There were a few more students enrolled in R-2 classes last year that in 2004, but the district’s student roster is not nearly as full as it was in 2001, when 2,058 kids were taking classes. Superintendent Dale Wallace reported today (Tuesday) that the decreasing enrollment reflects a trend very evident in the area. “North central Missouri is not holding population, something that’s evident with student enrollment,” Wallace said today.

According to the Chillicothe R-2 District Report for 2005, there were 1,928 students enrolled in R-2 classes, up eight students from 2004. The report, which features a variety of statistics on the Chillicothe R-2 District, is issued annually in order to comply with state law. Information included in the report will be discussed during tonight’s (Tuesday’s) meeting at district headquarters. The meeting is slated to begin at 6:30 p.m.

While the number of students enrolled in the R-2 District has decreased, more money is being spent on each student. According to the report, the district spent $7,271.94 per student in 2004-05, a number about $400 below the statewide average. The district, however, spent about $391 more per pupil in 2004-05 that it did in the year previous when, due to high budget cuts, only about $6,599 per pupil was spent.

The district’s attendance rate dropped just slightly in 2004-05 from the year previous. The report showed that the district logged a 94.90 attendance rate in 2004-05, down from the 95.20 mark set a year earlier. The statewide attendance rate is 94 percent. Just over 40 percent of the district’s students were eligible for free or reduced-priced lunches in 2004-05, up from 39.80 percent a year earlier and up five percent from 2003. Statewide, just over 41 percent of students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunches.

Chillicothe R-2 District logged an 89 percent graduation rate in 2004-05, up almost 5 percent from the year earlier. The statewide average graduation rate is 85.7 percent. The district experienced a dip in the dropout rate during the 2004-05 school year with only 2.8 percent of its students quitting school. The statewide average dropout rate is 3.8 percent.

eMINTS Grant Available Online

Technology Enhancing the Achievement of Middle School Students (TEAMS2) will provide the technology, training, and support needed for effective instruction, enabling teachers to enhance student learning and performance through the use of multimedia tools, focusing on math achievement and interdisciplinary units. The project will expand the existing eMINTS philosophy through the district addressing specific needs of middle school students and teachers while building upon the prior success of the established program at the fourth and fifth grade level. For more information and to download a copy of our eMINTS grant, please click here (pdf file).

City Says ‘Wait' For New Road
By CATHERINE STORTZ RIPLEY / C-T News Editor
Tuesday, January 31, 2006

Chillicothe School Superintendent Dale Wallace wants a new road built north of the high school to reduce traffic congestion and improve safety. And, he has asked the city to pay it.

Wallace pled his case to City Council members Monday night on behalf of the district stating that the school is probably the most-used facility in town for large crowds and that access to the area is inadequate. The council acknowledge the less-than-ideal situation but said such consideration would have to wait.

They said that the money which could be used to build a new road is already committed for other projects for at least the next couple of years. Those projects, according to Street Superintendent Hugh Musselman, are building roads for the new women's prison and making improvements to Business Route 36, which the city recently took over from the state, for the retail development/tax increment financing project.

School Seeks New Road Near CHS
By LAURA SCHULER/C-T City Editor, Friday, January 27, 2006

City officials will hear a request the night of January 30, 2006,  from Chillicothe Schools Superintendent Dale Wallace to build a new road north of the high school in an effort to alleviate traffic congestion and reduce the number of accidents. Wallace plans to make his request during the regular meeting of the Chillicothe City Council Monday night. The meeting starts at 7 p.m. in the council chambers at City Hall and is open to the public. The high school was moved from its Calhoun address in fall 2000 to its current location on Hornet Drive in north Chillicothe. “We basically have no major entry and exit road into the facility,” said Wallace. “It is not adequate and it never has been.” “During school dismissals and startup, there are numerous accidents that take place,” he said.

Some of the accidents are minor fender-benders, while others cause more extensive damage. He said that because of the high traffic volume the school utilizes personnel to help direct traffic. “Also, a serious concern is the lack of access to the building by emergency vehicles during the peak times of traffic congestion,” he said. “Presently, it would be nearly impossible for such a vehicle to quickly respond during these times.” Wallace estimated that around 400 cars leave the school at a time along with school buses coming in and out. “For safety reasons and basic flow of traffic, we need another entryway into the facility,” he said. An additional access would also alleviate traffic congestion caused by major activities at the high school or the arts center.

Wall Of Champions
Press conference on $950,000 project held Wednesday morning
By LAURA SCHULER/C-T City Editor, Thursday, January 19, 2006

Caption: Kelly Poling, of Original Artworks by Kelly, was busy the morning of January, 19, 2006, mixing paint before working on the 11-by-96-foot wall of champions display he is painting on the Chillicothe High School's east gymnasium wall. The project, which is being funded through a gift from the Class of 2005, will list the teams earning district, state and conference championships over the years. Also as part of the project, Poling painted new boards listing the current record-holders of CHS track and field events (not pictured), which are on the north wall of the gymnasium. Poling said he anticipated the project to be finished by early next week.
C-T Photo/Laura Schuler

Dirt Work Begins On New Fairgrounds Site
Press conference on $950,000 project held Wednesday morning
By LAURA SCHULER/C-T City Editor, Wednesday, January 18, 2006

Caption: Dirt work has already begun just northeast of the Agri-Science Learning Center to prepare for construction of a new Livingston County 4-H and FFA Fairgrounds. The new fairgrounds will include several new buildings including a 9,500 square-foot multi-purpose building with a kitchen, a 16,800 square-foot cattle building, two 10,000 square-foot buildings for hogs, sheep, goats, chickens and other small animals and an 8,000 square-foot horse barn. An outdoor arena, a campground and a picnic area are also included in the plans for the new fairgrounds.
C-T Photo/Laura Schuler

Caption: Several representatives from the contributing local foundations, Chillicothe R-2 School District and Livingston County Fair board were on hand January 18, 2006, at the Litton Agri-Science Learning Center during a press conference announcing the relocation of the Livingston County 4-H and FFA Fairgrounds. Pictured are, from left: Bonnie Mitchell, of the Jerry Litton Foundation, John Irvin, of the Mervyn W. Jenkins Foundation, Mildred Litton, and Jim Summerville, of the Jerry Litton Foundation. Back row, from left: Brian Eggers, fair board president; Steve Radcliff, of the fair board; Merle Doughty, of the Jerry Litton Foundation, Ed Turner, of the Jerry Litton Foundation, Robert Peters, of the fair board, Ron Greener, of the Mervyn W. Jenkins Foundation; Jim Schreiner, of the fair board, Robert Cowherd, of the Mervyn W. Jenkins Foundation; E.L. Reed, of the Jerry Litton Foundation; Dale Wallace, R-2 superintendent; and David Williams, R-2 board president.
C-T Photo/Laura Schuler 

