COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Tuesday was the deadline for candidates to file in statewide races in the April 8 election and a number of local entities have announced their respective candidates. Jefferson City Council According to information from the city, the following people filed to run in city elections: Ward 1:Â Incumbent Jeff Ahlers Ward 2:Â Incumbent Aaron
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Columbia Board of Education President Suzette Waters has filed for reelection. Waters was first elected to the Board in 2022. She joins Erica Dickson and Ken Rice in the race. Candidate filing also closes at 5 p.m. Dec. 31. In her press release announcing her reelection bid, she reaffirmed her opposition to
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Columbia Board of Education will be meeting Thursday morning to give updates regarding snow days being replaced with remote learning. There will be a presentation at Thursday’s meeting on Alternate Methods of Instruction which will add remote learning days. This follows the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s incentive program for Senate
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Rock Bridge High School will be testing out another weapons detection system at one of its entrances on Wednesday. Principal Jaciob Sirna informed parents about the addition in an email to parents on Tuesday. It will be conducted at one lane of the north entrance on Wednesday. Columbia Public Schools spokesperson Michelle
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EDITOR’S NOTE: A reference to Brian Yearwood not being mentioned at an event has been removed. COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The two candidates so far for Columbia Board of Education are pledging to prioritize transparency after the exit of a superintendent was shrouded in secrecy. The lack of transparency surrounding the exit of Columbia Public Schools
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JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) Another candidate filed on Monday for the Jefferson City Third Ward race for the April 8 election. Erica Choinka filed at 9 a.m. Monday, according to information from the city. Derek Thomas filed to run for the seat last week. Candidates have until Dec. 31 to file. According to information from
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Columbia Board of Education approved the purchase of six additional weapons detection systems at a pair of the school district’s high schools during Monday night’s board meeting. The system will cost the district $102,246.00 through the Safety and Security operating budget. The district plans on adding three Open Gate weapons detection
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Editor’s note: A name has been corrected. COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Columbia Public Schools is paying the Missouri School Board Association $20,000 to help find a permanent superintendent. CPS paid its former superintendent Brian Yearwood more than $667,000 in a contract buyout after announcing Yearwood would step down immediately in November, ending his contract early. Board
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Columbia Public Schools is asking for the community’s input in its search for a new superintendent. CPS released an online survey on Wednesday that gives an initial timeline of events, along with several questions for residents to answer. The school district is looking for a new superintendent after the sudden departure of
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The outgoing superintendent at Columbia Public Schools will receive a payout worth two-thirds of a million dollars. CPS confirmed on Friday that Superintendent Brian Yearwood would step down immediately to retire. According to a separation agreement between Yearwood and the school district, Yearwood will receive $667,268.90 on Jan. 1. The agreement says
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Columbia Public Schools made critical gains in key academic measures between 2023 and 2024 in the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s Annual Performance Report. CPS received 86.5% of the possible points in this year’s report, which combines performance and improvement scores from the 2023-2024 school year. The district received a score
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Columbia Public Schools is set to to learn its performance rate in annual district achievement report card and will be released to the public Monday morning. The report, better known as the APR, is the districts achievement report card from the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. The report is based
Continue Reading COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The top administrator in Columbia Public Schools plans to retire. CPS spokesperson Michelle Baumstark wrote in a statement Friday that Brian Yearwood has decided to step down immediately to spend time with family in Texas. The Columbia Board of Education unanimously accepted his retirement request. Former superintendent Chris Belcher has agreed to
Continue Reading COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Columbia Board of Education voted on Thursday to create a committee of volunteers to consider a name for the new elementary school that is being built in southwest Columbia. A Friday press release from Columbia Public Schools says that potential names from the community can be submitted online through 5 p.m.
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Columbia Board of Education is set to meet Wednesday with plans to talk about names for its new elementary school. That meeting will start at 4:45 p.m. at the Columbia Public School District Administration building. The board will appoint a committee of community members, students and staff that will help workshop
Continue Reading COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The revised district calendar for Columbia Public Schools is expected to cost the district $95,000, according to a Columbia Board of Education agenda for Monday’s meeting. CPS sent a letter to parents last week detailing the new schedule that was approved during an Oct. 24 work session. The changes to this year’s
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The battle over the name of Rock Bridge High School’s football field continues. Wayne Sells has refiled a lawsuit against Columbia Public Schools over the naming rights to the field. Sells previously filed a lawsuit against the school district in 2021, claiming CPS had a legal contract with him after he gave
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Saturday marks 30 years since Columbia teenager Kristina Bishop went missing. Columbia police say 13-year-old Bishop was on her way to Jefferson Middle School along Rogers Street on Oct. 19, 1994, but never made it to school. Columbia Police Department Assistant Chief Lance Bolinger said she was last seen at about 8:20
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Columbia Public Schools students who receive Medicaid are now able to have eye exams and optometry care through the SCHOLAR Clinic, a Thursday press release says. SCHOLAR Clinic – which is a partnership between Clarity Healthcare and CPS — hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony on Thursday to celebrate the new eye care
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The City of Columbia has identified land near two public schools as its location for a new water tower. Columbia Public Schools’ Long Range Facilities Planning Committee met Wednesday afternoon and one of the items listed on the agenda included a potential partnership with the city to allow water towers on school
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