Lee's Summit R-7 School District

Surprise indeed. I find it somewhat amusing that Dr. McGehee was named top  Superintendent for the State of Missouri given my past eight months of  experience with his R7 administrative staff and the staff and teachers at Lee's Summit North High School. My son was bullied by a "well respected"  teacher at North for about three years until the teacher had a screaming fit  (caught on audio recording) and my son was removed from his class. Again. The first time was for grade manipulation by the teacher a year earlier as a bullying tool. I was not notified of the incident and my subsequent investigation revealed the inability of the staff to appropriately deal with the situation. Once the ugliness of the teacher's behavior was uncovered it was immediately buried under layers of "personnel issues" and as a parent I was dismissed. The teacher and the principal still have their jobs and / or retirement and no one was held accountable other than being told "don...

These are members of our school board.  They vote on salaries for current employees.  Can we honestly say that they don't have a conflict of interest.  When they investigate procedure violations are they really objective?  Isn't it time that someone is on the board that can really make a change in this district and help it live up to the reputation that they have?  How many of you moved here because of their excellent reputation and then realized you made a major mistake?  I can name dozens of families. Ron   Baker President Ron Baker was elected to the Board of Education in April 2009, is currently serving as president and previously served as vice president. He retired in 2001 after working for 36 years in the R-7 School District. During his career, he taught science at the high-school and middle-school levels, Mr. Baker is married to Serece Baker, a retired R-7 science teacher.  Jack   Wiley Vice President Mr. Wiley and his...

SB 657 would not allow the Administrative Hearing Commission (who now conducts the due process hearings) to use contracted support services who were on previously contractors to dese.  The bill also would not allow dese to contract with the administrative hearing commission. This bill is now in this committee: http://www.senate.mo.gov/14info/comm/fina.htm Please contact those committee members to encourage support.

Teacher records autistic boy stuck in chair - WNEM TV 5 GOODRICH, MI (WNEM) - An 11-year old autistic child gets his head stuck in a classroom chair but instead of helping, the teacher recorded it.  Officials say the teacher, Nicole Mcvey, recorded it all on her cell phone as the rest of the class stood by. The incident happened in a fifth grade classroom at Oaktree Elementary in Goodrich last November.  You can hear the teacher ask him if he wants to get tasered and then the principal comes in referring to it not being an emergency. He resigned shortly after. At a meeting Monday night,  parents  rallied behind her at the school board meeting. Patrick Greenfelder was hired by the boy's  family  as the incident has sparked so much controversy in the community. Greenfelder says the teacher is on paid administrative leave while private tenure hearings debating her future take place. Late last year the board voted to fire her. Goodrich Superintendent Sc...

The Turner Report: Lawsuits: Huff, Johnson bullied Joplin Schools support staff, targeted union leaders Lawsuits filed by former Joplin R-8 support staff members provide a picture of Superintendent. C. J. Huff that is totally at odds with the touchy-feely, water fountain tears image he presents to the public. The lawsuits also depict Mike Johnson, director of buildings, grounds, and transportation as creating the same type of atmosphere of fear among the employees as Assistant Superintendent Angie Besendorfer created with teachers and lower level administrators. One such lawsuit, filed by former custodial supervisor George Morris in 2010, was scheduled to finally come to trial next month in Jasper County Circuit Court, and lists the Joplin R-8 School District and Johnson as defendants and claims Morris was fired an an act of "retaliation" in violation of the Missouri Human Rights Act. The district has already settled a lawsuit filed by James Tucker, a 26-year veteran, who ...

