Stories by Anna Campbell

Blair Oaks announces new superintendent The Blair Oaks School District has announced that current Capital City High School Principal Ben Meldrum will serve as Blair Oaks’ next superintendent.Meldrum will begin as superintendent in Jul... December 5, 2022

Agency seeks to help adults enroll in college A local agency is targeting Mid-Missouri with a federal grant that provides free college support services for qualifying adults.TRIO Education Opportunity Center provides information and help for adul... December 4, 2022

Blair Oaks students send cookies off to sailors Blair Oaks students, teachers and community members came together Thursday to send cookies to sailors aboard the USS Michael Murphy. The yearly "Cookies for Murph" drive asked community members to don... December 3, 2022

Discerning TJMS students, Living Windows regulars appreciative of baker’s made-from-scratch cookies The students at Thomas Jefferson Middle School are pretty discerning when it comes to their lunch. As they examine the dessert table, they know which cookies came from the freezer and which were made ... December 2, 2022

Nichols Career Center to receive $400,000 for greenhouse, building trades space Nichols Career Center is set to receive up to $400,000 from the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, which it plans to put toward the cost of a building trades building and a gre... December 1, 2022

Russellville students place wreaths to honor veterans Russellville High School students honored the sacrifices of veterans Tuesday as they laid wreaths at their graves.The 39 students representing FFA leadership, National Honor Society and the World War ... November 30, 2022

School board candidate filing opens next week Four local public school districts have set their candidate filing schedules to begin in December.Those wishing to run for school board must be U.S. citizens, resident taxpayers of their district, res... November 30, 2022

Area schools have procedures in place for potential school violence In an age where schools have become the targets of threats and violence, Jefferson City-area schools have several measures in place in order to keep students safe.Just last month, a gunman opened fire... November 27, 2022

2022 brings some lawsuit resolution for JC Schools, some continued litigation The Jefferson City School District has recently resolved a few lawsuits, but other cases are ongoing.Legal expenses, such as payments to attorneys providing legal guidance, are paid out of the general... November 27, 2022

Blair Oaks High School accepting cookie donations for sailors Blair Oaks High School is asking community members to chip in to send cookies to crew members of the USS Michael Murphy on Thursday. The ship is named for Michael Murphy, a Medal of Honor recipient wh... November 26, 2022

Heisinger Bluffs prepares for Christmas season Residents and staff at Heisinger Bluffs jumped right into Christmas on Friday, decorating the independent living dining room tree together as they listened to Christmas tunes. Staff strung white Chris... November 26, 2022

“Calls of the Wild” come to Blair Oaks Elementary gym <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/jyO8Qj_IAsw" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerom... November 23, 2022

Local churches send thousands of boxes off for Operation Christmas Child Volunteers loaded almost 8,000 shoeboxes full of goodies onto trailers bound for children across the world Monday at Concord Baptist Church in Jefferson City.The boxes are part of a global effort know... November 22, 2022

JCAC students give back on day of service Jefferson City Academic Center students were out and about Thursday trying out different ways to give back to their community. JCAC has service days three times a year, and school activities go on hol... November 18, 2022

Blair Oaks High School landscaping class beautifying campus building You can't get much more local than the Blair Oaks School District's new landscaping crew.In fact, their walk to the job site Monday was only a few hundred feet.The group stood outside Blair Oa... November 15, 2022

Local man turns to substitute teaching after decades in law enforcement, military There are all sorts of paths to becoming a teacher, but Eddie Brown might have taken the most unusual one.Brown, a retiree with nearly 20 years of experience in law enforcement and 30 years in the mil... November 13, 2022

JC School Board moving forward with plan for bond issue The Jefferson City School District Board of Education voted to move forward with a proposal for an April bond issue and approved next year's calendar Thursday.During the reports portion of its reg... November 11, 2022

Local school assemblies honor veterans Jefferson City area students celebrated veterans in song and ceremony Thursday as schools held assemblies to honor former and current members of the armed forces.The gym at Blair Oaks High School was ... November 11, 2022

Calvary Lutheran seniors learn strategies for coping with stress Calvary Lutheran High School seniors on Wednesday learned about how to recognize signs of depression, anxiety and suicide, as well as healthy ways to cope with the stress of post-high-school life.CHAD... November 10, 2022

Falcon Lane expansion among Blair Oaks agenda items Several groups sought an eventual financial commitment from the Blair Oaks School Board on Tuesday.The board heard a presentation on the potential expansion of Falcon Lane, which houses Blair Oaks sch... November 9, 2022

JC School Board to hear about possible bond issue The Jefferson City School Board will hear updates on a possible bond issue and will review next year's student calendar Thursday during its regular November meeting.Superintendent Bryan McGraw is ... November 9, 2022

JC Schools students donate Halloween candy for veterans JC Schools teachers and students received around 2,000 pounds of candy Monday from all of the district's elementary schools as part of the district's third annual Halloween Candy Give Back.Stu... November 8, 2022

Blair Oaks board to discuss Falcon Lane expansion The Blair Oaks Board of Education will meet to hear presentations on its beverage contract, the expansion of Falcon Lane, and the future goals for baseball and softball facilities Tuesday.The board wi... November 6, 2022

Crews continue construction at athletic facilities Construction continues to progress on Capital City and Jefferson City high schools' athletic facilities, and while some facilities may not be done until early next year, other projects could wrap up a... November 5, 2022

Blair Oaks STEAM Night offers chance to explore the ocean Blair Oaks Elementary School gave students a chance to experience the ocean through Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math at its annual STEAM Night.Kadi Hood, a parent and teacher who works w... November 4, 2022

