[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-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",[32,75,87],{"_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":56,"_74":56},"mediaId",6190984,"mediaKeyId","5036598-870309b84a5127939ea96e58668b0c64","parentId",5036598,"title","Board debates third‑party library review; trustees approve policy updates including regulation 63‑10","audioSeconds",922,"startMs",2145000,"endMs",3067000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5036598-870309b84a5127939ea96e58668b0c64&start=2145&end=3067","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5036598-870309b84a5127939ea96e58668b0c64/thumbnail_2145000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6190984/Missouri/Board-debates-thirdparty-library-review-trustees-approve-policy-updates-including-regulation-6310","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6190984-d9f3bd01e5ff94f864671f1dbd3f87da/orig.mp4?Expires=1770870216&Signature=HF-r3mwpPcd3NDe7NnMfQSckVdtzVroD5nCm277GSRs2ylxwsQsGxOdc0TcoHv83VdaHxu5bM24mhv8KaBFPJt6X6ahDJSX29H1ARSnS99Pc877HVQ6wV2nh3Icqo6exNge9mi1FEZWhqk8PhCxUwF-0QNtPa0uIKF6GLjdAW7vCKnn9-ZxyB1nkK8u5b3YbQ9qtL6nF8jEXz~PjS6PKeIA0WcasJ-d-W90hX0Hz~lrT07wK8Z1gfR1C5lyVr0E76eeUFJLL0BeCCyHWlLejpBa~cc8zFJ8aOpFjMC3Kw9iTMWxl1o2slSX5MpuoUZeO2rFNQmfCxOrCPB8pXcoByQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-06-20T13:26:54Z","article","Board members held a 15‑minute discussion June 19 about whether to hire a third‑party reviewer to scan library collections for age‑appropriateness and about existing materials‑challenge procedures.

Director Bushgard introduced the idea, saying she had contacted a consultant who uses an algorithmic process to flag potentially age‑inappropriate titles for board review and that the service could be contracted on an ad‑hoc monthly basis. \"It would be something that we would maybe hire for a month, see if anything is being reported that we agree with, and then move on from there,\" Bushgard said.

A board member and several parents raised concerns about potential bias in a candidate consultant — one speaker said the consultant was affiliated with Hillsdale College and read a company summary that described avoiding certain school library journals for perceived ideological bias. A parent and classroom teacher told the board they rely on third‑party resources such as Common Sense Media to preview titles and that the existing challenge policy provides a formal mechanism if a parent objects. A library‑media specialist provided input to the board that certain award lists (for example, annual Newbery or other curated lists) are purchased routinely and should not be delayed by an approval process; staff recommended clarifying policy 63‑10 to reflect that practice.

The board voted to approve a group of policies and regulations as presented, including the items listed in the agenda (policy/regulation numbers stated on the record as 14‑32, 2340, 6310 and regulation 63‑10). Vice President Griders moved the motion; Director Ponder seconded; the motion passed on voice vote. Trustees also set a time limit for the library‑review discussion and asked staff to return with options, including the current materials‑challenge procedure and any recommended policy language changes for a future reading.

Why this matters: community members expressed differing views about parental authority, transparency and the appropriate role for outside reviewers in determining age‑appropriate materials. Board and staff emphasized existing procedures for parents to challenge materials and asked that any changes be developed with input from building library staff and stakeholders.

