Education

By Marcus Clem A divided St. Joseph Board of Education reelected LaTonya Williams as its president on Monday, backing newcomer Mike Moore as vice president. Williams, who won reelection as a board member on April 2, received support from Whitney Lanning, Rick Gehring and Mike Moore. She also voted for herself. Her nomination as president

By Marcus Clem Months of U.S. government bureaucratic problems have stressed out families and students across the country on the challenges of paying for higher education, including in St. Joseph. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid is the centerpiece of a would-be college student’s plan for figuring out how much tuition, fees, books, room

By Cameron Montemayor Nature isn’t the only thing blossoming in St. Joseph this April, as InterServ opened its new South Side after-school facility for its growing program. Located just down the street from its main King Hill Avenue building, the after-school space will help provide the long-standing organization with a centralized location for after-school activities

By Marcus Clem After more than a year of heated debate over whether and how community-input committees will continue in local public education, a final answer has arisen — they’re gone. The St. Joseph School District committed to the change and implemented it by canceling a meeting on facilities planning that had been set for

By Marcus Clem Noncompliance with policy and law has put off, for at least several weeks, usage of a $20 million public education debt plan that voters recently approved. The St. Joseph School District said that the main $1.3 million contract in the matter can’t stay in place. That’s because members of the elected Board

By Jazmine Knight Herzog Contracting hosted its annual senior day on Wednesday, showing students opportunities in the industrial and manufacturing industries. The event is designed for area seniors, however all grades are encouraged to attend. Kristi Bailey, director of communication and marketing with the Chamber of Commerce, said St. Joseph has a need for a

By Marcus Clem Four medical students affirmed on Monday the regional growth of programs that prepare the next generation of physicians, and offered advice to Missouri Western State University students about their options. Abby Yoss, Abbey Jin, Hailee Warren and Jacob Lewis joined Taylor Danbury of Mosaic Life Care at Agenstein Hall on campus for

By Marcus Clem A new executive of programs such as nursing and information technology will be in place this summer at Missouri Western State University, in the wake of the departure of the campus’ No. 2 official. Joan Brewer is named as the next dean of the College of Science and Health. She has most

By Marcus Clem Administrators are wasting no time after a big vote on Tuesday gave them the go-ahead to borrow $20 million and spend it on local school buildings and services. An initial step taken Wednesday is the hiring of S.M. Wilson & Co. of St. Louis, Missouri, in the role of manager-at-risk for all

By Marcus Clem Several St. Joseph Board of Education members agreed on Wednesday to censure Whitney Lanning for her actions on Feb. 26 following a previous board meeting. Board member Kim Miller, following a closed-door consultation with district legal counsel, proposed to censure Lanning for alleged inappropriate conduct that has prompted a charge of second-degree

By Charles Christian When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, students nationwide suddenly found themselves learning from home. It’s an arrangement many decided to stick with even after classrooms reopened the next academic year. Before public school buildings existed, formal education happened primarily in churches and homes. The homeschool movement has diversified and become a growing source

By Marcus Clem An attorney for St. Joseph Board of Education member Whitney Lanning responded to criticism of her client on Wednesday during an initial court appearance on a pending charge of second-degree harassment. Terri Lowden, who represents Lanning on behalf of Mark H. Wissehr P.C. of St. Joseph, stood with Lanning before Associate Circuit

By Marcus Clem East Buchanan Middle School has for decades required many of its local students to be bused 10 miles away from home and back, but the project to end that is now underway. The $16 million construction of a new campus situated next to the existing elementary and high school got started on

By Marcus Clem Tens of millions of dollars are available in reserve for the St. Joseph School District to tap as deficit spending accelerates in the name of giving teachers and staff higher pay. The district’s cash reserves currently exceed $30 million, a resource that looks to be needed in the months to come. The

By Jazmine Knight An area kindergarten readiness program is expanding, aiming to provide more young students with the tools to be successful on the first day of school. United Way’s KinderClub will now be offered at Riverside Elementary, St. Paul Lutheran School and Avenue City Elementary beginning April 8. For St. Paul and Riverside, this

