This article originally appeared in the Columbia Missourian. To view the original article, click here.
Columbia Public Schools begins the new school year next week with nearly 19,000 students, a full contingent of teachers and a few policy changes to process.
On Monday, sixth and ninth graders will attend Jump Start Day, an opportunity for them to learn their schedules and meet their teachers. Tuesday will be the first day of school for all of the remaining students.
For the 2024-25 school year, the district is introducing a new visitor management system in all school buildings, weapons detection systems in the high schools and stricter procedures for cellphone use by middle and high school students.
The visitor management system, called Raptor, will replace paper sign-in sheets and allow for better tracking of visitors, district spokesperson Michelle Baumstark said.
Used by school districts across the country, Raptor will be implemented in all school buildings to help ensure the security of students and staff.
Visitors will be required to present a state-issued ID to use the Raptor system. The system will then check the sex offender registry, as well as any custody or campus entry limitations, before issuing a visitor’s badge.
A new weapons detection system has been installed at Battle, Hickman and Rock Bridge high schools. The touchless system is designed to add a layer of protection to high school students and staff.
The expectation is that students and visitors will enter the building through the designated entrance where the detection system is installed, according to a news release. Building safety and security aids will be placed at the entrances for students and visitors.
Although the district has an established cellphone policy, new procedures will be enforced in the middle and high schools. Middle school students must have their phones completely out of sight during the day, and phones cannot be used during class time by high school students.
Restrictions apply to middle school students in hallways, during lunch or any other time. Enforcement will start with a warning for the first offense, followed by confiscation and parent intervention for repeat offenders.
District teachers and staff gathered for a convocation Friday at Mizzou Arena to launch the school year. This year’s theme was “stronger connections, greater achievements.”
“(Boone County) is a great place to live, to raise a family, to retire, to work, and that all starts with educational opportunities,” said Boone County Commissioner Kip Kendrick, who was invited to participate.
“It all starts with the foundation of Columbia Public Schools. You are what makes the community grow,” he added.
Columbia School Board President Suzette Waters thanked everyone for all their efforts and highlighted the need for Columbia to commit to public education, especially in the coming months.
The Missouri General Assembly passed a law this session that will allow charter schools to expand into Boone County. Districts in the county opposed passage of the law, citing funding issues, possible instability and lack of accountability.
“There are forces out there, across our state and in our backyard, that would like to see education privatized, rather than the whole public infrastructure that it is,” Waters said. “We on the board reject this plan and we are committed to that fight.
“Public education is the most important investment we can make in our citizenry. It is what we owe to every child,” she added.
Covering 303 square miles, Columbia’s 39 schools and three support facilities make up the fourth-largest school district in the state.