The Livingston County 4-H and FFA Fairgrounds will move to the Litton Agri-Science Learning Center and dirt work on the new site in north Chillicothe is currently underway. The announcement was made January 18, 2006 during a morning press conference at the Litton Center attended by R-2 officials, representatives of several local foundations, and Fair Board Association members. The project, which is estimated to cost $950,000, will include the construction of new buildings including a 9,500 square-foot multi-purpose building with a kitchen, a 16,800 square-foot cattle building, two 10,000 square-foot buildings for hogs, sheep, goats, chickens, and other small animals, and an 8,000 square-foot horse barn. Officials also announced that an outdoor arena, a campground and a picnic area will also be constructed. Grants from three major local foundations are footing most of the bill for the massive construction project which is expected to commence in full force this fall.

Specifically, the Mervyn W. Jenkins Foundation has pledged $600,000, the Jerry Litton Foundation has pledged $250,000 and the Roger A. Browning Foundation has pledged $100,000. Officials have announced that the R-2 school district and fair board are also accepting additional pledges for special projects such as adding additional livestock pens, gates and bleachers. Robert Cowherd, president of the Mervyn W. Jenkins Foundation, remarked that the project was a long time in coming, and he was glad to have work started on it. ³On behalf of the Mervyn W. Jenkins Foundation, we are very pleased to make a grant to assist the youth and farming community of the area,² Cowherd said. Ed Turner, vice president of the Jerry Litton Foundation, was also on hand for the announcement and noted that the Litton Agri-Science Learning Center is one of only three in the country and termed the relocation of the existing 4-H and FFA Fairgrounds a ³perfect fit² with the learning center. ³This will lead to more efficient use of the facilities here and expands the presence of the facility which is unique not only in Missouri but across the country,² Turner said. He added, ³We are proud to work as partners with the other foundations to make this project happen.²

The county fair and the agricultural department at the Grand River Technical School will use the new and existing facility jointly and, once finished, the multi-purpose building will be made available to the public during the year for rental purposes. Ron Wolf, Grand River Technical School co-director, spoke to the group on the noticable increasing popularity of FFA and agriculture classes. Specifically, Wolf noted that in 1971, Chillicothe R-2 had 80 agriculture students, 60 of which lived on family farms. Now, Wolf explained, there are over 200 Chillicothe FFA members and only 30 live on their respective family farms. ³The need for agriculture and its related careers are still there, which makes it necessary to provide agriculture education to those students who don¹t receive it on the family farm,² Wolf said.

Crawford Construction Company is currently leveling the grounds of the new fairgrounds and putting in existing roads as well as leveling the building sites. Construction bids are expected to be awarded within the next few weeks on the multi-purpose and livestock buildings after the plans for them are approved by the fair board and FFA advisers. The plan for moving the fairgrounds from its site east of town formulated several years ago, but began moving forward in earnest after the fair board voted to pursue the opportunity to move the fairgrounds to a permanent location in September 2004. At the time the vote was taken, the fair board leased the 20-acre facility from the city on a one-year basis. ³There were two or three other options (sites) that we explored, but the Litton Center was just the best choice,² Jim Schreiner, fair board member and building committee member said January, 17, 2006. He added, ³The fairgrounds are for the youth of Livingston County, and the youth will get more use out of it there than if it were anywhere else.²

The Litton Agri-Science Learning Center currently consists of 36 acres and features a classroom, laboratory, and livestock facilities which are used by agriculture students and FFA members throughout the year. According to Wolf, the future cattle buildings and two small livestock buildings on the fairgrounds will be almost identical in size in terms of square-footage to the ones currently being used at the existing fairgrounds. The multi-purpose building will house the 4-H exhibits as well as an indoor arena where the county¹s youth will exhibit their animals. The way these buildings are designed, that can be changed,² Wolf said, explaining that the livestock buildings may be used to house different species depending on their popularity from year to year. Both Wolf and Schreiner reported that the plans for the new fairgrounds include adequate space for parking, and plenty of areas for campground and picnic sites. The 2006 Livingston County Fair will be held at the current site on U.S. Highway 36 at the Chillicothe Municipal Airport.

For updates to this article, click here...

New Graduation Requirements Established For ‘07 Freshmen
By LAURA SCHULER/C-T City Editor
Friday, December 2, 2005

New graduation requirements for students in Missouri's public high schools have Chillicothe administrators and counselors examining their class schedules in an effort to offer additional required courses without hiring more people to teach them. The requirements go into effect for the graduating class of 2010 and thereafter, according to Tom Anderson, Chillicothe High School principal. “So anyone in high school right now is not affected by this,” he explained.

The Missouri State Board of Education has stipulated that in five years, all seniors in the state's public school system must graduate with 24 credits, instead of the current 22 credits now required. For the Chillicothe R-2 School District, however, the change means adding only one credit to the district's 23 credit graduation policy.

According to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, the new requirements stipulate the completion of additional communication arts, science, health education and personal finance courses before 2010 seniors across the state can receive their diplomas.

For next year's freshmen class, that means taking less elective courses (the high school currently allows nine credits of them), more core classes (such as communication arts and science classes), along with a dose of health education and personal finance during their high school careers. Specifically, according to Anderson, the district must now raise the number of science credits required prior to graduation to three (the R-2 district currently requires two credits). Students must also pocket four credits in the Communication Arts department (as opposed to three) and only seven elective credits will be allowed. 

Anderson said the high school does offer a personal finance course, but it's currently not a required class. A change will also be made to accommodate the new health education requirement. Students can earn seven credits a year with each class adding up to one credit. If students complete all if their courses throughout  their high school career, they graduate with 28 credits.

According to Jayme Caughron, assistant director, the GRTS' "sending" schools are concerned with how they can meet these new requirements, given that their students spend (on average) an hour everyday on the road going to and from their respective schools to the GRTS in Chillicothe. "These requirements on core classes cut down on the number of elective courses students can take and vocational courses are elective," Caughron said. Several options are being considered to meet the new requirements. It will be a challenge to meet the needs of 17 difference schools; however, it is something that must be done to prepare students for their careers both technically and academically.

