COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The three incumbents in the Columbia Board of Education race retained their seats on Tuesday. April Ferrao (6,537 votes), John Lyman (6,218) and Paul Harper (6,183) kept their seats against challenger Dr. Keary Husain (2,759). “Paul, April and I have talked every single day, I think, for the last three plus years,
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A charter school looking to operate in Boone County has refiled its application. An item on the Missouri Board of Education’s April meeting agenda says Frontier Schools are looking for the state to approve its application for a STEM academy in Columbia. Saint Louis University had pulled its application in January after
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A former West Middle School teacher who was charged with statutory sodomy and a slew of other child sex crimes is now charged in another case. Zachary Hutchinson, of Columbia, was arrested on Friday and charges appeared on Monday in his new case. He is now charged with three counts of child
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A former West Middle School teacher who was charged with statutory sodomy and other charges earlier this year was arrested again on Friday. Zachary Hutchinson, 38, of Columbia, is being held at the Boone County Jail. New charges were not shown on Casenet on Friday evening. Jail records indicate he is being
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Three seats are up for grabs in the Columbia Board of Education election with all four candidates highlighting bullying as a major issue in the district that needs to be addressed. Four people are running for three spots. Board President John Lyman, Vice President Paul Harper and Boardmember April Ferrao are trying to retain a spot on
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Edits to Columbia Public Schools’ bullying policy, including summer interactions and employee protocol, will be discussed during a school board policy committee meeting Wednesday. The new policy, if passed, would implement new guidelines for instructors on handling reports of bullying. The initial policy had instructors and employees ask to report incidents to
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A Boone County judge sided Wednesday with Columbia Public Schools in a lawsuit alleging the district breached a contract for football field naming rights at Rock Bridge High School. Wayne Sells filed the lawsuit in October 2024 after CPS removed his name from the Rock Bridge football field. The Columbia Board of
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The eight-days-before-election financial reports were due at 5 p.m. Monday to the Missouri Ethics Commission and all four candidates for the Columbia Board of Education submitted theirs on time. Four people are running for three spots. Board President John Lyman, Vice President Paul Harper and Boardmember April Ferrao are trying to retain
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) – A candidate for the Columbia Board of Education said he’s fixed issues with his campaign committee that stopped him from properly filing and reporting his fundraising activity. Dr. Keary Husain told ABC 17 News that the Missouri Ethics Commission did not accept his first filing because his campaign committee did not
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Columbia Police Department announced in a social media post that it is using unoccupied school buildings for active-shooter response training this week while students are on spring break. More than 40 officers completed their training this week and more sessions will be held throughout the year, the post says. “The training
Continue Reading COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Columbia Board of Education has asked the district to raise health insurance premiums by 20% for the upcoming school year. That request came after a Thursday morning meeting. The district will take on the cost of the premiums next year, but will pass along costs of any dependents to employees. This
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The head principal of Hickman High School announced Tuesday she is taking a job at the Columbia Public Schools central office. ABC 17 News got a copy of an email from Mary Grupe where she said she accepted the position of Director of Student Support for CPS. The district told ABC 17
Continue Reading COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Despite a drop in crimes investigated last school year, Columbia Public Schools saw an increase in responses to disruptions, according to new data presented during a Monday Board of Education review of the district’s School Resource Officer program. The district partners with the Columbia Police Department on the program, which is designed
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The finance committee for the Columbia Board of Education voted on Monday to recommend an increase in medical insurance premiums for district employees. The committee heard a presentation from the district’s Chief Financial Officer Heather McArthur about different changes to insurance premiums and what those changes would bring in estimated revenue. The
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A report of shots being heard put five Columbia Public Schools buildings on secure status Thursday in south Columbia. Columbia police spokesperson Colin Imhoff told ABC 17 News that officers responded to a report of shots heard around 12:30 p.m. around Southampton Drive. Officers did not find evidence of any gunshots being
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Two Mile Prairie Elementary School will become a lottery school beginning in the 2026-27 school year, the Columbia Board of Education decided during Monday night’s meeting. Meeting documents show the lottery system will only apply to “entry-level grades” including one kindergarten classroom and a number of seats in first grade. Students within
Continue Reading COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Columbia Board of Education on Monday unanimously approved new language that clarifies what is a considered a weapon in its school district. The meeting agenda says the Missouri School Boards’ Association updated its own policy to comply with Senate Bill 68, which passed last year and states districts must report all
Continue Reading COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A former West Middle School teacher who was charged with several child sex crimes last month was given a home-detention order after he received a bond. Zachary Hutchinson, 38, of Columbia, was charged on Jan. 21 in Boone County with three counts of second-degree statutory sodomy, one count of child enticement, sexually
Continue Reading COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Both parties in a lawsuit over charter school applications in Boone County asked a judge on Friday to vacate a hearing next week after Saint Louis University rescinded its application for Frontier Schools. Columbia Public Schools filed a lawsuit last month, claiming the establishment of charter schools in Boone County is unconstitutional.
Continue Reading COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The state of Missouri this week asked a Cole County judge to dismiss a case filed by Columbia Public Schools over charter school applications. The state filed its motion to dismiss on Tuesday and asked the judge to hold all proceedings in the case until a ruling is reached on the motion.
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