No immediate contract was authorized; the board asked staff to refine policy language and present recommended next steps at a future meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","FHSD Board of Education Meeting-June 19, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Board members and community speakers debated whether to hire a third‑party consultant to screen library books using an algorithmic review; trustees approved a set of policy and regulation updates (including regulation 63‑10) after discussion about review processes and parental options for challenges.","taxTitle","Francis Howell R-III, School Districts, Missouri","taxId",13570,"location","Missouri","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6190989,"Francis Howell North: monitors, smoke tests and rooftop vent redesign planned to stop sewer‑gas odors",593,3228000,3821000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5036598-870309b84a5127939ea96e58668b0c64&start=3228&end=3821","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5036598-870309b84a5127939ea96e58668b0c64/thumbnail_3228000.jpg","/articles/6190989/Missouri/Francis-Howell-North-monitors-smoke-tests-and-rooftop-vent-redesign-planned-to-stop-sewergas-odors","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6190989-e9df40813518e126aed604f72d368918/orig.mp4?Expires=1770870216&Signature=eLaKm11VGzcwbtFqphMJolvStZye7MYa2JCdfSPgM5Am8mityXTwStOz5Dhv6hJaycsh8qTl7Mo4N1ssmV8kCYiw4Du2zvPOkaQnQnDFQ-O2exVN0q4jqmDwP~~p1Wq1VzFqZ1XpxHW2rHIJ6u~1CcPTtQSrDA8og-c6bvrcSidiZLOXzcndTWURdsTVna6BLd17a5xsr31hSsDnUcx0RICplecdcLXYmHbVbQ72WKBbGRsfkJAXFMtm74o1k2PDrAMW5RiC8i1YFXNcjWrjclMILImYA~bLvbcazawMvQ65GQBbxCUWPN2uE7z62MkDQZwZcR8OvYLxDN7QRlqFLA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Contractors and district staff reported steps this month to find and fix sources of a persistent noxious odor at Francis Howell North, including installation of continuous air monitors, smoke testing to locate plumbing breaks, and a planned rooftop vent redesign to keep sewer gas from being drawn back into air handlers.

Kevin Roberts, the consultant responsible for air monitoring, told the board the district has installed 10 telemetry monitors that take readings every second and reported “no detections of hydrogen sulfide” and no readings above lower‑explosive‑limit thresholds; brief elevated volatile organic compound readings were attributed to floor‑stripping and waxing activities and to propane‑powered machines, Roberts said. \"Oxygen has remained constant at 20.9 percent,\" he reported.

Construction and engineering contractors described a targeted campaign of pipe inspections and repairs after a focused smoke test of the plumbing system. Matt Frank (construction consultant) said intensive smoke testing uncovered several masonry‑era plumbing breaks — including a cracked vent pipe in the 2400 corridor and a cracking behind a coach’s shower room — that have been repaired or are scheduled for repair. He said the testing included a high volume of smoke (hundreds of smoke pellets) and camera inspections behind masonry walls to locate hard‑to‑find openings.

Frank and the engineering team said their primary remedy this summer is to relocate and extend roof plumbing vents away from rooftop HVAC intakes and to raise vent terminations approximately 10–15 feet above the roofline so prevailing winds carry odors away from air‑handler intakes. McClure Engineering is preparing final drawings; Haberberger Plumbing is scheduled to install the revised vent routing and the work is planned to be completed before students and staff return for the fall term. The team also installed manometers on several vents to log pressure differentials and will retest the building after repairs.

Board members asked about biological sampling (mold, fungal spores) and were told staff will perform biological tests if odors are present at the time of a complaint; no biological sampling has yet been completed because attempts to capture samples coincided with dissipated complaints. The contractors said they will repeat smoke testing after repairs and continue continuous monitoring; they described the discovered plumbing openings as “minor contributors” but said relocating rooftop vents should address the primary pathway by which sewer gas was getting into the HVAC system.

Why this matters: district administrators said finding and fixing plumbing breaks, preventing rooftop vent exhaust from being entrained into rooftop air handlers, and continued monitoring will reduce the risk that building occupants encounter noxious sewer‑gas odors when school resumes.

