Your Letters for Oct. 10, 2025

For our schools and our students

As a college student in Missouri, I know that never questioning where my next meal came from played a huge role in my academic success.

Just like books, computers, and reliable transportation, access to food is fundamental for students to reach their potential. But significant barriers still prevent kids from eating at school. That’s why I support eliminating the reduced-price meal copay in Missouri. The copay remains a burden for many families and is the biggest reason students enrolled in reduced-price meals don’t eat at school. Eliminating it would ensure every student gets enough to eat and could put millions more meals in the hands of children.

Free school meals improve test scores, behavior, and attendance. Children who eat school meals earn more over their lifetimes, which strengthens our economy. And through federal reimbursements, schools actually make money by providing free meals. Missouri’s schools would gain millions in funding by removing the copay.

If we provide more free school meals, our students will do better, our schools will gain resources, and our economy will thrive. Tell your legislators: We need a bill to eliminate the reduced-price meal copay in Missouri. For our schools, our students, and all of us.

Sydney Regan
St. Louis

October 27th a significant day

How can one day make a major impact on a school system? On October 27th, during the school board meeting, the board will vote on moving forward with redistricting and developing a feeder system that supports two high schools. The impact on student learning will be significant. This is how I view the changes that will occur with redistricting:

1. All high school students will have the same academics, sports, and extracurricular activities.
2. Elementary schools will have a more equal distribution of students that do and do not receive free and reduced lunch.
3. Teachers will be assigned to schools that need their particular skills. (veteran teachers will be assigned to schools that have lower attendance, low test scores, and increased behavior issues. New teachers will be assigned to schools that are performing at or above the state requirements.)
4. All staff assignments will be made by the Director of Elementary Education and Director of Secondary Education.
5. Principals will assume total responsibility for evaluation and supervision of all staff in their building in the area of attendance, each individual student learning, and plans to deal with behavior issues.)
6. Teachers will be continually evaluated by the principal on each student's progress in academics , attendance, and proper conduct in and out of the classroom.
7. Teachers will be the first contact with parents if there is a decrease in academic progress or attendance.
8. Principals will be responsible for ALL staff development based on evaluation of individual staff members including counselors and social workers.
9. The Advanced Placement and Gifted and Talented programs will be evaluated for equal participation of students receiving free and reduced lunch. (this group makes up 70+% of the student population so should have at least 50% participation in these programs.)
10. Students assigned to Webster school for behavior issues will be moved back to the sending school. ( principal, teacher,and student assistance team together with special education will develop an appropriate behavior plan.

The school system does not need to change any of the curriculum that addresses the college bound students. SJSD has similar programming as the North Kansas City high functioning schools. On the other hand the post secondary planning for the majority of students is not being met. Parents of college bound students are very well informed about the college placement requirements including course selection and need for extracurricular activities.
Parents who wish to prepare their child for a technical career at a Vocational Training school, do not have the needed information. These parents must know what schools within a 100 mile radius offer training courses in a variety of technical careers. They also need information on completing the FAFSA, understanding Pell grants, and what aid is offered by individual schools. This information needs to be provided to parents by principals, counselors and teachers in the middle school.

Dick Schott
St. Joseph