R-2 MAKES INSURANCE CHANGE
By LAURA SCHULER/C-T City Editor
Wednesday, November 16, 2005

The Chillicothe R-2 School District is changing health insurance service providers but its plan will remain self-funded - at least for the next year. The board approved the change during last (Tuesday) night's board meeting at district headquarters. According to Pam Musser, payroll and benefits administrator, most R-2 employees will not notice much of a change in their coverage. “Employees will be receiving a new health insurance card and there now may be a different set of providers for them to choose from,” Musser explained.

The district had been using Freedom Network Select for its insurance network, along with a claims company which processed claims out of Chicago. The board unanimously approved changing the district's insurance carrier to Aetna after examining proposals from both self and fully-insured carriers. Superintendent Dale Wallace told the board that the district's health committee met last week and reviewed the proposals, giving a collective nod to Aetna. Aetna's submitted bid called for payments of $410 per month, which will cost an additional $50,000 (half this fiscal year) over the district's current cost. Wallace recommended that the district will assume this cost and leave the employee contribution at the current $41 per month.

In most areas, the new carrier will offer the same coverage. Musser did note, however, that employee co-pays on the top prescription drug tier is $10 cheaper, while the deductible and out-of-pocket expenses will remain the same. She also pointed out that Liberty Hospital is included in the Aetna network.

DISTRICT AGAIN TO PARTNER WITH NEWTON LEARNING
By LAURA SCHULER/C-T City Editor
Wednesday, November 16, 2005

The Chillicothe R-2 Board of Education has approved a contract with Newton Learning, a division of Edison Schools, for the 2006 Summer School program, setting the stage for the third consecutive Hornet Summer School Adventure program within the district. Wallace recommended board approval during last (Tuesday) night's board meeting after the board heard from two representatives from the company, Dr. Orlo Shroyer and Dr. David Legaard.

Shroyer, a former Chillicothe R-2 superintendent and assistant commissioner for the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secretary Education, addressed the board first. During his address, he touted the positive comments received from both parents and teachers and the educational gains made by R-2 students enrolled in the program, based on pre and post tests.

“The results from the parent surveys were very high,” Shroyer told the board, noting that 92.4 percent of the 270 surveys returned showed that parents thought the program provided a positive experience for their children. Over 90 percent of parents surveyed said they would recommend the summer school program to others. “Any business would be glad of that kind of response, which I think reflects the attitude of the children enrolled in the program,” Shroyer said. Of the staff surveyed, Shroyer said that 87.5 percent of those teaching summer school strongly agreed that the curriculum material and support provided by Newton Learning was useful in the classroom. Almost 85 of them also said that teaching summer school was a positive experience and they would do it again. “That's up considerably from last year which is very typical of what we see,” Shroyer said. He explained that the popularity of the summer school program within districts grow every year as teachers become familiar with the program.

The gains made by Chillicothe R-2 students enrolled in the summer school program posted academic gains exceeding the state average in both reading and math, Shroyer said. He explained that reading students showed a 66.7 percent increase in learning by the time the program ended and math students showed a gain of 65.7 percent by the same time. “That says a lot about the quality of teachers you have in the program and it shows about the kids you have here,” he said.

Pizza will be served at 6 pm followed by an informational program from 6:30-8:00 pm on how to help your child be prepared for personal financial decision making. Ed Douglas, CEO of Citizens Bank and Trust as well as author of Making a Million with Only $2000: Every Child Can Do It will open the program with a presentation on his beliefs on the power of saving and how to build personal wealth. Each family will receive an autographed copy of his book.

Following Mr. Douglas, the Financial Fitness for Life, National Council on Economic Education premier curriculum for parents will be demonstrated for parents by Operation Outreach Director, Patty Palmer. Parents will participate in sample activities and learn how to use the program with their children, grades K-12 for promoting savvy saving and spending. Each family will receive a copy of the Parent Guide for the age range of their children.

Pre-registration is required by October 21st. Contact Patty Palmer by email or call 660-646-5229. Registration forms are available at Citizens Bank and Trust in Chillicothe, Brookfield, Ludlow and Trenton. Deadline is October 21st. This program is made possible by a grant to Operation Outreach by the National Council on Economic Education with funding from the Bank of America.

Chillicothe Schools Win $500,000 Grant
Wednesday, September 28, 2005, Chillicothe News (C-T)

The Chillicothe R-2 School District is one of eight districts in the state to receive a two-year, $500,000 grant from the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education under the Title IID (Ed Tech) program. While the grant is a technology-based grant, it involves much more than learning how to use new teaching equipment.

"It's not so much a technology grant, but a grant that is designed to transform the teaching methods of our teachers," Anne Jeschke, instructional technology specialist explained. With the grant, the district receives $350,000 this year for teacher professional development and equipment installation, and is eligible for another $150,000 next year to support year two training.

These competitive grants are awarded to support district participation in the state's eMINTS Program, which stands for enhancing Missouri's Instructional Networked Teaching Strategies. The grant proposal was prepared in February and March. This year, over 100 proposals were submitted and, according to Department officials, only eight were funded for the 2005-06 school year. With the new grants eMINTS will be in place this year in over 224 Missouri school districts and 875 classrooms.

The grant award is an expansion upon the original eMINTS grant the Chillicothe R-2 District matched in 1999. It began with three classrooms, one each in grades three, four, and five. According to Jeschke, the grant is focused on increasing technology literacy for both students and teachers with special focus on the instructional area of mathematics and the instructional strategies of math and technology integration. However, she noted that the teaching methods learned with the grant can be utilized in every subject taught in the classroom.

Read the complete article in pdf format here.

Computer Lab Schedule

See press release 11/28/05 on our special labs at Central School to help you with your holiday projects!

Computer Labs Offered to Public

Chillicothe R-II School District will be offering open access to district computer labs for students, parents, and all community patrons, beginning Tuesday, August 30. Labs will be open on Tuesdays and Thursdays in four different buildings - Field, Central, Middle School, and High School - in their computer labs (Writer’s Den at the high school). 

All labs are supervised by district staff members from 3:30-7:00, and the same topic is taught at all four locations with a new topic every two weeks. From 6:00-6:30, some type of instruction will be given by the supervisors. All community patrons and students will sign and adhere to the district’s Acceptable Use Policy. Lab use will be primarily for academic work, research, and learning computer applications. Games, MSN, chat will be prohibited. Students attending Garrison, Dewey, Field, and Central schools must be accompanied by an adult. Computers will have internet access and Office 2003 for the use of the community. Please stop by and utilize the resources your school district is able to provide. For a complete schedule of times/locations, dates and topics, click here.