No formal board vote was required for the repairs; the board received the update and contractors reported a timeline and follow‑up testing and monitoring plan.","Contractors and district staff reported progress identifying plumbing breaks and installing air monitors at Francis Howell North and said they will relocate rooftop plumbing vents and complete repairs before school starts to prevent sewer‑gas odor from re‑entering the building.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6190997,"Board adopts FY26 budget as administrators warn Senate Bill 3 could cut district revenue",611,936000,1547000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5036598-870309b84a5127939ea96e58668b0c64&start=936&end=1547","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5036598-870309b84a5127939ea96e58668b0c64/thumbnail_936000.jpg","/articles/6190997/Missouri/Board-adopts-FY26-budget-as-administrators-warn-Senate-Bill-3-could-cut-district-revenue","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6190997-096707f7f39dd89312ed6eb2c8c35743/orig.mp4?Expires=1770870216&Signature=HhUF0PkJSZ4nKytdunSG1qNVHCQT~lQQxH9~3JUL0GDrikNH6b8AI8gl76SAULGQzwtczn0yQ5zYHJ-cRJrVvDnvtaSaCIGdwASn179CnLsrHO489c97~AwZ8syGUXadCCJmNNF00PUokGARf9LNGRa8zcS4YHSftuizXyOhuVwgP1Qzy3uSDjVUlQ0O3~0UQeTUHJprJ6NFNKvyVX3pUp5O0YbnmL7TpWqd-VycAThzA5Jl~JH~lfAsJLbwibsa-RPP-Uh1xFBB6mUJdi8DKjpopWRPm2qE-nOAgQlfLH~7eY7kepyhTcjdnNyJzOXcWSBArD1xoK2uHWaTAasVBg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Francis Howell R-III School Board on June 19 approved a balanced fiscal year 2026 operating budget and related transfers after the district’s finance chief told trustees a recent state law could sharply constrain future property-tax revenue.

Chief Financial and Operations Officer Carol Embry said the recommended FY26 operating budget targets an operating fund balance of roughly 27.3 percent at June 30 and assumes a state “equity target” increase of $3,200,000 in the coming year (Emby noted that figure could be as high as $6,400,000 if fully funded). Embry told the board that total governmental fund revenues in the budget are roughly $292.2 million against expenditures of about $333.6 million, a gap explained in part by continued spending down of prior bond proceeds.

Embry told the board that the Missouri legislature on June 14 signed Senate Bill 3, a property-tax relief measure that effectively freezes the assessed value growth for many residential parcels at September 2024 levels unless voters in a county opt to reject the freeze on a local ballot. \"Because residential real estate represents nearly 76 percent of our tax base, if those revenues do not continue to grow to meet debt-service demands, that burden will be placed on other properties,\" Embry said. She said DESE (Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education) notified the district on June 18 that current‑year formula funding left the district about $173,000 short of a fully funded formula for this year.

Board members asked how to prepare if the county places the measure on the ballot; Embree (sic) responded that administrators will develop lists of potential savings and that most revenue shortfalls are ultimately borne by personnel costs. Director Pushkar asked whether the district should accelerate curriculum purchases (for example, math materials) to use current funds before revenues tighten; Embry said the administration will develop options for board consideration.

The board voted to approve the consent and finance motions as presented. Director Pushkar moved and Director Ponder seconded the motion to approve the FY26 operating budget recommendation and associated transfers; the motion carried on a voice vote. Trustees also approved a debt-service budget amendment tied to a recent defeasance and authorized transfers from the general fund to the capital fund (the guaranteed-tax base transfer was described as currently estimated up to $7,000,000).

Embry flagged several other fiscal items for the board: an ongoing transfer into the district health/self‑insurance fund (previously discussed at $6,000,000 and under continued monitoring), roughly $35–45 million in construction work scheduled this summer, redistributing about 4,000 technology devices, and pending the annual financial audit engagement with final acceptance expected in November or December to meet DESE deadlines. She said further budget amendments will be recommended as new information becomes available.

Why this matters: the district’s operating levy is already constrained by the Hancock Amendment and related formulas, Embry said, and the combination of constrained assessed‑value growth on residential property plus ongoing inflationary pressures on insurance, energy, and personnel costs creates a multi‑year revenue challenge that will require board discussion and possible program adjustments.

The board did not take additional formal direction beyond approving the recommended FY26 budget and the listed transfers; Embry and staff said they will return with scenarios and recommendations as DESE updates and county ballot decisions become known.","The Francis Howell R-III School Board approved a balanced FY2026 operating budget and related budget amendments on June 19 while district finance staff warned that newly enacted Senate Bill 3 could sharply reduce future property-tax revenue unless voters opt in at a county ballot measure.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Board debates third‑party library review; trustees approve policy updates including regulation 63‑10

Francis Howell North: monitors, smoke tests and rooftop vent redesign planned to stop sewer‑gas odors

Board adopts FY26 budget as administrators warn Senate Bill 3 could cut district revenue