Columbia Public Schools Archives

One year later: Columbia Board of Education candidates reflect on weapons detection system as district plans safety initiatives

March 27, 2025 7:27 PM Mitchell Kaminski

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Columbia Public Schools is approaching one year since installing a weapons detection system to enhance school safety. Now, the district is considering a public service announcement on safe firearm storage, a board resolution and further discussions on educating families about gun safety. CPS purchased 15 weapon detection systems from Communications Technologies Inc.

Columbia Board of Education candidate interview: Erica Dickson

March 27, 2025 2:58 PM Mitchell Kaminski

COLUMBIA Mo, (KMIZ) ABC 17 News is speaking with candidates for the April 8 election. Three people are running for a pair of seats on the Columbia Board of Education: Board President Suzette Waters, Erica Dickson and Ken Rice. Reporter Mitchell Kaminski spoke with each candidate about a number of topics. View the interview with

Columbia Board of Education candidate interview: Ken Rice

March 27, 2025 2:46 PM Mitchell Kaminski

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) ABC 17 News is speaking with candidates for the April 8 election. Three people are running for a pair of seats on the Columbia Board of Education: Board President Suzette Waters, Erica Dickson and Ken Rice. Reporter Mitchell Kaminski spoke with each candidate about a number of topics. View the interview with

Columbia Board of Education candidate interview: Board President Suzette Waters

March 27, 2025 2:20 PM Mitchell Kaminski

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) ABC 17 News is speaking with candidates for the April 8 election. Three people are running for a pair of seats on the Columbia Board of Education: Board President Suzette Waters, Erica Dickson and Ken Rice. Reporter Mitchell Kaminski spoke with each candidate about a number of topics. View the interview with

Columbia Board of Education race: 3 candidates battle for pair of open seats

March 26, 2025 7:58 PM Mitchell Kaminski

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Three candidates are vying for a pair of open seats on the Columbia Board of Education. On April 8, Columbia and Boone County voters will decide between current Board President Suzette Waters, Erica Dickson and Ken Rice. Two-term Boardmember Blake Willoughby will not seek reelection. Here is how each candidate stands on some

Principal named for new Columbia elementary school

March 21, 2025 2:19 PM Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Columbia Public Schools has announced the first principal of Eagle Bluffs Elementary School. Sarah Sicht will be the school’s inaugural principal, the school district announced in a Friday press release. Sicht has worked at CPS for 25 years as a teacher, assessment coach, mentor and most recently as the principal at Benton

Missouri schools face uncertainty after Trump signs order to dismantle Education Department

March 20, 2025 4:12 PM Mitchell Kaminski

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday to begin dismantling the U.S. Department of Education. Completely shutting down the department would require an act of Congress, which established the agency in 1979. Trump officials admit they lack the votes needed to dissolve it through legislation. The White House argues that

Columbia Board of Education candidates discuss teacher retention, charter schools during forum

March 18, 2025 3:49 PM Marie Moyer

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Erica Dickson, Ken Rice and current Columbia Board of Education President Suzette Waters responded to questions on Tuesday at a candidate forum hosted by the Boone County Unit of the Missouri Retired Teachers and School Personnel. “Our organization has done this for several years and we have a tradition to do this

Columbia quadruplets to compete at four different colleges this fall

March 18, 2025 4:02 PM Nia Hinson

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) From running, to baseball, to golf, the Eastman family knows a thing or two about sports. “I think athletics is a huge piece of our life and I think it’s a good learning tool…I think we’re also competitive. It’s a genetic thing,”Kristin Eastman said while laughing with her husband Stuart outside Hickman

Columbia Board of Education approves new superintendent’s contract

March 10, 2025 4:32 PM Mitchell Kaminski

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Editor’s Note: the date of a previous Muleskinners meeting has been corrected. The Columbia Board of Education unanimously approved a three-year contract for its new superintendent, Jeff Klein, during Monday night’s board meeting. The contract sets Klein’s salary at $255,000, which would be paid monthly. His salary can increase by as much

