Grain Valley board selects MSBA for superintendent search, approves communications director role and other measures; discusses phone rules and building access

The Grain Valley R‑V School Board approved a contract with the Missouri School Boards' Association to run the district's superintendent search, authorized a director-level communications position, approved district cell-phone stipends and adopted a legislative platform statement supporting criminal-background checks for school-board candidates, while discussing key-card access and state-mandated student device rules.

The board voted to hire MSBA after interviews with three firms. The vote was recorded by roll call: Mister Scully — abstain; Mister English — yes; Miss Schwartz — yes; Doctor Taylor — yes; Mister Williams — abstain; Mister Pollard — yes. The motion passed.

The board also approved, by voice vote, a plan to pay stipends for personal cell phones used for district business. Doctor Gooch, speaking for administration, said "the expectation from the district would be to have, a lock feature on their phones," and indicated staff will discuss adding acceptable-use language and whether a written acknowledgement or separate agreement is needed. Administration noted a potential optional VPN would cost about "an additional $15 approximately per person per month." The board approved the stipends as presented with no recorded opposition on the voice vote.

The board adopted a legislative platform statement backing state legislation that would require candidates for school board to submit to a criminal-background check "for the limited purpose of verifying that the candidate is eligible to run for school board." Trustees and administrators discussed conflicts between current board policy, MSBA guidance and state…