Amendment 3, new education commissioner topics at Cape Girardeau board meeting

The passage or defeat of Amendment 3 and the upcoming appointment of a new Missouri commissioner of education were among the topics discussed at Monday's Cape Girardeau School Board meeting.

Amendment 3, on the Nov. 4 general election ballot, would tie teacher evaluations to student performance and limit future teaching contracts to three years, among other things.

Community Teachers Association president Robyn McKinley said the Missouri State Teachers Association convention, set for Nov. 12 to 14 in Columbia, Missouri, will either be festive or sad, depending on what happens with Amendment 3.

Board member Don Call said some legislators have expressed a desire to have input into the selection of the new education commissioner to make it more transparent. Current commissioner Chris Nicastro will step down, effective Dec. 31, and some local superintendents, education organizations and board members are concerned the Missouri State Board of Education is using a closed process to select her successor.

Call said there was some concern the state board already had someone in mind to replace Nicastro. According to a Missouri School Boards' Association video shown at the meeting, it was possible the state board could name someone to replace Nicastro at its meeting. Discussions began Monday.

Other business

• The board heard an instructional technology update from instructional technology specialist Ron Farrow, via video. He said there have been some issues with offline access to some electronic textbooks, but that issue has been 90 to 95 percent resolved.
• Assistant superintendent of support services Neil Glass and the maintenance department were commended for its work on the new board meeting room on the first floor of the Central Administrative Office.
• Superintendent Jim Welker said longtime coach Bob Sink was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.
• Heard that the Missouri State School Boards' Association fall regional meeting is set for Nov. 6 at Jackson High School.

rcampbell@semissourian.com

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