[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6676676,"mediaKeyId","2369584-11c04222824b8aa58ee2647faa4c1161","parentId",2369584,"title","Piper Sandler outlines bond picture as Bolivar R‑I board adopts amended budget and 2025‑26 calendar","audioSeconds",4484,"startMs",3804000,"endMs",8288000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2369584-11c04222824b8aa58ee2647faa4c1161&start=3804&end=8288","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2369584-11c04222824b8aa58ee2647faa4c1161/thumbnail_3804000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6676676/Missouri/Piper-Sandler-outlines-bond-picture-as-Bolivar-RI-board-adopts-amended-budget-and-202526-calendar","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6676676-02dad14ab194be2ca3e8c79b66c9e0c8/orig.mp4?Expires=1773247975&Signature=dUTUdCWKid6WRp7fmCrQCEY6z9KfNd4~wVIHlDXO4UywbzGZmfCRKgD~VpAavW~n-Ku96MsfQhxUKrj0LfPsQp1YKjaKYJupBTZIbvTcHV3NCRj5QnsihzL8ewmUVx7~rhNvIslijCcl-uTS19nLB-JsgE2xA5nnAefBS1E2SBh1N1zDJa9TlWPg2ZiaVKc7TdjQPcj6RIe-UGZFvlfjueEcmY9xzfUhhdogzJbvOFYoTC2xX1RkLtkUhJvvkrvjjZ0doTYDSuQLJfV79cqYnjQNKX3MPjVZIM3yg4XYPaDCRQWi1k0AihVkrqk8gv~snAngiTtNpO~BY2q8mzpdXA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Bolivar R-1 School District","date","2025-02-21T03:23:08.49Z","article","Piper Sandler representatives gave the Bolivar R‑I board an update on the district's debt and long‑range financing options, and the board approved an amended fiscal year 2024‑25 budget and the district's proposed 2025‑26 calendar.

Brent Blevins of Piper Sandler told trustees the district \"has done a lot of good work over the last several years\" on facilities and financing, and reviewed recent bond and lease purchase transactions, callable dates and refunding thresholds.

What Piper Sandler reported: Blevins said the district's April 2024 general obligation bond sale produced a lower interest rate than typical lease purchases because GO bonds are secured by an ad valorem debt service levy paid into the debt service (fund 3). By contrast, certificates of participation (COPs) or lease purchases are financed from the capital projects (fund 4) and the market prices them differently, producing higher yields for the district on lease purchases. Piper Sandler showed the district had roughly $28.47 million outstanding in combined general obligation series and that a substantial portion of those bonds is callable on dates stretching from 2023 through 2030; refunding can save money when market yields fall enough to cover transaction costs.

The firm noted the district's 2022 lease purchase for energy‑savings projects remained outstanding after the board chose not to use the 2024 GO bond proceeds to call that lease, because the refunding cost and market rates made a buyback uneconomic.

Board action — amended budget: The board approved an amended budget that staff said increases projected revenue by about $2.1 million and increases expenditures by roughly $5 million. District staff explained most of the expenditure increase reflects fund‑4 (construction and bond) activity that had not been captured in the original budget and some insurance and workers' compensation cost updates. Finance staff presented a midyear projection that showed an estimated unrestricted general fund balance around 16% under the amended figures, an increase from the 14.9% figure used in the original budget. The board approved the amended budget by voice vote.

Calendar and AMI days: The board also adopted the district's recommended 2025‑26 calendar (option A). Dr. Matthew Garber (district leadership) said the calendar was designed to make the district eligible for Missouri's 169‑day financial incentive. That requires a minimum number of days; the recommended calendar adds three days while keeping total instructional hours in compliance with state rules. The calendar uses up to six AMI (alternate method of instruction) days — virtual or packet‑based instructional days that count as attendance under DESE rules — before the district would need to add makeup days. \"It would equate to about 1% to 2% of our state funding, which is for us about $140,000 to $280,000,\" Dr. Garber said, summarizing the financial importance of the incentive.

Other business: Piper Sandler presented hypothetical future issues based on modeled assessed value growth (Piper Sandler used conservative AV growth assumptions and showed sample issue years and amounts, including a $10 million placeholder in 2031). The presentation reviewed the district's constitutional bonding capacity (Missouri caps debt at 15% of assessed valuation) and concluded Bolivar R‑I is well below that threshold. Blevins said Piper Sandler will continue to monitor markets and advise on timing if refunding opportunities emerge.

Votes at the meeting: The board approved the consent agenda by voice vote; approved the amended budget; adopted the 2025‑26 calendar (option A); and approved the annual transportation ridership report required by DESE. In each case the board recorded voice votes and approval was announced without an itemized roll call in the transcript.