By Marcus Clem Advocates for disabled people encouraged on Thursday those not in need of a wheelchair to travel in one for a time and try to realize how difficult it can be. Missouri Western State University relies on its expansive campus, scenic rolling hills and complex architecture as a selling point, but the International

By Marcus Clem Local candidates for school board have spent thousands on the election set for April 2, but everything they’ve expended combined is still far exceeded by anonymous political action committees. Two committees of immediate relevance exist. The first, Friends of St. Joseph School District 2024, does not support any candidates and is focused

By Marcus Clem St. Joseph Board of Education members called off a previously planned Thursday meeting to consider potential punitive steps involving two board members. Board member Whitney Lanning faces a single charge of second-degree harassment. The Thursday gathering had been planned to consult with EdCounsel LLC, the law firm that advises the school district.

By Marcus Clem Teachers are among those who collectively may be relieved of $6 billion in federal higher education loan debt. Piloted by U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona, the expansion applies via the College Cost Reduction and Access Act of 2007, signed by then-President George W. Bush. Some 78,000 people enrolled in its Public

By Chris Fortune Community members came together Thursday to celebrate the official launch of a literacy program for people of all ages in St. Joseph. Visitors gathered at the East Hills Library for the kickoff of the program, which has a goal of bringing businesses, organizations and individuals together to change lives through literacy. “We

By NewsPress Now Three new leaders for the St. Joseph School District have been announced. Samantha Davis, Casey Housman and Cindy King will begin in their new roles on July 1. King will take over as principal at Coleman Elementary. She taught at Eugene Field Elementary School for 14 years and two years ago became

By Marcus Clem The lowest-paid teacher in the St. Joseph School District will soon make $40,000 per year, with a 3.359% pay hike offered in many facets of staff pay after a Board of Education vote on Monday. The board agreed to invest about $4.9 million into compensation for the 2024-25 year, with changes taking

By Marcus Clem A video shows parts of the confrontation that resulted in charges against a St. Joseph Board of Education member. Footage of the Feb. 26 incident involving Whitney Lanning and Isaura Garcia has been posted on local social media accounts and was obtained this week by News-Press NOW. Lanning is charged with second-degree

By Jenna Wilson District leaders, teachers and committee members gathered Thursday to consider proposals to increase teacher salaries in the hopes of improving overall staff recruitment and retention. The proposals discussed at Thursday’s recruit and retain committee meeting will be presented to the St. Joseph Board of Education on Monday, March 18. Along with levy

By Marcus Clem For two years now, Missouri has allowed the donation of money for private school education so as to earn dollar-for-dollar breaks on taxation, and a state official promoted this program on Thursday. State Treasurer Vivek Malek visited St. Joseph Christian School to that end. He assumed office in January 2023, and in

By Marcus Clem A Monday meeting saw St. Joseph’s chief of public schools seeking, as he put it, to calm tensions and explain why he believes a two-high-school plan is the best. Superintendent Gabe Edgar addressed the district’s committee on facilities that he emcees each month. He explained how he currently intends to ask for

By Kendra Simpson Missouri Western State University has launched a new virtual tour of its campus to increase enrollment and show off the campus. With just a few clicks of a mouse, potential students can view the entire Missouri Western campus. The virtual tour includes images of Spratt Stadium, the Law Enforcement Academy, Bushman Planetarium

By Marcus Clem A top manufacturer for the area is forming new ties with St. Joseph’s hometown higher education campus. Missouri Western State University, in partnership with North Central Missouri College, honored Altec Industries, Inc. on Friday by naming part of its new Convergent Technology Alliance Center after the firm. The Altec Manufacturing Technology Bay

By Jenna Wilson A Hosea Elementary School educator received a statewide honor for his leadership and talent in his role. The 2024 Missouri Outstanding Assistant Principal Award recognizes the critical leadership assistant principals provide to support teaching and learning in Missouri schools. Hosea Elementary School assistant principal Jacob Kretzer started his teaching career with the