, not final approval.
Lone Jack's middle school is changing how students use RTI time: on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays they stay in their assigned RTI classrooms for help, reading, and unfinished work, while eligible students can attend assigned clubs on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Participating students will also have additional engagement opportunities on the first three days.
The board heard that the district's superintendent search was scheduled to go live on September 16, with a three-month timeline presented at the meeting. Jeanette Cowherd, a Kansas City region liaison, was identified as the search coordinator and facilitator.
The superintendent reported a power outage around 12:30 p.m. that left many schools without power, and said the district continued operating rather than dismissing students. He cited risks from sending students to homes without power and having students walk across dark streets; some schools still had power.
Park Hill Superintendent Dr. Cameron announced plans to retire at the end of the school year. The board discussed the announcement on September 10 and began a search for a successor, with the search process intended to start that fall.
The board approved issuing a request for proposals for superintendent search firm or individual services, on a 4–0 vote. The action authorizes soliciting search-support proposals; the minutes do not identify a provider or selection.
The district reported that Executive Order 26-01 will bring A–F grades to every Missouri public school and district. The presented framework requires 95% MAP participation; falling short can lower a school or district’s letter grade, and the meeting listed September 15, 2026, as the planned state-board approval date.
The September 8 agenda proposes issuing $60 million in new school-building bonds. The new borrowing was authorized by voters in the April 2026 election; the resolution also allows refinancing certain 2016 bonds only if it would generate interest savings.