K-12 Education

Columbia’s Planning and Zoning Commission gave first-round approval Thursday to build a new elementary school in northeastern Columbia at a 20-acre site near Brown Station and Waco roads.

The closing of the school district’s Adventure Club due to heat leaves hundreds of kids without after-school care.

The closing of the school district's Adventure Club because of the heat leave hundreds of children without after-school care.

The Million Father March, an effort to get dads to bring their children to the first day of school, is organized nationally by The Black Star Project.

The 17,083 students who attend Columbia Public Schools were expected to be back in class Tuesday, according to Assistant Superintendent Lynn Barnett.

A decision will be made at 5 p.m. today on whether public schools will be canceled or dismissed early on Wednesday due to heat, Superintendent Phyllis Chase said at a start-of-school news conference this morning.

Sometimes the teachers get just as excited as their young students about the start of a new school year.

Parents wondering whether Columbia Public Schools will be closed or dismissed early because it’s too hot and humid can find out by about 10 p.m. the previous evening at ColumbiaMissourian.com and through other local media.

Former city manager Ray Beck was appointed project director of the Diocese of Jefferson City’s efforts to establish a regional Catholic high school in Columbia.

Columbia Public Schools will have a news conference at 8 a.m. Tuesday on Aug. 21 to begin the 2007-08 school year.

Students were eager to be back at school Thursday for West Boulevard Elementary’s Back to School Night.

Missouri Assessment Program test results to be made public today will show where Columbia Public Schools fell short on meeting federally mandated targets.

Preliminary MAP results released this week by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education showed Field Elementary School met yearly progress through a provision called safe harbor.

Parkade Elementary School, part of Columbia Public Schools, was recently notified of its “needing improvement” preliminary designation status required under the No Child Left Behind Act.

For the first time, 13 sponsors are gathering at a large fair to ensure Columbia’s children have what they need to go back to school.

Columbia Public School’s Board of Education announced plans to form a committee to review land proposals for the location of a new high school, Superintendant Phyllis Chase said.

A local businessman has stepped up his efforts to get a new high school in north Columbia. In a letter sent to the Columbia School Board on Friday, George Godas increased his offer of land to 80 acres.

Orientation for the 204 new teachers who will join the Columbia Public School District’s faculty this year began Monday at Gentry Middle School.