Excelsior Springs School Board Recap for November 11, 2025

Watch a full replay of this meeting on the Excelsior Citizen YouTube Channel.

Opening and Recognitions

The Excelsior Springs Board of Education gathered for its regular monthly meeting on Tuesday evening, bringing forward a mix of recognitions, financial updates, early childhood news, and a lengthy academic report that sparked pointed questions from the board.

The meeting opened with routine approvals of the agenda and consent items. The board then moved into recognitions, celebrating Cornerstone Recovery Room teacher Allison Gonzalez as the November Classified Employee of the Month. Principal Jessica Broadmet described Gonzalez as a steady, student-centered presence who students often seek out when they need support. Superintendent Mark Bullimore joined in the recognition with a lighthearted comment about administrators startling staff when they show up unannounced. He said they learned they should bring balloons to help soften the surprise when they arrive to present awards.

Lewis Elementary Report and Girls on the Run Presentation

The Lewis Elementary building report delivered some of the evening’s brightest moments. Principal Jill Comstock spoke about the school’s yearlong focus on growth, attendance, vocabulary development, and science exploration. She described the building’s culture work around the theme of Grit and Joy and noted how many students have received positive office referrals this fall.

The Girls on the Run presentation from Lewis Elementary became a highlight of the evening. Coach Micaela Brooke introduced the program and explained that thirteen girls participated this fall, with four students attending the meeting to share their experience in their own words. She noted that the program focuses on empowerment, confidence, kindness, and healthy physical activity, and then she turned the microphone over to the students to speak for themselves.

Fifth grader Jazmina Crowder opened the student segment. She explained that the team spent the season focused on “bold hearts” and described the rhythm of their practices. “We started each practice with a team builder to get to know you activity,” she said, adding that each lesson taught social emotional skills before the team moved into stretching and 5K training.

Next, student Davina Fink spoke about what the program taught her personally. “Girls on the Run taught me a lot of things. The most important thing I learned is having a bold heart,” she said. “It helped me understand all of my emotions and how to think before I react or speak.”

Student Alanna Dunham followed, telling the board that what mattered most to her was the way the program shaped how she relates to others. “Girls on the Run is important to me because you learn how to interact with others,” she said. “It is important to always be kind and respectful and try to relate with others or consider”

The final speaker, Kazlyn Courtney, described the confidence she found through training for the end-of-season 5K. She emphasized the lesson of pacing herself. “The thing that was most important to me was having a steady pace,” she said. “I learned you do not have to push yourself too far, but you also do not want to not try.” Kazlyn admitted she was nervous about running the 5K, especially on a cold Sunday morning, but said the experience changed how she sees her own abilities. “Practicing made me feel better, and now I can do it. The 5K was not as hard as I thought it would be,” she told the board, adding that the final miles felt easier than the first as her confidence grew

The girls closed by leading the room in their team cheer, which earned warm applause. Their confidence and sincerity offered a joyful moment in the middle of a long meeting, and board members thanked them for sharing their accomplishments.

Superintendent Update on Finances and Enrollment

The tone shifted as the meeting moved into superintendent and academic updates. Superintendent Mark Bullimore delivered a detailed and candid update on the district’s financial position, enrollment trends, attendance challenges, and operational priorities for the months ahead. His report touched several areas that will shape the district’s planning throughout the remainder of the school year.

Bullimore explained that the district’s revenue picture looks different this fall because several major income streams have been delayed. He noted that the district is still waiting on reimbursements from the Children’s Fund, which totals nearly three hundred thousand dollars each year. Federal reimbursements for various programs have also been slower than usual. In addition, partner school districts that send students to the Excelsior Springs Area Career Center have not yet completed tuition payments for the fall, which temporarily narrows the district’s cash flow. Bullimore emphasized that these delays are timing issues rather than losses, but he said they create short-term pressure that the district must plan around.

He also discussed the decline in the district’s enrollment this year. A larger senior class graduated last spring, and the incoming kindergarten class is significantly smaller. That creates a net loss in enrollment, which directly affects the formula the state uses to calculate district funding. Bullimore paired that information with another key trend. The district’s free and reduced lunch count has increased by nearly eight percent, which means more students qualify for additional support services. While the increase puts greater demand on the district, the state’s weighted formula awards additional funding per student in this category, which helps offset the enrollment decline.

Attendance remains another major focus of Bullimore’s report. October is one of the state’s critical count months, and the district’s preliminary numbers show that just over eighty percent of students are attending school at least ninety percent of the time. That figure plays a significant role in the district’s overall Annual Performance Report score, which has become an even stronger point of emphasis in recent years. Bullimore reminded the board that both state funding and state accountability use these attendance numbers in their calculations.

Bullimore highlighted a small operational success. The district earned a rebate of five thousand seven hundred ninety-six dollars through participation in the MSBA purchasing card program.

Bullimore also described ongoing efforts to improve Medicaid reimbursement collection. Many services the district already provides to qualifying students are eligible for Medicaid reimbursement, and the district intends to capture a larger share of those dollars during the current year.

