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Articles by Sara George
"EDUCATED" MEETS "THE GLASS CASTLE" IN NEW HEART-WRENCHING MEMOIR
I've Never Been to France UNITED STATES, August 13, 2024 / EINPresswire.com/ -- I'VE NEVER BEEN TO FRANCE by Sara Lynne George is a lifeline for anyone who's ever felt lost, broken, or alone. With its raw emotion and engaging storytelling, it is capturing attention from many corners of the publishing world. For fans of powerful memoirs and inspirational true stories, the book is already generating noteworthy praise.
If your state doesn’t have an anti-SLAPP law, you should read this
This article is part of a larger partnership between the Reynolds Journalism Institute and Society of Professional Journalists to update and improve the resources available to journalists regarding strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs). SLAPPs and other frivolous lawsuits are increasingly being used to drain news organizations’ resources, create fear and limit the availability of information to the public.
Stars, Stripes, and Smiles
Crestline Celebrates Jamboree Days Crestline - The mountain community came together for the annual Jamboree Days festival. The festivities began with a parade that commenced its march at the Top Town Café on Crest Forest Drive. The Fifes and Drums School announced the grand entry of the participants who followed, starting their trek loud and proud. Fern Drive residents eagerly awaited the arrival of the parade by gathering in front of their homes. “This is the best part about living on Fern Drive.
CPS educators weigh use of artificial intelligence in classrooms
By Ava Orr,Sara George,Elizabeth Brixey When ChatGPT launched in November 2022, Jordan Smith, who teaches language arts at Battle High School, worried. As an AI chatbot, ChatGPT is able to mimic human speech through technology known as a large language model. In seconds, ChatGPT can write an essay in Shakespearean dialogue or create lyrics to the melody of a Taylor Swift song.
Mobile unit provides dental services to CPS students
On a recent Friday afternoon, an RV was parked outside the front office of West Middle School, taking up two spots. While the vehicle might appear ordinary on the outside, stepping inside reveals a dental office equipped with seats, X-rays and - this being December - gnome-themed holiday decorations. "Pearly," as it's called, is the newest service in a partnership between Columbia Public Schools and Compass Health Network.
Community members protest for school safety before CPS Board Meeting
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CPS board to hear from consultant on realignment plans
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CPS board to hear from consultant on realignment plans
Cooperative Strategies LLC will address the Columbia School Board at its regular meeting on Monday to discuss its role in Columbia Public Schools’ ongoing attendance area realignment process. The board voted to enlist Cooperative Strategies in the planning process at its Nov. 13 meeting. The consulting group will help the district gather demographic data and recommend new attendance boundaries.
Downtown vendors forge festive spirit with Living Windows
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Downtown venders forge festive spirit with Living Windows
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CPS Board previews attendance area plan, contracts consulting group
The Columbia School Board approved an agreement with Cooperative Strategies LLC, a California-based education consultant, to assist in the process of attendance area realignment. The agreement will cost Columbia Public Schools a little over $97,000 and run through June 2024, with two one-year renewal options. While no changes will be made to attendance areas this school year, the approval marks the beginning of a three-phase realignment process that will unfold throughout fall 2026.
CPS Board previews attendance area plan, brings on consulting group
The Columbia School Board approved an agreement with Cooperative Strategies LLC, a California-based education consultant, to assist in the process of attendance area realignment. The agreement will cost Columbia Public Schools a little over $97,000 and run through June 2024, with two one-year renewal options. While no changes will be made to attendance areas this school year, the approval marks the beginning of a three-phase realignment process that will unfold through fall of 2026.
CPS board to vote on consulting service for attendance area realignment
The Columbia School Board will vote on a bid submitted by Cooperative Strategies, LLC, to help Columbia Public Schools realign its attendance areas. If accepted, Cooperative Strategies will create enrollment projections and provide boundary analysis services for the Columbia School District.
Alpha Hart Lewis shifts narratives through its AVID program
A few years ago, De’Vion Moore, former principal of Alpha Hart Lewis Elementary School, was faced with the challenge of establishing a new identity for the elementary school. The change focused on shifting conversations away from negative narratives that surrounded the school. “We heard a lot of negativity surrounding fights or bullying.