What to watch next: Piper Sandler said it is monitoring market yields for potential refunding opportunities for callable series, and staff said the district will continue long‑range facility planning in tandem with updated financing models. District staff will review March DESE transmittals and continue monthly budget monitoring; a budget work session is scheduled March 5 to go through the amendment in more detail.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Bolivar School Board Meeting 2/20/25","oneSentenceSummary","Piper Sandler representatives gave an update on the district's outstanding general obligation bonds and lease purchases while the Bolivar R‑I board approved a midyear amended budget and adopted the 2025‑26 academic calendar.","taxTitle","BOLIVAR R-I, School Districts, Missouri","taxId",61423,"location","Missouri","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6676681,"Bolivar R‑I holds public forum on school protection officer program; district to weigh training, costs and safeguards",971,72000,1043000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2369584-11c04222824b8aa58ee2647faa4c1161&start=72&end=1043","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2369584-11c04222824b8aa58ee2647faa4c1161/thumbnail_72000.jpg","/articles/6676681/Missouri/Bolivar-RI-holds-public-forum-on-school-protection-officer-program-district-to-weigh-training-costs-and-safeguards","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6676681-d1be8a74d0ee05feaeaba7946363c463/orig.mp4?Expires=1773247975&Signature=UvaS-tsSszviZ8HW9Zk4whw4hnXnoCAasKlD6WUGa-iYftNrCUvAABDbVGUn461CU6fo3~1siYlOkFh0DVHyV~k5rFZvd1S8G4eh-IKK9pfGSiBZtQXbvJTVM3M6ZERKAnORF9IRnhJxXVnWz5P-9eU3Fjn1WI7chpabpPfNdJ6sgcBtjgTdCgMIrB5Qo8DNc8-OnKHTweviHqp-xdB-9bQqcGI3zjoXtxEM62jxBRJg1e6xkg-WqDpsCUMIk9jHwXu~QF6CKTRUwPHVwwcqo3PBCirt-KygMX~PsQraM2ADzFXPNqh4TVDvbxcBxtiSqTU2djZDYPU-hnJ7E3nM-g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Deputy Mike Smith, a school resource officer and the district's safety and security coordinator, gave an overview of Missouri's school protection officer program and training requirements during an open forum before the Bolivar R‑I board meeting.

Missouri allows districts to designate certain employees to carry concealed on campus after completing an initial 120‑hour training program approved by the Missouri Department of Public Safety, Post (Police Officer Standards and Training), Smith said. He described the program as ongoing, with quarterly range qualification and continuing education modules that include de‑escalation, first aid, legal limits on use of force, day/night stress qualifications and threat assessment training.

\"The training just doesn't stop with that hundred and 20 hours,\" Smith said. He added that school protection officers must \"qualify four times a year,\" and that the state can remove certification if the quarterly requirements are not met.

Why it matters: The district is exploring options to expand on-campus safety without immediately changing staffing or district policy. Smith and others framed the program as a way to add trained, concealed responders inside school buildings — an option some residents said could deter attackers — while others urged careful policy design and post‑incident mental‑health supports.

In public comment, Dusty Ross, a Bolivar resident and former local police officer, said he supports the program if properly implemented. \"If something bad were to happen, he's probably way more qualified than I am,\" Ross said of experienced school staff who might serve as protection officers, adding that the increased number of trained, armed people in a building could be a deterrent. Ross also urged local law enforcement and any designated school protection officers to train together so responders recognize authorized individuals during an incident.

Pam Cornelius, who said she is a former teacher and federal employee, also urged the district to place a trained, armed person in each building. \"We need to have someone armed in each building of the school here in Bolivar,\" Cornelius said, referencing national shootings and the Uvalde incident as reasons for more on‑site protection.

Other public commenters, including Brent Watkins, emphasized the need for mental‑health post‑incident care for staff who might intervene in a critical incident. \"It's one thing to plan for an incident. It's another thing to respond to it,\" Watkins said, asking the board to include post‑incident counseling and support in any program plan.

Smith gave a ballpark on costs reported by other districts: initial 120‑hour training per individual (presented in the forum as roughly $4,597 per person) and quarterly qualification fees of about $267 per person. He said many districts also offer an annual stipend (often about $1,500) for staff who take on the role; the district would set a local process for volunteers and qualification.

Board next steps and limits: District officials said the forum was informational and that the board will consider public feedback as it determines whether to adopt a school protection officer program, what application and selection criteria to use, and which local policies would govern the position. No motion or formal vote to adopt the program was taken at the meeting.

The presenters and several public commenters noted limits to district authority: POST certification and quarterly qualifications are state‑monitored, and failure to maintain certification can remove designation. Smith also noted course providers must be approved by Missouri DPS POST.