Board Examines R-2 District's Facility Needs
By LAURA SCHULER / C-T City Editor, Wednesday, September 21, 2005

Several small maintenance and upkeep projects are either being done or will be done relatively soon in some of the district's buildings this fall. However, according to R-2 Superintendent Dale Wallace, the biggest projects facing the district still need to be addressed. "That old high school is still hanging over our heads," Wallace told board members during last (Tuesday) night's board meeting at district headquarters.

Wallace was referring to the old high school building which is partially being used for middle school. The structure's first floor is the only portion being utilized and the building has no air-conditioning. District officials determined several years ago that the building needs to come down, but the price tag that comes with a project of that magnitude is too high for the district to handle at this time.

Board treasurer John Cook asked Wallace if the district had ever received an estimate on how much it would cost to bring the building down. Wallace said an estimate had been given years ago, but isn't current. The superintendent then told the board that he would gather some estimates before the next board meeting.

The installation of new windows, entry doors and lights at Central, Field and Dewey Schools is also one of the district's larger projects that need to be done, Wallace said. In previous months, the board directed the superintendent to contact the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (DNR) as well as companies offering Guaranteed Performance Contracting for those projects. Wallace said that the DNR offers funds for such projects, however the funding "window" was currently closed. He noted that the district would pursue that avenue once that window reopened.

Summer School '05 Deemed a Success
By LAURA SCHULER / C-T City Editor, Friday, August 5, 2005

Chillicothe R-2 summer school coordinators and their staff did "a better job of having summer school all-around." That's according to Pam Brobst, summer school coordinator, who reported to the school board during the regular July meeting at district headquarters recently. "We didn't have to work out the kinks (of the program) this time," she explained.

The 2005 summer school session marked the second consecutive time the district has contracted with Newton Learning for the program. The company provided the curriculum and materials for the free 24-day program which began May 31 and ran through July 1.

Brobst said that 534 students in grades kindergarten through nine participated and 86 percent of those students did not miss over two days of classes. She noted that 62 percent had perfect attendance. "That says a lot for the program and the kids," Brobst explained, adding, "I feel good that we reached that many children." There were 160 less students enrolled in the 2005 summer school program than the year previous and Brobst said that she was unsure why the numbers were lower this time around.

However, she did speculate that a reason for the decline could be that students realized that they must attend every day in order to receive Newton Learning's promised incentives at the end of the session. One-hundred dollar shopping cards were awarded to summer school students with perfect attendance; $75 shopping cards were issued to students with only up to seven hours missed (seven hours is the equivalent of one day); and $50 shopping cards were awarded to students who missed between over seven hours, up to 14 hours of summer school (14 hours is the equivalent of two days).

R-2 Board Approves Budget for 2005-06
C-T article by Laura Schuler, C-T Editor June 22, 2005

The Chillicothe R-2 School District board adopted the 2005-06 budget last (Tuesday) evening, but superintendent Dale Wallace says changes will be made to the document once the district receives the new assessed valuation and the board establishes the district's levy before Sept. 1. The action was taken last (Tuesday) evening during the regular June meeting held at district headquarters and all board members were present except Julie McCoy.

The budget for the next school year calls for a June 30, 2006, balance in Fund 1 of $2,640,979.59. The document states that the balance in all funds of $3,090,794.78, will be in place by July 1, 2006.

The board also discussed the state's new school funding plan which was approved by state legislators in May. Wallace told the board that under the new formula, the amount of state aid the district receives next year will drive what the district receives in state aid for the next several years. Wallace also reported that because this is an assessment year and the district's assessed valuation is expected to increase, a new tax rate ceiling will be established. "As the assessed valuation grows, so does the district's taxing ability," Wallace said. He also noted that because this is a reassessment year and the district's tax rate ceiling will go down because assessed valuation will grow, the district has an option of raising the levy after the tax rate ceiling is established.

The Chillicothe R-2 School District's current operating levy is at $3.29 and Wallace stated that the district has the authority to "bump that levy up a few cents" to maximize state aid for next year. Wallace noted that the district has 20 cents in its voluntary levy that it has been carrying since August 2002. Following the reassessment and the lowering of the tax rate ceiling, Wallace said that the district could raise the operating levy a few cents to maximize state aid, however he noted that at a future board meeting, the board members may want to discuss ways to offset a levy increase so that local taxpayers will not be paying more taxes. The superintendent noted that one way a levy increase may be offset is to lower the levy for Fund 3, but increase the general operating levy the same amount.

School Officials Meet to Discuss Funding Plan
C-T article by Laura Schuler, C-T Editor June 16, 2005

Chris Straub, lobbyist and consultant for the Missouri School Board Association and Missouri Association of School Administrators (MASA), talked to a group of around 200 school district administrators and board members from around the state yesterday (Wednesday) at the Gary Dickinson Performing Arts Center. He spoke during a MASA-sponsored workshop designed to inform school district representatives on the new foundation formula approved by the legislators in May.
C-T Photo/Laura Schuler

Around 200 school board members and district superintendents from around north Missouri finally learned some specifics yesterday (Wednesday) about Missouri's new school funding plan which received legislative approval in May after five months of vigorous debate in the state Capitol.

The group gathered in the Gary Dickinson Performing Arts Center for a four-hour seminar sponsored by the Missouri Association of School Administrators (MASA). The event was the second of three such seminars sponsored by MASA at different locations around the state. The first was held Tuesday in Arnold and the last one was slated to be held today in Marshfield.

The workshop was presented by Chris Straub, a lobbyist and consultant for the Missouri School Board Association and MASA, respectively; and Gerri Ogle, who is an associate commissioner for the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, division of administrative and financial services. Both took turns at the podium explaining the new foundation formula which determines just how much state aid school districts receive.

Along with explaining the new school funding plan - now based on student needs, instead of the levy-driven formula that has been in place since 1993, the duo advised the crowd of certain aspects of Senate Bill 287 that administrators should be aware of. One of those aspects involves summer school. For the last 15 years, school districts in Missouri have been able to double their summer school pupil count which results in more state aid and makes summer school programs an attractive option for school districts. The new formula changes that concept completely. According to R-2 superintendent Dale Wallace, the new foundation formula allows only a single count of students. Not only that, but it stipulates that if a district's summer school attendance falls below 85 percent (of the base established during the current summer school session), a heavy penalty will be assessed.

