School starts with a boost in teaching staff

Sporting a staff of 45 more teachers than last year, thanks to voter approval of April’s levy, Independence schools began the 2015-16 school year Wednesday.

The Fort Osage schools have their first day on Tuesday, while the Blue Springs, Grain Valley and Lee’s Summit districts all begin next Wednesday.

With several years of increasingly large enrollment in the youngest grades, the Independence School District asked for and received a 24-cent levy increase (the first since 2003) projected to generate $2 million in annual revenue, nearly 3/4 of which is going toward the additional staff. Of the additional staff, 33 are at the elementary level.

“The levy is certainly the big thing,” ISD spokesperson Jana Corrie said about the new school year. “We are so thankful to Independence voters for allowing us to hire 45 new teachers and reduce class sizes.”

The district has three new principals – Joe Armin at Little Blue Elementary, Robert McCutcheon at Randall Elementary and Randy Maglinger at Van Horn High School. Former Little Blue principal Jeff Williams took the same post at Bridger Middle School. Former principals Janet Richards (Bridger) and Patrick Layden (Van Horn) moved to the central office.

Fort Osage has a new superintendent, as former high school principal Jason Snodgrass was elevated to the top position. In his place, former assistant principal Scott Moore was promoted. Other new principals are Robbie Shepherd at Osage Trail Middle School and Suzanne Boyer-Baker at Fire Prairie Upper Elementary.

Also, Indian Trails Elementary joined Cler-Mont Elementary as a Leader in Me school (a program sponsored by Franklin Covey Education), and Fort Osage will be a 1-to-1 computing district (one computer for each student) in grades 7-12, adding the upper three grades from last year.

“We’re very excited about that,” district spokesperson Stephanie Smith said.

Blue Springs high school students will have Microsoft Office 365 on their tablets, district spokesperson Katie Woolf said.

“It’s interactive, so their teachers, through that program, will be able to provide feedback,” Woolf said.

The Blue Springs district has no new principals this school year.