The Turner Report: Joplin R-8 Board member arrested for drunk driving The Missouri Highway Patrol arrested Joplin R-8 Board of Education member Philip M. Willcoxon, 47, Joplin, for drunk driving and speeding at 9:50 p.m. Friday night in Newton County. The charge was a misdemeanor. Online court records do not indicate any previous marks on Willcoxon's record. Willcoxon, who serves as CEO of the Ozark Center, has served two three-year terms on the Board of Education, first being elected in April 2008. He did not choose to seek a third 

Blue Springs parents reach landmark settlement after bullied son commits suicide - KSHB.com BLUE SPRINGS, Mo. - The parents of a Blue Springs, Mo., boy who killed himself after being bullied reached a landmark settlement with the school district and another parent over their son's death. Kim Scarlett and Randy Myers filed the wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of their 12 year-old-son Brandon. In 2007, Brandon hanged himself in the family home. His parents believe he was driven to suicide because of the constant tormenting he faced in school. "He seemed normal, Brandon, that day he died. He seemed perfectly normal. Watching TV. Just a normal day. Eating cereal. Talked about having a cup stacking contest at school. Was I going to go to it? I said yes," Scarlett said. "Just shocked to come home to that." The lawsuit alleged the Blue Springs School District did not properly train employees in preventing bullying, failed to protect Brandon from bullies and allowed b...

Lawsuit Against School District Alleges Mistreatment of Child With Autism | NBC Southern California The parents of an 11-year-old boy with autism have filed a lawsuit against the Orange Unified School District on allegations of physical and psychological abuse. The lawsuit alleges that 5th grade student Andrew Ashline was "taken down" - restrained by a teacher at Palmyra Elementary School for crying, an act of discipline that the parents believe went too far. "Two person, floor prone, for over 12 minutes. On our 50-pound child," his mother Joanna Ashline said. WATCH: Boy With Autism, Trash Man Share Special Moment An autism expert says there are times when a child can be restrained, such as if they are posing a threat to themselves or to others. Andrew’s parents say that is not the case in the situation that occurred during the 2012-2013 academic school year. "Unfortunately, you’re dealing with an individual who cannot speak for himself. He literally cannot c...

Healthy Schools Missouri Last Updated: 3/30/2012 Bullying/Harassment :Revised statute  160.775  (2009) requires every district to adopt an antibullying policy. Policies must treat students equally, not contain specific lists of protected classes who are to receive special treatment, and must contain a statement of the consequences of bullying. Each district's policy must require district employees to report any instances of bullying which the employee has first hand knowledge and must address training of employees. Revised Statute  160.261  (2008) includes harassment as an "act of violence" that requires mandatory reporting by school administrators to the appropriate law enforcement agency. Harassment includes the following: (1) Knowingly communicating a threat to commit a felony to another person, thereby frightening, intimidating or causing emotional distress to such other person, (2) When communicating with another person, knowingly using coarse language offens...

2 Mo. Principals Accused Of Not Reporting Violence | KMBC Home - KMBC Home PARK HILLS, Mo. — Two eastern Missouri middle school principals are expected to face misdemeanor charges, alleging they violated the Missouri Safe Schools Act by failing to report violence. The Park Hills Daily Journal reported that St. Francois County prosecutor Jerrod Mahurin plans to charge Central Middle School's principal and vice principal. As of Wednesday morning, formal charges have not been filed. A probable cause statement said school resource officer Craig Newberry learned that a 14-year-old boy struck a 12-year-old girl in the buttocks with his knee, causing a fractured tail bone. The incident happened at the school on March 29 and was not reported to police by either principal. The Safe Schools Act requires administrators to report an act of violence as soon as reasonably practical to police. Last week, a detective spoke with both the principal and vice principal. Both said they were aware tha...

