NEW BLOOMFIELD - New Bloomfield R-3 School District offered staff the opportunity to receive vaccinations Thursday.
"We've been trying to get our people who wanted the vaccine vaccinated for several months it feels like," Superintendent Sarah Wisdom told the New Bloomfield Board of Education on Thursday night.
Arthur Center Community Health administered the doses. Forty people were vaccinated. They will receive their second doses April 15.
For months, the district hasn't allowed outside organizations to hold events on school property. During the board's April meeting, it will revisit the issue.
In Callaway County, case counts have been decreasing and vaccination rates are rising. Currently, the state estimates 19.5 percent of the county has received at least the first dose of a vaccine.
Gov. Mike Parson announced Thursday the state is expecting a dramatic increase in vaccine supplies. Because of this, the state plans to open up vaccine eligibility to all residents 16 and older on April 9.
Wisdom said requests to use district facilities has increased. The board expressed support for allowing Project Grad to schedule a night for seniors to celebrate graduation at the end of the semester.
She also presented the board with a parent application for Monday Academy, an idea related to board requests to expand the program.
Monday Academy offers struggling students with remediation to help accomplish specific goals. It is currently available to students in the most need of help.
"An idea was brought to have a parent application for Monday Academy, and I think it's a good idea," Wisdom said.
The application would allow guardians the opportunity to explain their child's main strengths and areas of concern. Decisions would still be based on achievement data.
"I think the power in this is we would meet with the parent and talk about the kid's strengths and maybe why they qualify or why they don't qualify - really having that conversation with them to open up a line of communication," Wisdom said.
In other district news, New Bloomfield High School will introduce a genetics class next year.
"One of the things that we've discussed with our science department and just with our building in general is making sure that we're preparing our kids for this century and moving forward," NBHS Principal Paul Cloudwright said.
The board voted Thursday night to adopt norms outlining roles, responsibilities and professional behavior, and a board communication policy.
Also approved was a memorandum of understanding with Nichols Career Center. The center has raised rates from $1,550 to $2,250 per student. The center offers career and technical opportunities to high school students.
The second memorandum of understanding approved Thursday night comes at no cost to the district. Starting in August, the Community Health Center of Central Missouri will work with New Bloomfield to build a behavioral health services delivery system.
"They would have counselors available for our students, and of course, they would not speak to a kid without parent permission first," Wisdom said.
In the past, the district has worked with the health center on mobile dental clinics and flu shots.
With this, New Bloomfield will help identify students who would benefit from services and promote the availability of behavioral health services. The health center will provide services.
"It's trying to get some of our kids who don't have that access some additional resources," Wisdom said.