Columbia Public Schools to vote on contract for new superintendent Monday

March 9, 2025 9:36 PM Euphenie Andre

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Columbia Board of Education is set to vote on a three-year contract for its new superintendent, Jeff Klein during Monday’s meeting. If approved, Klein will make $255,000 in his first year, with the potential for up to a 6% increase in his second and third years. This decision comes as the

Three-year contract proposed for new Columbia Public Schools superintendent

March 7, 2025 12:19 PM Matthew Sanders

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Columbia Board of Education is expected to vote Monday on a three-year contract for a new superintendent. The board will also decide whether to make shortening the length of superintendent contracts a legislative priority. The contract, if approved, will pay Jeff Klein $255,000 in its first year. He could get an

Columbia Public Schools names new superintendent

February 27, 2025 2:16 PM Mitchell Kaminski, Matthew Sanders

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Columbia Public Schools made an internal hire — a recent addition to the district — the new superintendent Thursday. Jeff Klein, the current chief academic officer at CPS, will be the head of the district in the 2025-26 academic year. He will replace Chris Belcher, a retired former CPS superintendent who returned

A fleet of Broward County School buses are parked in a lot on July 21

New district bus service to provide updates at Columbia BOE meeting Wednesday

February 26, 2025 4:44 AM Jazsmin Halliburton

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Columbia Board of Education’s Long Range Planning Committee will hear updates regarding the district’s new bus service on Wednesday. The board approved a contract with DS Bus Line to provide transportation for the district earlier this month, and now the bus line is providing an update on its transition. According to

Missouri lawmakers push to clarify school calendar, snow day rules

February 25, 2025 6:13 PM Mitchell Kaminski

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) While cold weather may have moved out of Mid-Missouri, the lingering effects of last week’s snowfall will affect Columbia Public Schools. On Feb. 17, CPS used its last-of-six allotted alternative methods of instruction days. The next day, CPS was forced to use a “traditional snow day” which will force the district to

Water tower will not be built next to Beulah Ralph Elementary School

February 18, 2025 3:01 PM Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Editor’s Note: The lede has been corrected. A proposed water tower will not be built by Beulah Ralph Elementary School in Columbia. According to an email from Columbia Public Schools spokeswoman Michelle Baumstark, the Columbia Board of Education decided not to sell the land near the schools to the City of Columbia.

Columbia Public Schools, Jefferson City School District not in session on Tuesday

February 17, 2025 5:19 PM Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Columbia Public Schools will not be in session on Tuesday. A district spokesperson wrote on social media that Tuesday will be a day for alternative methods of instruction for students. Tuesday is the last AMI day that can be used by the school district before having to make up class hours over

Columbia Public Schools, Jefferson City School District among several districts canceling Wednesday classes for snow

February 11, 2025 4:40 PM Matthew Sanders

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Columbia Public Schools will not be in session Wednesday with a snowstorm expected to dump several inches of snow on Mid-Missouri. CPS sent out alerts to parents at about 4:30 p.m. saying classes would be canceled and students would be expected to study “alternative methods of instruction.” CPS spokeswoman Michelle Baumstark wrote

CPS nears limit on AMI days as Mid-Missouri districts work around snowy winter

February 11, 2025 6:39 PM Mitchell Kaminski

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Columbia Public Schools was among several Mid-Missouri districts to announce a shift to remote learning or class cancellations due to forecasted snowfall for Wednesday. After Wednesday, CPS will have just one remaining Alternative Method of Instruction day before it would need to extend the school year. Missouri law requires public school districts

CPS employee salaries considered ‘highly competitive’ within relative labor market, study shows

February 10, 2025 4:32 PM Nia Hinson

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Columbia Public Schools employee salaries are considered “above market and highly competitive,” a Gallagher benchmarking study found. The study was done to ensure competitiveness within the external market, according to a presentation from the district. Gallagher worked with CPS to identify a group of comparator organizations based uponorganization size, budget size, location