Does your school have a secret history of abusing disabled children? Find out here - National special education | Examiner.com Missouri 1. North Mercer R3, Mercer, MO (Seclusion Room: Closet converted to seclusion room) 2. Underwood Elementary School, Lee’s Summit R-7 School District, Lee’s Summit, MO (Seclusion: Child kept in closet for most of a month)

It seems that a former Lee's Summit and Ray-Pec principal is now a fourth grade teacher in the Kansas City, MO school system.  Here is the trail to her current position.  I wonder how she managed to go backwards. Susan Romeo resigns as principal Susan Romeo, principal of Raymore Elementary School, will leave the Ray-Pec School District at the end of the school year to take a position as principal of a new elementary school in Lee’s Summit. The Ray-Pec Board of Education on Dec. 18 accepted Romeo’s resignation, effective June 16, 2009. On that same date, the Lee’s Summit School District Board of Education named Romeo as principal of its new elementary school, scheduled to open in fall 2009. The Lee’s Summit district’s 18th elementary school is under construction in southeast Lee’s Summit on Ranson Road. The school, along with other facilities and improvements, is funded by an April 2009 voter-approved bond issue. Romeo has been principal at Raymore Elementary School since 200...

Tuesday, August 9, 2011 Sometimes I sit and relive the past four years. I think of all of the tears, anger, frustration, fear, anxiety, and hurt that my family has gone through. Then I think of all of the other families that are going thro ugh the same thing. Their lives being destroyed while they sit back and helplessly watch it happen. One thing always comes to mind. How do the people that are paid with my tax dollars sleep at night? How can they destroy the life and future of another human being and then take their paycheck? How can they hug their children while they are destroying the lives of other children? I was raised in the 60s and the 70s. My parents were strict and taught us to be honest, caring, and loving human beings. We were taught that you never progress in life without hard work, integrity, honor, and respect. You never hurt others or lie. I wonder what the parents our of teachers, principals, superintendents, legislators, and school board officials taught their childr...

Mark Ousnamer - Ballotpedia Our parents need to band together and vote this man on to the school board.

Some area parents say district failing to address bullying issue - KCTV5 RAYMORE, MO (KCTV) - A local mother says bullying got so bad at her daughter's school that she is now home schooling her, and other  parents say this is not an isolated incident. Some parents in the Raymore-Peculiar School District have turned to Facebook to talk about the bullying that they say their children are enduring, and that the district is failing to take appropriate actions. District spokeswoman Michele Stidham said school officials cannot comment on specific cases due to privacy laws. "Bullying awareness and prevention programs are in place at every school. Social media has allowed bullying to become a 24/7 concern and will require  families  and school officials to work together to resolve issues," she said.  Stidham added that the district takes bullying seriously and that reports are investigated and followed up with punishments outlined in the student handbook. But outraged par...

Autistic child's mom wants cameras in special needs classes CLEVELAND -- Tara Heidinger wants cameras in all special needs classrooms in Ohio. She started this campaign when her son, Corey, came home with bruises on his arm. "He said the teacher was mean to me," Heidinger said. She says her son is autistic and the school believed he made it up. There was no proof of abuse, so that's when this mom decided cameras should be in Ohio special needs classrooms. "I want more eyes and ears in these classes," says Heidinger. She hopes legislation will be introduced in Ohio soon. She has a Facebook page and supporters all over the country and world. Not everyone agrees. The Ohio Education Association said this: "Incidents of abuse are abhorrent, but rare. Current school district policies guard against such incidents and provide the means to correct any neglectful or abusive practices. The ramifications of mandating cameras in the classroom pose greater issues f...

District places teacher on leave after private tweets - KCTV5 District places teacher on leave after private tweets to students Posted: Feb 13, 2013 4:36 PM CST Updated: Feb 27, 2013 9:02 PM CST By DeAnn Smith, Digital Content Manager -  email By Betsy Webster, News Reporter -  bio  |  email By Amanda Palumbo, News Producer -  email   KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV) - The North Kansas School District has placed a teacher on administrative leave. This comes after the teacher made what the superintendent said were inappropriate tweets to students in a private forum. The Oak Park High School teacher is accused of violating district  policy relating to staff-student relations. The district placed the teacher on paid administrative leave after KCTV5 saw the tweets in question and asked district officials about them. The teacher is on administrative leave while the issue is investigated, a district spokeswoman said Wednesday afternoon. The teacher's Twitt...