Damage to the middle school campus caused by a storm was one topic of discussion for the North Callaway R-1 Board of Education at its Sept. 18 meeting.

There were no injuries, and no one was in the building at the time, said Niki Buschmann, assistant superintendent for the school district, in an email to the Ledger. The storm occurred on Sept. 15. District Superintendent Kenya Thompson said in her report to the board that the middle school sustained significant storm damage, specifically to the gym roof.

Buschmann said that on the morning of the day after the storm, the district’s maintenance team and district leadership immediately began working with contractors and insurance representatives to assess the damage and begin planning for repairs. 

“A restoration company was in the building by early Tuesday afternoon to remove water and ensure the gym and classrooms affected are safe,” Buschmann said in an email. “Emergency repairs to the roof were also underway by Tuesday afternoon. Until the work is completed, the gym will remain closed for all student and community use. We have moved our PE and agriculture classes to other locations within the building and will continue to adjust schedules and activities as needed.”

She said the district is “grateful for our staff's professionalism, adaptability, and willingness to lend a hand as we navigate this issue.”

Also at the meeting, the board heard an annual report from the district’s special education program from Jacqueline Bowles, director of special programs. Her presentation noted that The North Callaway R-1 Special Education Program provides services for 122 students as of the Dec. 1, 2024 child count. The Dec. 1 count is the number of students with individualized education plans from August 2024-Dec. 1, 2024. More students qualified after Dec. 1 but the state only collects students who qualified and received services on Dec. 1 of each year. This is a decrease of 37 students with services from the prior year at this time, Bowles’ report stated, and the district started this school year with an increase of 17 students as of Aug. 1. This total number does not include transfer students or early childhood special education students.  

Bowles’ report included information, among other items, on personnel who provide services to students and businesses and entities that the district contracts with for services.

The district’s total enrollment is 973, Buschmann said. Discussing Bowles' report, Buschmann pointed to the growth of the district's population of students with significant needs. 

“Adding an Elementary Life Skills Classroom improves our ability to service this population, but we must also continue to plan for the future,” she said. “The other big takeaway is a return of 12 students to regular education services. This is an indication that specialized instruction is working and that we, as a district, are following the standards and indicators for qualification under IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act).”

In Buschmann’s report to the board, she said that on Sept. 8, the district held an active shooter/safety training with elementary and secondary school teachers. 

“There are several benefits, including improved student safety, increased preparedness, reduced panic through familiarity, enhanced situational awareness, coordination with law enforcement, and support for a culture of safety,” Buschmann said about the training. “We hope to equip teachers with the skills, confidence, and clear procedures to protect themselves and their students in a worst-case scenario.”

Buschmann’s report also said a variety of staff would participate in Crisis Prevention and Intervention training on Sept. 22. Buschmann explained that CPI is a structured program designed to help staff safely prevent and respond to challenging or potentially dangerous behavior. It focuses on de-escalation, safety, and respect for the dignity of all involved.  

“Each building has a CPI team trained to respond to a student in crisis,” she said. “The training covers prevention, verbal de-escalation, safe physical intervention (only if necessary), personal safety techniques, and post-crisis support and recovery,” she said. “The RPDC (Regional Professional Development Center) system is across the state of Missouri and is divided by region (we are the Heart of Missouri), designed to provide high-quality professional learning. They are established by DESE and staffed to support statewide programs, provide coaching and follow-up, and offer customized professional development.”

The board meeting also included discussion of the transition plan for the new elementary school, but the board did not take action on the transition plan, Buschmann said, noting at this point, it is still in the proposal phase.