Retiring Staff Members Honored at Regular Meeting
C-T article by Laura Schuler, C-T Editor 05 18 05

Several R-2 District certified and non-certified staff members who are retiring at the end of the school year were honored during last (Tuesday) night's regular May school board meeting at district headquarters. Those honored received a plaque of appreciation from board president David Williams (back, right) and framed House resolutions from 7th District State Representative John Quinn (back, left). Those honored are, front row, from left: Craig Erwin, 30 years; Richie Carson, 25 years; Bev Davis, 40 years; Marsha Leopard, 27 years; Larry Vance, 36 years. Back row, from left: Quinn, Nancy McGuire, Lisa Gann, Jan Jogan and Williams. Not pictured is Rosaline Rodgers-Williams. C-T Photo/Laura Schuler

The Chillicothe R-2 Board of Education honored nine certified and non-certified staff members who are retiring at the end of the school year last (Tuesday) evening at district headquarters during the regular May meeting.

According to Dale Wallace, the seven certified teachers have a combined 215 years in education and a combined 193 years of service in the Chillicothe R-2 School District. "Think of the influence they've had on the students," Wallace said during the presentations.

The superintendent also noted that the two non-certified staff members, Bev Davis and Richie Carson, have a combined 65 years of service. Davis, a longtime library aide at Central School, worked for the school district for 40 years and was the longest employed staff member of the district. Carson, also at Central School, worked in the cafeteria and is retiring after 25 years.

Board president David Williams presented each retiring staff member with a plaque of appreciation and 7th District State Representative John Quinn presented each with a framed resolution, honoring them for their years of service.

RII Board Considers Bids, Hires Staff Members
C-T article by Laura Schuler, C-T Editor 05 18 05

The Chillicothe R-2 school board approved several bids during the regular May meeting held at district headquarters last (Tuesday) night.

Among the bids accepted was a two-year district banking bid with an option to renew from Chillicothe State Bank. The bank was one of the four local financial institutions which submitted bids to handle the district's investments based on an interest rate above or below the most current 91-day treasury bill discount rate. Chillicothe State Bank's bid was 0.26 percent, Bank Midwest's bid was -0.50 percent, Investor's National Bank's bid was -0.25 percent and Citizens Bank & Trust's bid was 0.06 percent. Board member Neal Dietz abstained from voting on this issue.

The board also reviewed and approved mowing bids for Grand River Technical School. The board approved Griffin Mowing and Landscaping to mow the south parking lot and the school's Bryan Street properties for $45 per mow and the vacant lot near the school for $10 per mow. Dale Jones Lawn Service's bid for $65 to mow around the GRTS was approved as well. The district received six bids for the mowing work.

The school board also approved bus financing bids and approved the bid from Bank Midwest for 3.375 percent and annual payments of $12,049.38. Dietz also abstained from voting on this issue. The board also approved a bus bid from Midwest Bus Sales, of Bonner Springs, Kan., for a 2006 Thomas, 65 passenger freightliner with Caterpillar motor, with luggage compartment included for $55,132.

District-Wide Pay Increase Approved
C-T article by Laura Schuler, C-T Editor 04 13 05

All Chillicothe R-2 School District employees will receive at least a 4 percent pay raise in 2005-06 after the issue received unanimous board approval last (Tuesday) evening. The action was taken during the regular April meeting held at district headquarters.

Specifically, the board approved salary increases for both the district's certified and non-certified staff. Chillicothe R-2 superintendent recommended the wage hike after noting that the district has about $700,000 in new and reoccurring revenue available.

According to Wallace, reoccurring revenue is the reoccurring growth in the ending Fund 1 balance due to cuts made several years ago. He advised board members to authorize spending $500,000 of that money to better the salaries of district employees.

Teachers who have the greatest amount of experience and have invested in their education will benefit the most from the proposed 4 to 6 percent salary increase. The board's action also raises the district's base teaching salary to $25,600.

The board's action also gives the salaries of district administrators a $4,500 boost (on average), making the average salary of the district's 11 full-time administrator positions $70,233, according to Pam Musser, payroll administrator for the district.

This was the third consecutive year that money has been added to the district's salary schedule. Last year, district officials awarded an additional $750 across the board to each step on the salary schedule's non-indexed column. Certified staff were allowed one step of vertical movement on the salary schedule (which is based on year's of experience) and horizontal movement (based on degrees earned or hours accumulated).

THIRD DRAFT OF 2005-06 BUDGET REVIEWED DURING REGULAR APRIL MEETING
By LAURA SCHULER / C-T City Editor, Wednesday, April 13, 2005

Along with approving a pay raise for district employees and electing new school board officers, the Chillicothe R-2 board examined a third draft of the 2005-06 budget and received an update on the proposed foundation formula (see related stories on this page) during the regular April meeting held at district headquarters.

R-2 superintendent Dale Wallace, reported that the latest draft of the budget incorporates the salary proposal that was board-approved later in the meeting, as well as a 4 percent increase in the district's assessed valuation.

The latest budget draft shows a projected balance of $2,575,841.15 in Fund 1 (the district's general operating fund), and a $3,070,999.10 total of all funds by June 30, 2006.

Wallace noted that the budget was drafted using the same Eligible Pupil (EP) count used this year, and a proration factor of .86 and .81. (When school districts are fully-funded by the state, the district's proration factor is rated at 1.0. When the districts are under funded, the proration factor falls below that number.) The draft was also based on a $3.29 per $100 assessed valuation operating levy.

Wallace also told board members that the district is projected to have a reserve balance of 15.66 percent (in Fund 1 and Fund 2 by June 30, 2006). The state requires that school districts have at a balance of 3 percent or more to avoid being placed on the state's financially stressed list. Currently, the district has approximately a 14 percent balance in its reserves, Wallace said.

The superintendent also gave board members an update on the proposed new foundation formula currently being considered by state legislators. A foundation formula determines just how much state aid school districts receive and Wallace says that the new one being discussed in the state Capitol is much different from the levy-driven foundation formula currently in place.

R-II School Facilities Panel Talks of District Priorities
C-T Article Wednesday, 02 16 05, Laura Schuler (info & photos from BK Web Works)

After taking tours of several of the Chillicothe school buildings earlier this month, the R-2 school facilities committee gathered at district headquarters on February 7, 2005, to examine just which improvement projects should be made priorities within the district. After some discussion, the majority of committee members spoke in favor of fulfilling the promise made almost seven years ago to the district patrons with the passage of the original bond that built the new high school. Advocates of the bond's passage promised voters in 1998 that once the new high school was built, the district would make repairs to the elementary schools and tear down the old high school.

Once those improvements are made, the committee said that other items on the district's wish list include building a new road to connect the high school to U.S. Highway 65, paving the high school parking lot (estimated to cost $400,000), air conditioning Dewey, and building a new stadium and track facility.

