Mexico 59 Board of Education Update

This monthly update will be sent prior to noon the day after the board meeting. The board recording updates on the district YouTube channel immediately following the meeting each month.

Link to board agenda.

1. We will be student centered.
2. We will presume positive intentions and model the expectations we have for others.
3. We will keep board business to: board policies, the governance (strategic) plan, legal requirements, and the evaluation of the superintendent.
4. We will be prepared and present for meetings.
5. With items presented on the agenda, we will ask clarifying questions or request additional information at least 24 hours before a meeting. If more information is needed, questions may be asked during the meeting.
6. All agree to adhere to the chain of command and will direct others to follow the chain of command.

Jessica Ekern, Scott Nichols, Michelle Stephens, Chris Williams, Lennette Brown, Jon Calhoun

Absent: Mathew Pilger

School Personnel: Dr. Troy Lentz, Shelby Gaug, Dawn Malone, Marci Orr, Christina McCaw, Scott Daly, Anne Billington, Robin Friedrich, Katie Lenhen, Mark Holman, Brad Ellebracht, Melissa Deimeke, Dawn Malone, Phoebe Pettit, Kyle Louder.

Gallery: None

President Jessica Ekern offered a welcome back for the school year. Member Jon Calhoun commented on the positive appearance of the Eugene Field playground. Member Lennette Brown thanked McMillan staff members for their care toward new kindergarten students.

Each employee receives a visit from Central Office staff, a certificate, Bulldog swag, and a $100 CD Show Me Credit Union.

• Certified Staff: Carey Knipfel, Elementary Instructional Coach
  Her nominating colleague shared, "Carey is full of knowledge and so helpful for teachers! She is the perfect person for this role."
• Support Staff: Twila Overton, Playground Aide at Eugene Field
  Her nominating colleague shared, "Ms.Twila works hard as the playground aide, and she works just as hard throughout the school!"

• Board minutes from regular session 8/18/2026
• Bills Paid
• Treasurer's Report
• Approval of the Teen Outreach Program Services Grant Agreement for 2025-27
• Renewal of the Red Cross Agreement. In 2017, the district formed a partnership with the American Red Cross, allowing authorized district personnel, primarily nursing staff, to offer courses and certify staff members. Renewing this agreement will enable the district to continue providing training and certification on-site, while also receiving compensation for each participant trained.
• Approval of the District Professional Development Plan. The District Professional Development Committee, led by MMS teacher Phoebe Pettit, updated the District Professional Development Plan and revised the districtwide goals to better align with our CSIP and identified staff and student needs. (See more in the Asst Supt report below.)

Highlights are below; view the Full Report.

Community Engagement (03:40).Our home sports contests have provided opportunities to meet with parents and community members. On September 12, I spoke to a 60th class reunion about our district and reasons they should still be proud to be Bulldogs. On September 29, from 6:00 to 7:30 PM at Emmons Hall, the district will co-host a Future of Rural Schools town hall with North Callaway. The event will present information on financial issues that are impacting all schools. This fall, the district will host a community event to discuss financial issues specific to Mexico.

Finances (04:28). Elevator work at the high school will begin October 6. The final inspection will be October 21. We have not received any reports on additional testing for the issues at the southeast corner of the tennis court.

Progress continues at the high school. A stormwater drain was discovered during construction. Rerouting the stormwater will likely require a charge against the allowance in the contract. Thus far, no unexpected issues have resulted in charges against the allowance.

The upper control arm mount on a 1997 district maintenance truck recently broke away from the frame. The failure was not a result of an accident or any misuse. Repairing the vehicle is not an option. We are using the 1999 maintenance truck again. The intention was to retire this vehicle due to the extreme rust issues in the bed and floor board.

Finance (06:00).Our August formula payment was based on a SAT of $6,749 (we finished FY 26 with an SAT of $6,958). While the formula payment was down, the classroom trust fund payment was nearly $30,000 more than last August. For the fiscal year, we are $24,429 under state revenues to date compared to FY 26.

Preliminary Enrollment Data. The district released enrollment data at the beginning of the school year, expecting fluctuations. See the chart below for current data.

Onboarding New Teachers (16:25). The new District Comprehensive Literacy Plan is complete and ready to be shared districtwide. The plan provides a cohesive PreK–12 approach to literacy instruction and reflects current research and best practices in the science of reading. It incorporates the district’s core literacy resources, intervention practices, assessment systems, professional learning, family engagement, and processes for continuous improvement. The plan will serve as a living document and shared framework to guide our literacy work throughout the year, with ongoing review and updates as our practices, resources, and student needs evolve. It also directly supports our CSIP goals for improved student achievement and standards-aligned curriculum.

Grades 1-8 Math Intervention: Tier 2 & 3 Supports (18:02). Over the summer, four teachers piloted Math Catalyst during summer school. Math Catalyst is a supplemental intervention program aligned with Eureka Math Squared and designed to support students needing Tier 2 and Tier 3 math intervention. Based on the pilot, we are expanding its use during the 2026–2027 school year. All elementary special education teachers participated in Math Catalyst training at the beginning of the year and will use the program during resource math to provide targeted Tier 3 intervention focused on specific foundational math skills. Our after-school tutors will also receive training and use Math Catalyst to provide targeted Tier 2 intervention.

District Professional Development (18:40). The District Professional Development Committee, led by MMS teacher Phoebe Pettit, updated the District Professional Development Plan and revised the districtwide goals to better align with our CSIP and identified staff and student needs.

• Goal 1 – Student Well-Being & School Community Strengthen student well-being through consistent social-emotional and trauma-informed practices that promote positive relationships, self-regulation, restorative practices, and belonging.
• Goal 2 – Instructional Engagement & Academic Achievement Strengthen evidence-based practices in literacy, mathematics, and standards-based instruction to increase student achievement and engagement.
• Goal 3 – Student Readiness & Future Success Increase readiness for education, careers, and life beyond school through improved attendance, work-based learning, employability skills, and industry-recognized credentials.

After School Tutoring (20:37). The District will again provide after-school tutoring this year, running September 29 through March 18. Across HAW, EF, and MMS, we’ll have approximately 27 tutoring groups. Elementary tutoring will provide targeted Tier 2 reading and math intervention for approximately 120 students, while about 40 middle school students will receive homework support and targeted skill reinforcement.

The building reports have been updated and revamped for this year, based on feedback at the June board retreat and consultation with the building-level leaders. The new format is reflected in the board reports this month.

• MELC
• EF
• HAW
• MMS
• MHS
• MEC
• HCC

Approval of 2026B MSBA Policies. Fourteen MSBA policies and procedures were approved by the board on the following topics:

• Superintendent Development & Evaluation
• Administrator Evaluation
• Support Staff Development & Evaluation
• Professional Staff Development & Evaluation
• Building & Ground Security

Approval of Certified and Professional Staff Leave Policy. One line was added to communicate that staff members must use their PTO before taking time off without pay.

Approval of September 2026 Personnel

New hires include:

• Misty Frank, Para
• Amber Steelman, Para
• James Pierce, Bus Driver
• Kristen Hodge, Para
• Emma Asher, Papa

Internal Transfers:

• Robert Minney to Custodian
• Adam Cross to Substitute Custodian

Other information included on the linked report includes additional duties, extra duties, and substitutes.

The best efforts are made to send this update prior to noon the day after the board meeting. These highlights are intended to offer information as a courtesy to stakeholders. This newsletter is not intended to replace board-approved minutes from the meeting. If there is something not mentioned for which you need more information, please email communications@mexico.k12.mo.us to be directed to the correct personnel. All board updates are posted to the district website.