What remains open: The board did not set a timeline for a policy decision, nor did it adopt specific local policies for selection, disclosure of who carries, or integration with local law enforcement. The forum included repeated requests from commenters that any future plan include clear coordination protocols with police and robust mental‑health and post‑incident supports for staff.

The board stated it will consider the feedback as it decides whether to move forward with a school protection officer program and what policies to adopt if it does.","Bolivar R‑I trustees and school staff hosted an open forum on a state-authorized school protection officer program. Deputy Mike Smith summarized training requirements, estimated costs and ongoing qualification rules; several residents urged implementation while others stressed mental-health and coordination concerns.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6676674,"Bolivar Intermediate highlights I‑Ready incentive push and behavior work; principal reports gains in student engagement",990,2343000,3333000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2369584-11c04222824b8aa58ee2647faa4c1161&start=2343&end=3333","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2369584-11c04222824b8aa58ee2647faa4c1161/thumbnail_2343000.jpg","/articles/6676674/Missouri/Bolivar-Intermediate-highlights-IReady-incentive-push-and-behavior-work-principal-reports-gains-in-student-engagement","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6676674-737abae9ea1892db58d7888e560c9064/orig.mp4?Expires=1773247975&Signature=kMWtKpfdXCdBZ14LNJUecPMcqWb6S3Qa2ZMjVCunc4pqin2fbGchWVuZedY0ZPZm2BAzQM29pvMI3cFORVfPSxwlWpE7CW7coD-mN1d~STwUkSjR4F70HHv9aBx1qBYayQsc4cO86BolsRaI1VqqkAAsGUdko-td8Ih~zYsvg~Xt06NDquJRu3VtyaEwUl4RTCkqVKbhnNfFQtnJ42xNZm9f~53zooNtoRof8Y~W2wLjjnI9lva5JlXkAJ1nG6A1-Qi3JAuzmGxTpftnaCv7-Y85LUtUDcWNiZCrCl6psLPBg-il2AVqDcJ-AVsIRG5FSYBUi0wtNrkWLqaNkVrCXg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Sabrina Campbell, principal of Bolivar Intermediate School (BIS), presented a second‑semester update on curriculum and behavior interventions during the board's CSIP spotlight.

Campbell said BIS uses Eureka Math, Benchmark literacy resources and Mystery Science, and described a new emphasis on aligning instruction to standards. She highlighted a recent student incentive program using the I‑Ready platform: students scoring 80–100% on assigned I‑Ready lessons submitted tickets to vote for a principal to wear an inflatable mascot; the contest raised student engagement and lesson completion.

\"In January, students completed 3,596 lessons,\" Campbell said, adding that February had yielded an additional 2,568 lessons before weather closures — \"collectively, since we've been back from Christmas break, students have engaged in 6,164 lessons.\"

Campbell and instructional coaches are using multiple data sources to target interventions, including benchmark assessments and MAP scores, and using the data to plan RTI (response to intervention) supports. BIS has been mapping standards to assessment questions to pinpoint instructional gaps and plan small‑group interventions.

On behavior, Campbell said the school is intentionally teaching executive‑function skills (self‑control, perseverance, time management and empathy) with weekly \"I can\" statements and counselor‑led lessons. Her office tracks office discipline referrals (ODRs) by tier: first‑quarter Tier 1 (0–1 ODRs) had 532 students and second quarter had 528; Tier 2 (2–4 ODRs) had 25 and 26 students respectively; Tier 3 (more than 4 referrals) had 7 then 5 students. Campbell said the stability of those numbers shows the school’s MTSS (multi‑tiered system of supports) framework is in place but still being refined.

Rick (presenter: dissertation researcher at BIS) shared preliminary findings from an applied research dissertation focused on BIS behavior supports. He said teachers reported far more training and clarity around academic standards than around behavior management, echoing national research that many teachers feel undertrained on behavioral interventions. His recommendations included expanding Tier 1 behavior instruction, providing teachers with consistent behavior screening tools (to identify internalizing as well as externalizing concerns) and strengthening teacher training on classroom‑level behavior supports.

Campbell said the school plans events including concerts, open house and reading night in the spring and that testing windows for MAP and EOC are approaching; teachers and students will practice the testing tools before formal administration.

The board thanked BIS staff for the engagement strategies and data‑driven interventions; no formal action was required on the spotlight presentation.","Bolivar Intermediate School principal reviewed academics and behavior work: an incentive program tied to I‑Ready lessons drove thousands of student lessons after winter break, and school leaders described an MTSS approach to behavior with a focus on executive function skills and early identification.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Piper Sandler outlines bond picture as Bolivar R‑I board adopts amended budget and 2025‑26 calendar

Bolivar R‑I holds public forum on school protection officer program; district to weigh training, costs and safeguards

Bolivar Intermediate highlights I‑Ready incentive push and behavior work; principal reports gains in student engagement