The committee also discussed the "building back" needs for the middle school once the old high school is demolished with several committee members noting that it would be wasteful to build new facilities between the current middle school and field house when land had been donated to build new facilities at the location of the new high school. (The Chillicothe Education Foundation's donation of 60 acres there makes it possible to eventually move all school facilities to this location). The Middle School currently uses five classrooms and two offices in the old high school and the technology classroom and CMS Live television studio are also housed there. Members of the committee noted that if some type of temporary housing of the middle school rooms could be used, the ideal situation would be to build the middle school in the new location and make some other use of the current middle school. The main concern is finding the money necessary to add buildings to the new complex as needed.

The committee, comprised of community members and school personnel, was formed by the Chillicothe board of education and school administrators to evaluate the facility needs of the district and make recommendations to the board on how best to address them. About a dozen committee members were able to attend the Feb. 3 facilities tour, which featured a walk-through of the three floors of the old high school and a close look at the old high school building's exterior; the Jerry Litton Memorial Stadium, and Dewey School. 

Bryan Prewitt, CMS Principal led the group through the high school. The tour group had been surprised by the poor condition of the old high school, particularly, the second and third floors. Also of concern was the condition of the chimney, which has a crack running down almost its entire length. The chimney had already been reduced in size at one point in the past to prevent it collapsing, and it has another large crack near the top that is in need of attention again. Interior walls are cracking, the auditorium walls and ceiling are in bad shape, and the top two floors have extensive water damage and deterioration. The building was built in 1925 and had been jacked up once in the 1980's.

Activities Director Phil Willard was the tour guide at Litton Football Stadium leading the group through the locker rooms, pointing out the lack of bathroom facilities, the aging press box, cracks in the six-lane track, and concrete deterioration. Many of the seats in the facility have also come loose and need to be reattached. Parking has always been a problem, and there was concern over the condition of the sewer beneath the stadium. He mentioned that we miss out on hosting some events since an 8-lane track is now required and that estimates to just repair the track ran to several thousand dollars.

Principal Pam Brobst took the group through the library, hallway, and into the classrooms along the west side of the building, where a crack in the walls and floors had grown over the past few years. At one point, the crack in one classroom wall was large enough to see light through it, but that had been patched and repaired. The floor buckling has been a condition present over the past two years, and there is a large crack in the library wall and ceiling. The tour group had enjoyed lunch at Dewey and congratulated Principal Brobst on the good, clean appearance of her school.

Dale Wallace also updated the group on the status of the guaranteed performance contracting reviews of Field and Central Schools.

Chillicothe Art Student Designs MU Christmas Card
Megan Neis, Chillicothe Constitution Tribune, January 19, 2005

Daniel Leatherman (left), CHS senior, was honored by Dr. Richard Andrews (right), University of Missouri's Dean of Education, during the school board meeting held January 18, 2005. Leatherman painted the artwork which was used on the MU College of Education's 2004 Christmas cards. Andrews presented Leatherman with a framed card, which was the first one off the press during printing. Leatherman is the son of Dan and Patti Leatherman. His grandparents are Gordon and Jean Scott of Chillicothe and Helen Leatherman of Muscatine, Iowa. C-T Photo/Megan Neis

Portrait of Bob Carter Donated to CHS
Paul Sturm, Chillicothe Constitution Tribune, December 14, 2004

A donated portrait of the late Bob Carter, sports editor of the Constitution-Tribune for nearly three decades prior to his untimely death in late 2001, is presented to Chillicothe High School activities director and football head coach Phil Willard (white shirt at right) and boys' basketball head coach Chad Snyder (behind Willard) by Deborah Lindley on behalf of her husband, Scott (to her right), and numerous other friends of Carter's. The painted portrait, along with a plaque identifying those who contributed to the portrait's commissioning and plaques signifying Carter's posthumous induction into the state high school football and basketball coaches' associations' Halls of Fame, will hang in the high school commons. The presentation, along with comments from several persons from Chillicothe and area schools Carter covered, took place between games of Monday night's home basketball doubleheader against Macon. C-T Photo/Paul Sturm

Three File for Available R-2 Board Seats
Laura Schuler, C-T City Editor, December 14, 2004

After only an hour into the filing period for the April 5 school board election, three men (two of them, incumbents) had already declared their candidacies to fill the three available seats on the Chillicothe R-2 School Board of Education.

Chillicothe R-2 board president John Marcolla, 43, of 2123 Oaklawn Drive, was the first candidate to file. The incumbent is currently completing his first three-year term on the board and he filed at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday. After filing, Marcolla said that he had, for the most part, enjoyed his time serving the district over the past three years. "It is, at times a little stressful and time consuming, but I receive a lot of satisfaction serving on the school board," Marcolla said. He added, "I think the school board helps support the teachers, which helps support the students."

Another candidate who has officially tossed his hat into the electoral ring is Chillicothe Department of Emergency Services firefighter/paramedic Eric Reeter. Reeter, 36, of 504 Park Avenue, filed for election at 9:05 a.m. Tuesday. Having never sought public office before, Reeter said that he decided to file because he is interested in becoming involved in the community and school district. Reeter also noted that he has two children attending public school, which also figured into his decision to file. "I'm a hometown boy, I went through the school district myself," Reeter said. He added, "I just thought it was time to be involved and I wanted to contribute."

David Williams, 40, of 17672 Liv. 306 in Fairview Township, filed for re-election Tuesday morning at 10:45 a.m. He was first elected in 2002 and is currently serving on the board as vice president. He said Tuesday that he has liked serving on the board for the past three years. "I think the board is improving things (in the district) and I just wanted to continue that work for another three years," Willams said.

The other seat that is available this election is held by board treasurer John Cook, who was also first elected in 2002.

Chillicothe School Board Approves Guaranteed Performance Contracting
Chillicothe Constitution Tribune, 12 15 04

The Chillicothe R-II School Board unanimously voted to move forward with a guaranteed performance contract process which, according to Supt. Dale Wallace, is the first step in "finishing-out" the district's elementary buildings that now have air-conditioning by installing such things like energy efficient windows, lights, and exit doors. A guaranteed performance contract "guarantees" a savings amount based on what energy efficient improvements are made. Payments for those improvements are made from Fund 4, but no levy is required in that fund because a Fund 1 transfer is allowed which allows all the operating levy to continue to drive state aid. With the board's stamp of approval, the district will place a notice in the newspaper asking guaranteed performance contract companies to submit to the district their respective qualifications and cost estimates of a district-wide evaluation of district buildings. An earlier projection was made estimating improvements to Central and Field Schools would be around $500,000. If paid over 10 years, it would require a $50,000 budget commitment.