McDonald’s honors two local educators for dedication McDonald's restaurants honored two Jefferson City educators this week in the third annual Local McDonald's Outstanding Educator Awards. The awards are for teachers who "exhibit the ultimate dedication... November 4, 2022

Helias Catholic on track to finish construction soon Helias Catholic High School is still on schedule to complete updates to one of its entrances and the fieldhouse in late fall, according to information provided by the school.The Crucifix Entrance, so ... November 2, 2022

Morgan County R-1 awarded funds for ‘clean’ school bus STOVER -- The Morgan County R-1 School District will receive a grant from the federal government to purchase a "clean school bus." Morgan County R-1 joins 25 other Missouri school districts that earne... October 29, 2022

West School students celebrate Halloween early Nineteen cars and a tent lined the pavement outside West Elementary School on Friday, as around 300 students trickled out the doors to join the line for the Trunk-or-Treat. While Trunk-or-Treat events... October 29, 2022

Pro-life speaker offers message to Helias students Helias Catholic High School students and around 30-40 parents heard from pro-life speaker Abby Johnson on Thursday. Johnson is the author of "Unplanned," a book that chronicles her experience as a Pla... October 28, 2022

Educators, community chime in on teacher recruitment, retention Dozens of educators, along with a handful of parents and community members, gathered Tuesday night in Jefferson City to hear about the State Board of Education's latest plans to address the "... October 27, 2022

Blair Oaks Middle School counseling program receives award The Missouri School Counselor Association has recognized Blair Oaks Middle School's counseling program for excellence in school counseling.Blair Oaks Middle School in Wardsville is one of only 12 ... October 27, 2022

Cole County R-1 looks to build new classrooms through ballot measure RUSSELLVILLE, Mo. -- The Cole County R-1 School District is planning to build new classrooms and a new elementary school playground, among other things, if voters approve a Nov. 8 referendum.Nicknamed... October 26, 2022

Cole County students earn state honors for 4-H shooting sports Cole County 4-H had a strong showing in the State Shooting Sports end-of-year awards ceremony Oct. 15, with 23 members earning honors for their performance at state shooting competitions, according to... October 25, 2022

Town hall to tackle teacher recruitment Jefferson City area residents can learn more about recently presented recommendations to address teacher recruitment and retention issues tonight.The Missouri Teacher Recruitment and Retention Blue Ri... October 25, 2022

JC Schools taking steps toward first STEM school The Jefferson City School District is poised to turn Thorpe Gordon Elementary School into the district's first STEM elementary school, district leadership said.Superintendent Bryan McGraw mentione... October 23, 2022

JC Schools to take advantage of restored Career Ladder funding The Jefferson City School District is hoping to recruit and retain teachers, increase student achievement, and encourage growth in its teachers by participating in a statewide program that provides su... October 23, 2022

JC Schools Board gives go-ahead on plan for STEM school The Jefferson City School District Board of Education approved a plan to move forward with making Thorpe Gordon Elementary School the district's first elementary STEM school Thursday at its regula... October 21, 2022

Helias service fair creates community, school partnership Helias Catholic High School is putting an emphasis on forging connections between the community and its students this year.To that end, Helias hosted a service fair Wednesday with 21 local organizatio... October 20, 2022

Students get positive message through music Immaculate Conception Catholic School students were waving their hands, pumping their fists and dancing to the beat Wednesday as they heard an encouraging musical message about their worth and purpose... October 20, 2022

Mock car crash Friday to teach students about safe driving The Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety will conduct a mock car crash scene in Jefferson City at Capital City High School on Friday as part of the Buckle Up Phone Down initiative.The mock crash is i... October 20, 2022

Morgan County campaign finance reports show lull in activity Many of the unopposed incumbent candidates running for Morgan County offices do not have campaign committees listed on the Missouri Ethics Commission website, and those that do have committees have se... October 20, 2022

Students try out construction jobs at Build My Future event Central Missouri students with an interest in building, welding, excavating and other technical careers flocked to Jaycees Fairgrounds on Tuesday for "Build My Future," a career day and indu... October 19, 2022

Blair Oaks service club clears out invasive plants The group of Blair Oaks fifth-graders leaned over together, grasped the stubborn invasive bush honeysuckle near the roots and pulled. With a solid tug and a simultaneous grunt, they dragged it up, roo... October 18, 2022

Local history teacher wants to impart compassion he received as student <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MjletMPuu1o" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerom... October 17, 2022

Morgan County ballot full of unopposed candidates There are no contested local races in Morgan County for the Nov. 8 general election.Kenny Haden, a Republican, is on the ballot for circuit judge for Circuit 26, Division 2. Circuit judges serve six y... October 16, 2022

Blair Oaks celebrates fall at Fischer Farms Blair Oaks fifth-graders took a field trip to a local pumpkin patch Friday, where they picked pumpkins, climbed on hay bales, slid down slides and wandered the corn maze.In the past, the fifth-graders... October 15, 2022

JC Schools Foundation recognizes educators, community support at gala The JC Schools Foundation, educators, donors and community members gathered Thursday night to celebrate the "building blocks of success" at their yearly JC Schools Foundation Gala.The event,... October 14, 2022

Blair Oaks searching for superintendent to start 2023-24 school year The search for a superintendent for next school year is under way at the Blair Oaks School District.The board has said it is seeking a permanent superintendent for the 2023-24 school year.After longti... October 13, 2022

Blair Oaks School Board approves curriculum, policies The Blair Oaks Board of Education approved policy updates, heard reports on buildings and events, and considered curriculum at its October meeting Tuesday night.The board considered a significant numb... October 12, 2022