CPS to reevaluate policy on public participation at board meetings
The Columbia School Board's Policy Committee is seeking to make language in its policy on public participation at board meetings easier for the public to understand. The committee had been scheduled to approve revisions to what is formally known as policy BDDH-1 on public participation at meetings on Oct. 16, but it voted to send the policy back to administration to be drafted again. The committee will vote on the rewritten draft in November.
CPS board renews transportation contract, hears achievement update
The Columbia School Board voted 6-0 to renew its contract with Student Transportation of America for the 2024-25 school year, via a one-year renewal option at its meeting Monday night. Board member Blake Willoughby was the lone board member absent. The district’s three-year contract with STA was approved in 2019 and came with two, one-year renewal options. In picking up the option, the daily rates to use STA’s various vehicles will increase by 2%, as stipulated in the original contract.
CPS board to hear updates on transportation, summer school
Student transportation will be the main focus of the Columbia School Board meeting Monday. The board will vote on whether to renew the district’s contract with Student Transportation of America, consider partnering with a student transportation consulting group, approve bus routes and hear an update on the district’s transportation services. The three-year contract with STA was agreed to in 2019 and came with two one-year renewal options, according to board documents.
CPS board to hear updates on transportation, summer school
Student transportation will be the main focus of the Columbia School Board meeting Monday. The board will vote on whether to renew the district’s contract with Student Transportation of America, consider partnering with a student transportation consulting group, approve bus routes and hear an update on the district’s transportation services. The three-year contract with STA was agreed to in 2019 and came with two one-year renewal options, according to board documents.
Columbia Utilities to hold meeting on proposed trash compactor
Columbia Solid Waste Utility is holding a public meeting Wednesday evening to consider a proposed 14-yard trash compactor on Hitt Street. The meeting will take place from 5 to 7 p.m. in Conference Room 1C at City Hall, 701 E. Broadway. City staff will be available to discuss the proposal and answer questions. The compactor would replace an 8-yard dumpster that no longer has enough room to support the volume of trash disposed at that location, according to a news release by Columbia Utilities.
Most CPS teaching jobs are filled; more paraprofessionals, aides are needed
Five weeks into the new school year, Columbia Public Schools has 6.5 classroom teaching vacancies. That's out of 1,391 full-time equivalent teaching positions across the district. At the beginning of the school year last month, the district was "almost completely staffed," Chief Human Resources Officer Michelle Holz said in a presentation. The half-time vacancy has been open since the summer, but the others are new and came about for a variety of reasons.
CPS board to vote on policy revisions to summer school, reading support
The Columbia School Board's Policy Committee passed along a slew of revised policies to the full board Monday afternoon, including ones concerning summer school, student retention and reading support plans. Several policies were revised in accordance with (2022), which sets guidelines surrounding reading assessment and intervention.
CPS board members debate shuttle service for international teachers
After tense discussion Monday night, the Columbia School Board approved an agreement with First/Last Mile Valet Service Transportation to provide transportation services for Columbia Public Schools international teachers, who are teaching as part of the International Alliance Group teacher exchange program. The service will be used to bring teachers to and from the schools they are working at.
CPS board to hear achievement, work-based learning updates
In its first meeting of the new school year, the Columbia School Board will hear updates on the district’s achievement and workplace development efforts. Superintendent Brian Yearwood will provide the board with an update on the district’s Continuous School Improvement Plan, a state-mandated, five-year plan approved by the board last year. The report will focus on what the district is doing to address its goals regarding attendance, discipline and achievement.
CPS board to hear achievement, work-based learning updates
In its first meeting of the new school year, the Columbia School Board will hear updates on the district’s achievement and workplace development efforts. Superintendent Brian Yearwood will provide the board with an update on the district’s Continuous School Improvement Plan, a state-mandated, five-year plan approved by the board last year. The report will focus on what the district is doing to address its goals regarding attendance, discipline and achievement.
CPS previews design plans for new elementary school
Parents, teachers and concerned members from community groups showed their interest in Columbia Public Schools’ new elementary school at an open house showcasing its new designs Tuesday afternoon. The open house was held in John Warner Middle School's media center, which sits just south of where the new school will be located.