Chillicothe School Board Reviews 2004-05 Budget
Chillicothe Constitution Tribune, 07 21 04

Chillicothe School Board members met last (Tuesday) night at R-2 headquarters and took action on several issues during the open session and reviewed the 2004-05 budget to reflect a change in the tax rate ceiling up to $3.29.

Specifically, the revised budget reflects more closely what the district actually spent last year after salaries, benefits and career ladders were reviewed. The corrected ending balances for the district's current fiscal year, $2,131,500 in the district's general operating fund, $494,534. in Fund 3, and $177,974 in Fund 4.

Wallace explained that the Missouri State Auditor, Claire McCaskill, reviewed all R-2 school district 2003 property tax rate figures and recently sent the district a notice that because the district's estimate of assessed revenues was higher than the amount assessed by the Department of Elementary and Secondary education, the district's 2003-04 tax rate ceiling has been revised from 3.4140 to 3.4404.

Later in the meeting, the board set the district's tax rate hearing for Aug. 17 at 6:30 p.m. at district headquarters. The meeting is open to the public.

Wallace also presented the district's year-ending general ledger for 2003-04. The ledger showed that in the district's general operating fund (Fund 1) there was $2,131,500 as of June 20, 2004, compared with only $622,887 a year earlier. The ledger also showed that the totals of all the district funds were up significantly in 2004, to $2,768,982. That total is dramatically higher than the total of all funds as of June 30, 2003, which was $2,803,908.

The 2003-04 budget was also revised during the meeting because of grants the district received and spent last year that it didn't know about earlier, as well as the air-condition projects and use of free-textbook funds that was used to purchase new high school communication arts books with.

CHS Achieves Gold Star Status
Laura Schuler, C-T City Editor, Chillicothe Constitution Tribune, April 28, 2004

Chillicothe High School has received yet another accolade from state education officials after the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education announced that the school was chosen as one of Missouri's 13 Gold Star Schools for 2003-04. This is the first time in CHS history that the school has received the prestigious honor.

"We are very pleased and honored to again bring this recognition to our district and community," Dale Wallace, R-2 schools superintendent said Wednesday. He added that CHS joins Dewey Elementary and the middle school as Missouri Gold Star School recipients. Dewey Elementary earned that honor in 1994 and Chillicothe Middle School was designated as a Gold Star School in 1995.

"This reflects the good leadership, dedicated staff and high achieving student body that is found at the high school," Wallace said, adding, "I hope the community takes a great deal of pride in this award and appreciates the hard work that is behind it."

According to Bob Levy, CHS principal, state education officials examined many aspects of the high school's programs and activities in determining if it met Gold Star School criteria. Specifically, Levy said that the school's continued improvement in MAP scores over the last three years, its minimal dropout rate, its special education program, the progress and development of its curriculum and its consistently high attendance rate were the primary factors which earned the school this latest statewide recognition.

Levy also noted that state education officials also consider the number and diversification of the school's extra curricular activities and how they "co-mingle" with community involvement. He said that the school's 4-year-old hunting and fishing club, and its leadership class (taught by Jeanne Lair) were positive additions to the school's curriculum over the past few years. Levy also said that next year, the high school will add a community service component to its curriculum.

Involvement in the school's upcoming community service program will not be a graduation requirement, but Levy said that students who finish the program successfully will be recognized at commencement ceremonies. He added that the program is designed to have participating students complete 40 hours of community service by the time they graduate from high school.

R-2 Board Approves $334,000 in Salary, Benefits
Laura Schuler, C-T City Editor, Chillicothe Constitution Tribune, April 27, 2004

The Chillicothe R-2 school board approved more than $334,000 in salary and benefit increases for the district's certified and non-certified staff during a special meeting at district headquarters. The increases add up to a nearly 4% salary and benefit hike for both certified and non-certified staff and will be included in next year's fiscal budget which will begin on July 1. Specifically, the board added an additional $750 across the board to each step on the salary schedule's non-indexed column, according to Dale Wallace, R-2 schools superintendent.

Next fiscal year, the district will offer a $24,650 salary to beginning teachers - a figure which includes not only the $750 added to the district's certified salary and benefits schedule, but also the $400 pay raise issued to all of the district's certified and non-certified staff members this last year. The district currently employs 165 certified teachers and 130 non-certified staff members and administrators.

More State Aid Coming to R-2 Than Expected
Laura Schuler, C-T City Editor, Chillicothe Constitution Tribune, April 21, 2004

The Chillicothe R-2 School District will most likely receive more state aid during the next fiscal year. Dale Wallace, R-2 school superintendent, made that announcement that the district will receive $622,910 in additional state funds because the proration factor (formula used by the state to determine the amount of funding schools will receive) will most likely be higher than what he had previously predicted. State education officials are predicting a proration factor of .80 and .85 for the next fiscal year.

The school board also approved expenditures in the amount of approximately $38,000 to be spent on repairing or replacing roofs of two schools within the district - Garrison Elementary and the northwest portion of Chillicothe Middle School. Work will begin over the summer and will add at least an additional 15 years of life to those roofs. Once those two projects are completed, the board will consider approving work on the Grand River Vo-Tech School's roof and other systems. The Field School air conditioning project will begin in earnest this summer, and the work is slated to be finished by August 1.

For the third straight year, the Chillicothe R-2 School District has been awarded the Distinction in Performance Award, which is issued annually by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education as an incentive for school districts to focus on improving student academic achievement. The district is one of 176 school districts around the state which received the honor this year. School district administrators received a congratulatory letter from Gov. Bob Holden. In the letter, the governor thanked school administrators and staff for "providing an educational environment where high standards and achievements are valued, and students are given an opportunity to discover and excel.

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The Chillicothe R-2 Schools Board of Education unanimously approved a 20-cent property tax increase during its regular monthly meeting at district headquarters on Tuesday, August 19, 2003. The action raises the total tax levy to $3.67 per $100 assessed valuation.

No one present spoke in opposition to the increase during the public hearing or 35-minute regular meeting. "I can say without reservation that this is the best thing to do for the kids in this school district," R-2 superintendent Dale Wallace said to the board members in proposing the increase. Wallace and the board for several months had discussed the possibility of raising property taxes as an avenue to help build the district's financial reserves, eliminate further cuts within the district, and help cover losses incurred from reduced state aid. "Without an increase in revenue, we would be looking at more cuts, which would involve larger class sizes, less bus routes and less extracurricular activities," Wallace said. "In my opinion, people would be much more upset with these things happening than with this amount of levy increase," he added.

