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 statute and said the legislature would need to resolve policy gaps.

Administrators asked the board to authorize one full-time equivalent director of communications (a director-level public information officer). The board approved adding the FTE. Doctor Welly described the role as a director-level public information officer who would "coordinate the website, any district publications, coordinate social media strategy, coordinate the electric parent notification system, collect and analyze data to advise leadership" and said the posted starting base salary is $87,210. He said the posting had received nearly 40 applicants.

Trustees also spent substantial time discussing building access and key cards. Administration and MSBA counsel suggested nonpolicy solutions could address short-term needs (for example, authorizing the superintendent to grant limited access), while some trustees said either all board members should have access or none should. Administration said the district purged and rebuilt access lists during a summer software upgrade and noted that board-issued photo IDs are distinct from employee IDs and do not confer employee privileges.

On curriculum, Doctor Gump reported the summer curriculum review committee examined five courses and recommended four for board consideration. "We looked over 5 courses. And we do have 4 courses for you tonight to consider for approval," she said. The administration said the four recommended courses will be brought back on the consent agenda at the next board meeting; the fifth course will return when it is ready. Trustees discussed committee recruitment and quorum: the committee originally had 11 interested members but three attended the summer meeting. Doctor Gump and board members discussed modifying recruitment timing and using parent feedback in promotional materials.

The board reviewed multiple policy updates from the Missouri School Boards' Association and state law changes: updates referenced House Bill 199 (board-member qualifications), Senate Bill 63 (access for homeschool/family-paced students to activities) and Senate Bill 39 (athletics eligibility tied to birth-certificate sex; policy includes the law and its current sunset provision). Administration said the new resident-participant policy (allowing district activities for resident students not enrolled in district schools, principally homeschool and virtual students) takes effect Aug. 28, 2025. Trustees discussed application to activities, academic and age/attendance-area eligibility, transportation limits and insurance; administration said many eligibility and liability requirements mirror those for enrolled students and that some details (for example, transportation to practices or games) would likely be clarified administratively.

The board reviewed a new state-required policy banning student use of personal communication devices during the school day. Administration said the law applies bell-to-bell at the high school (including passing periods and lunch) and will be in effect through a statutory sunset; an administrator noted the district has shared the policy with families and updated handbooks. Doctor Allen said he had led a staff book study and that "I had 70 teachers participate in the Anxious Generation book study," reporting teacher concerns about student distraction and social effects of devices.

Votes at a glance - Superintendent search firm: Approve MSBA and contract to conduct superintendent search — Roll call: English, Schwartz, Taylor, Pollard — yes; Scully, Williams — abstain; motion passed. - Cell-phone stipends: Approve stipends as presented — approved by voice vote; no opposition recorded. - Legislative platform: Adopt statement supporting criminal-background checks for school-board candidates — approved by voice vote. - Director of communications: Add 1.0 FTE director-level communications position — approved by voice vote; posted starting salary $87,210; nearly 40 applicants reported. - Curriculum courses: Four courses recommended by the summer curriculum committee to be placed on the consent agenda for the next board meeting; fifth course to return when ready.

What trustees directed and next steps Administration said it will: (1) return the four curriculum courses for consent approval at the next meeting; (2) include language about device locking and acceptable-use measures in the staff acknowledgement for cell-phone stipends and consider a written acknowledgement; (3) bring proposed motion language or a nonpolicy administrative approach if the board chooses to authorize limited key-card access; and (4) implement policy updates required by state law and MSBA guidance and communicate handbook changes and enforcement expectations ahead of the school year.

The meeting ended with recognition of communications staff member Hannah Shackles on her last day; trustees thanked her for two years of service.