CPS board picks new committee community reps
Members of the Columbia School Board voted in community member representatives to the Finance, Long-Range Facilities Planning and Policy committees Monday. Three School Board members serve on each committee: Blake Willoughby, John Lyman and Paul Harper on the Finance Committee; Willoughby, Lyman and April Ferrao on the Long-Range Facilities Planning Committee; and Harper, Ferrao and Karen Hayes on the Policy Committee.
CPS board approve new administrative positions, five-year improvement plan
In a 4-1 vote, the Columbia School Board approved a consideration of personnel additions to Columbia Public Schools on Monday. Board member Katherine Sasser voted "no" on the measure, while board member Jeanne Snodgrass and Board President David Seamon were absent. The board approved raises ranging from $10,000 to $20,000 for several administrative district positions. Four brand new positions will also be added to the district’s administration.
CPS board to vote on five-year strategic plan at Monday meeting
The Columbia School Board will vote on the district’s five-year strategic improvement plan after hearing a presentation from Superintendent Brian Yearwood on Monday evening. All public schools in Missouri must create and implement strategic five-year plans, as required by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. These plans are referred to as Continuous School Improvement Plans.
Christmas tree options remain after busiest weekends for sales
Fresh Christmas trees are quickly making their way into homes, but there are still options in the mid-Missouri area to pick out a tree for the holiday. According to the National Christmas Tree Association, “approximately 25-30 million Real Christmas Trees are sold each year in the United States.” There are more than a dozen Christmas tree types to choose from, such as a Canaan fir, Balsam fir and Douglas fir.
CPS board approves increase in substitute pay, new legislative priorities
The Columbia School Board unanimously approved an increase for substitute teacher base pay rates at its regular board meeting Monday evening. Columbia Public Schools administration recommended this increase as part of an effort to better recruit and retain substitute teachers. The district also increased pay to become more competitive with its comparison and surrounding districts, according to board documents.
CPS board to discuss substitute teacher pay increase, legislative priorities Monday
The Columbia School Board will vote on a consideration to increase the base substitute teacher pay rate in Columbia Public Schools on Monday evening. Among the several districts it compares itself to, Columbia Public Schools has the lowest substitute teacher base pay rate, starting at $85 per day, according to board documents. For reference, Kansas City, the top-paying district, has a base pay rate of about $170 per day.
CPS board to discuss substitute teacher pay increase, legislative priorities Monday
The Columbia School Board will vote on a consideration to increase the base substitute teacher pay rate in Columbia Public Schools on Monday evening. Among the several districts it compares itself to, Columbia Public Schools has the lowest substitute teacher base pay rate, starting at $85 per day, according to board documents. For reference, Kansas City, the top-paying district, has a base pay rate of about $170 per day.
Here's how to properly dispose of your Halloween pumpkin
The sagging face of a once-smiling jack-o’-lantern often marks the end of the Halloween season. With festivities wrapping up, many pumpkins will be left to rot in curbside trash cans. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, more than 1.6 billion pounds of pumpkins were produced in the U.S. in 2021. Many of these pumpkins were left to rot in landfills, where they can release the greenhouse gas methane as they decompose.
Here's how to properly dispose of your Halloween pumpkin
The sagging face of a once-smiling jack-o’-lantern often marks the end of the Halloween season. With festivities wrapping up, many pumpkins will be left to rot in curbside trash cans. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, more than 1.6 billion pounds of pumpkins were produced in the U.S. in 2021. Many of these pumpkins were left to rot in landfills, where they can release the greenhouse gas methane as they decompose.
District officials update CPS board on new grading system Original
The Columbia School Board got an update Thursday on Standards Referenced Grading, a grading system being implemented across Columbia Public Schools. SRG, as it's commonly called, measures a student’s learning based on state or national standards, according to the district website. It is based on a four-point scale: A four equals 100%; a three, 94%; a two, 75%; and a one, 62%. Students who receive a three are meeting the standards for their grade level.