The 20-cent increase is projected to leave an 8.72 percent balance in the district's reserves at the end of the district's new fiscal year, according to Wallace, who explained the projection does not include any future major additional withholdings Gov. Bob Holden might make. This past spring, the governor ordered $98 million withheld from public school districts to compensate for shortfalls in budgeted revenue collections at the state level.

Specifically, the approved 20-cent tax levy hike includes a 16.4-cent property tax increase combined with an almost 4-cent natural tax rate ceiling rise. The rise in the tax rate ceiling, Wallace explained, occurred because the district received less in county utility revenue than it projected. To make up the difference, the district is allowed by law to increase the tax rate ceiling slightly. That increase, according to Wallace, offsets a little of the use of the district's voluntary levy reduction but could still be viewed as a levy increase over the last year. Wallace also noted that the district's assessed valuation has increased by $1,069,393 from 2002, which will result in additional funds for the district.

Later in the meeting board member Bruce Brodmerkle pointed out that, while the property tax levy has been raised, the R-2 district's levy is still lower than many others. "It's still lower in comparison to other schools of comparable size," he said, noting that the Platte County school district is the only district among 26 others in northwest Missouri that has a lower tax rate ceiling ($3.13).

The school board also approved at its meeting a revised 2003-04 budget which reflects the newly-adopted tax levy and the slight changes incurred after the district hired three replacement personnel recently. The budget revision comes to $297,610.14.

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The Chillicothe R-2 School District was awarded a Distinction in Performance award this past Wednesday by Gov. Bob Holden and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). Chillicothe was one of only 157 public school districts out of 524 in the state to receive the honor this year.

The award is based on criteria established by the state board of education and includes such things as MAP test scores, ACT test scores, attendance and performance measures and seven other categories of consideration.

This year, fewer than 30 percent of the state's public school districts received the distinction. "I am proud to announce that one-third of the state's 524 school districts have met the standards for this prestigious recognition. Because this designation is based on the same standards used for accreditation purposes, it shows that these districts are making steady improvement in the areas that matter most," Holden announced in a press release. The Distinction in Perform-ance award is issued annually and is designed to be an incentive for school districts to focus on improving academic achievement.

To qualify for Distinction in Performance this year, Kindergarten-12th school districts had to meet 11 out of 12 possible performance indicators, including all of the standards that are based on the MAP tests. Kindergarten-8th districts were required to meet five of six indicators including all those related to the MAP tests.

The response from Chillicothe School District officials was predictably upbeat. "It's certainly a reflection of the dedication of the teachers in our community and our kids, and the value they place on academics and balancing those with other kinds of programs. We can never give our teachers enough credit for everything they do in the classrooms," said Assistant Superintendent Dave May.

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Out with the old, in with the new. Chillicothe Schools Assistant Superintendent Dave May on Monday announced plans to purchase a new school bus early in 2003. He also plans to implement a bus-purchasing and rotation plan that will inject a new school bus into the district's transportation department every year. As assistant superintendent, May serves as the transportation director for the district.

Each new bus will be financed over five years, at perhaps a 5 percent interest rate, a rate which could drop if area banks bid below 5 percent for the financing of the buses. The board voted on Monday to allow May to solicit financing bids from area banks.

Under May's plan, the district intends to purchase a new bus, under similar financing conditions, each year -- indefinitely, as long as officials feel they can afford it. The need is there, May said.

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Dave May, R-2 assistant superintendent, and Butch Rardon, chief mechanic for the school district, inspect a brand new school bus which arrived today (Thursday) from a dealer in Bonner Springs, Kan. The bus was purchased
through a new program, devised by May. The plan uses a financing arrangement that will keep a new bus coming in every year at no more cost than the district incurred two years ago when they bought a new bus outright.

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Hospital, School Benefit With Gift, Noble Dean Smith Leaves $285,929.20 to Livingston County Community Foundation
Chillicothe Constitution Tribune, July 17, 2003
By Laura Schuler

The Livingston County Community Foundation received its largest gift ever today (Thursday) in the form of a $285,929.20 check presented by the trustee of the Noble Dean Smith Trust.

The funds will go into restricted accounts with one half of the principal and interest to be used solely for Hedrick Medical Center and the other half exclusively for Chillicothe High School. The funds are being designated in the memory of Smith.

The check was presented by Don Chapman Jr., who serves as trustee of the Noble Dean Smith Trust, during a luncheon meeting of the Livingston County Community Foundation.

Noble Dean Smith's family originally came to Chillicothe from Iowa many years ago, Chapman said. There were the mother, father and four children, including Noble Dean. They owned several pieces of real estate, including a 212-acre farm. Noble Dean, the last to pass away, became the owner of all of this real estate. Noble Dean, who lived all of his life in Chillicothe, was a 1943 graduate of Chillicothe High School.

According to terms of the trust, 50 percent of the funds will be held in a restricted account with the principal and interest to be distributed at the discretion of the foundation board for the benefit of Hedrick Medical Center. Funds can be used for additions to the hospital, purchase of additional land, landscaping of hospital grounds, purchase of specialized equipment, remodeling, refurbishing, developing and improvement of existing hospital facilities and educational programs in connection with the hospital. The funds cannot be used for general repair and maintenance or general operating expenses of the facility.

The remaining 50 percent will be held in a restricted account with the principal and interest to be distributed at the discretion of the foundation board for the benefit of Chillicothe High School. Funds can be used for additions to the new high school, purchase of additional land, landscaping of high school grounds, purchase of specialized equipment, remodeling and refurbishing of existing facilities or education programs in connection with the high school. None of the funds can be used for general repair and maintenance of ground operating expenses of the high school.

Bill Koch, president of the foundation, expressed his gratitude to Noble Dean Smith for the generous gift and also thanked attorney Chapman for his work in acting as trustee and overseeing the transfer of the funds to the foundation.

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Public Notice
Nondiscrimination Statement
Chillicothe R-II School District

The Chillicothe R-II School District complies with all federal and state laws prohibiting discrimination, including Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1974 and the American Disabilities Act (ADA). It is the policy of the school district that no person, on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or handicap, shall be discriminated against in employment, educational programs and activities or admissions. Inquiries or complaints concerning the Chillicothe R-II School District’s compliance with the regulations implementing Title II, Title VI, Title IX, Section 504 or the American Disabilities Act (ADA) may be directed to: Superintendent Office, Chillicothe R-II School District, P.O. Box 530, Chillicothe, Missouri, 64601. (660-646-4566).

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