CPS board: No public for public comment; bond money gets green light
Few members of the public turned out Monday evening for the Columbia School Board meeting, and none of them addressed the board at its first meeting since the rules for public comment changed. Board member Jeanne Snodgrass reminded listeners and viewers how to submit comments and to address the board directly. The latter includes registering by 3 p.m. the day of the meeting.
Roots N Blues brings attendees from across Midwest
Joddy Croswhite took a plane and drove more than 10 hours to see Larkin Poe perform Saturday at the Roots N Blues Festival. “Being a slide player, it means she touches my soul,” Croswhite said of Larkin Poe’s Megan Lovell. “We live on the same wavelength.” Croswhite traveled to Columbia from his home in Beaver Island, Michigan, which is only accessible by plane or ferry, he said. It was his first time seeing Larkin Poe perform live, but he’s been listening to the roots rock duo for years.
Young adult author and former library aide knows about banned books first-hand
High school student Mickey Catalan has a passion for softball. When she is injured in a car crash right before softball season, her ability to keep playing is threatened. To deal with her injuries, she is prescribed painkillers, and she becomes addicted.
Public invited to CPS' world café to talk about district's future
Parents and community members are invited to a discussion Thursday evening about the future of Columbia Public Schools. The event is the latest in a series of "world cafés" the district started in 2006. This will be the first in-person world café since the COVID-19 pandemic. The format divides participants into groups of about six to 10 people each. Participants will discuss a topic or question for a specified time before moving to another group.
First Chance for Children to host events to raise awareness of diaper need
In recognition of National Diaper Need Awareness Week, First Chance for Children will host a number of events starting Saturday. Saturday, First Chance for Children will host its first 5K Diaper Dash at 7 a.m. Then, the group will host a ribbon-cutting and open house on Monday to officially kick off the week and celebrate a new playground at the organization's main office.
First Chance for Children to host events to raise awareness of diaper need
In recognition of National Diaper Need Awareness Week, First Chance for Children will host a number of events starting Saturday. Saturday, First Chance for Children will host its first 5K Diaper Dash at 7 a.m. Then, the group will host a ribbon-cutting and open house on Monday to officially kick off the week and celebrate a new playground at the organization's main office.
CPS board members discuss legislative priorities for next school year
The Columbia School Board reviewed legislative priorities for the 2022-2023 school year in a work session Thursday. They raised possible changes in priorities around student transportation and federal and state COVID-19 funding. Member Jeanne Snodgrass asked that the board consider seeking an exemption to school transportation legislation that would allow public transportation to be an option for student use.
Dragonflies return to Columbia as a part of annual migration
Walkers and runners in Columbia may have noticed the growing buzz of dragonflies along the MKT Nature and Fitness Trail. Dragonflies are one of the many insect species that migrate south each fall, some flying hundreds of miles to escape the oncoming cold temperatures. “They tend to use major riverways as migratory corridors,” said Steve Buback, a natural history biologist at the Missouri Department of Conservation.
Annual Heart of America Marathon connects runners from across the country
Every few minutes, as a runner turned the final corner to finish the Heart of America Marathon, cheers resounded through the air. The annual marathon held its 63rd race and third annual Fun Team Relay on Monday morning at the Boone County History Culture Center. Joffroi Holcombe, from Ballwin, finished first overall with a time of 2 hours, 50 minutes and 58 seconds.
Hot dogs and race cars: Second annual Wiener Nationals event held in Moberly
Packed bumper-to-bumper in their race cars, drivers tore down the track of Randolph County Raceway in Moberly, Sunday evening. But this was no average car race. Leading the group was the iconic orange and yellow Oscar Mayer Wienermobile. The unusual pace car was a highlight of the second annual Wiener Nationals, a hot dog-themed event that attracted thousands of spectators.
Applications open for new city program focused on civic engagement
The city of Columbia opened applications Monday for a new interactive program called Civic Academy. The program will hold six Thursday evening sessions focused on city government and its operations, according to a city news release Monday. The first session will take place Oct. 13. Enrollment is limited to 20 participants, who are selected on a first-come, first-serve basis. Applications for the program close Sept. 12 and participants will be notified by Oct. 3 if they were accepted.
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