Looking ahead, Bullimore told the board that the district’s strategic planning process will begin in early December. The committee will include staff members, board members, parents, students, and community partners. Over three days, the group will work through the district’s mission, vision, priorities, and long-range goals. After that, the district will open the next phase of work to any interested stakeholders. Those action planning teams will develop strategies and steps to align with the broader priorities identified in the initial sessions and will continue meeting throughout the spring.

He ended his report by cautioning board members that although the district is weathering the delays in funding, Excelsior Springs must continue advocating for consistency from its state and federal partners. He also reiterated that clear attendance communication and continued community engagement will be key factors in meeting academic and financial targets this year.

Early Childhood Report and Head Start Funding Concerns

The Early Childhood Center update from Dr. Christen Everett shifted the board’s attention to one of the district’s most vulnerable areas, where a federal budget dispute continues to create significant uncertainty for schools across the region. Everett explained that Excelsior Springs partners with the Mid-America Regional Council through the MARC Head Start program, which supports both the district’s full-day Head Start classroom and several half-day programs that are funded through Title I and the Missouri Quality Preschool Initiative.

Under normal circumstances, Head Start renews its annual funding on November 1st, which marks the start of its federal fiscal year. This year, that date arrived without a federal budget agreement. Everett told the board that Head Start has not yet been awarded its funding for the 2025 to 2026 fiscal cycle. She explained that the government shutdown has effectively frozen the program at the federal level, leaving local partners across the region unsure how long their current operations can continue without reimbursement.

Excelsior Springs receives slightly more than three hundred forty-nine thousand dollars each year through MARC’s Head Start contract. That money helps pay for the full-day Head Start classroom along with coaching support, mental health services, nutritional services, and other wrap-around resources that the district does not provide on its own. Everett noted that Head Start’s fiscal calendar does not align with the district’s, which creates additional complications because MARC must manage its own grant funds on a different timeline than local school systems.

Despite the uncertainty, Everett assured the board that the district will continue to serve families enrolled in its Head Start program at the same level as always. She said that MARC is currently using its reserve funds to keep local programs afloat until the federal budget is resolved. This stopgap measure cannot last indefinitely, but it allows districts like Excelsior Springs to avoid immediate disruption for families who rely on the full-day option. Everett told the board that the district is not making any changes to its programming for the 2025 to 2026 school year and that all staff are continuing business as usual.

Several board members asked about the long-term outlook. Everett said it is impossible to predict how the federal negotiations will end. However, she emphasized that if Head Start funding does not return next year, the district will explore additional funding sources, including expanded use of Title I preschool funds and the state’s MQPK program. She said the administration is committed to keeping early childhood education accessible for the families who depend on it, regardless of how the federal government resolves its budget issues.

Academic Report and Tense Exchange Over Test Scores

Assistant Superintendent of Academic Services Dr. Melissa Miller delivered the district’s 2025 MAP, EOC, and Annual Performance Report results. She framed the presentation as both a celebration of progress and a call for renewed focus, noting that the district received its data earlier this year than in past cycles.

Miller began with English Language Arts trends. She explained that third grade, historically the district’s strongest grade level, slipped this year, while fourth and fifth grade showed improvement. She said several factors could have played a role, including the continued rollout of the Wit and Wisdom curriculum and the disruptions at Lewis Elementary caused by the building’s midyear move. She emphasized that Elkhorn Elementary had experienced significant growth and credited its fourth- and fifth-grade teams for providing strong instruction. Cornerstone’s fifth-grade results remained inconsistent due to ongoing staff turnover.

Science scores were mixed. All three elementary buildings dropped after the introduction of a new curriculum and resource, which Miller said can create an expected transition period. Eighth-grade science, however, rose sharply, something she attributed in part to an experienced instructional coach who stepped into the classroom midyear. Biology scores at the high school continued to lag, an area the district has been monitoring for several years.

High school government scores, typically one of the district’s highest performing areas, saw a surprising decline. Miller said the subject has historically been so strong that she has called the state in past years to make sure the district’s high scores were accurate. This year, staffing changes placed a first-year teacher in the course, and the results reflected that transition.

Miller then discussed the district’s APR score. Excelsior Springs received 69.5 percent of available points this year. She told the board that 70 percent is the state’s threshold for full accreditation, but the state calculates accreditation based on a three-year average. The past two years were in the mid-seventies, so the district remains accredited. Even so, she said the drop should be taken seriously. “This is a wakeup call,” she told the board.

She also noted that attendance remains a weakness and plays a significant role in the district’s overall score. The district will be entering a monitoring phase with the state, which requires closer attention to data, instruction, and alignment across buildings.

The update led directly into a tense exchange with board member Traci White, who pressed Miller on curriculum alignment, test readiness, and staff stability. Her questions signaled that the board expects continued scrutiny of academic practices moving forward.

MSBA Conference Takeaways

Board member Brett Jones reported from the MSBA Delegate Assembly, where he supported updated advocacy positions related to the school funding formula, early childhood professional development, and substitute teaching flexibility for retired educators. He noted that a proposal from Columbia Public Schools to limit administrative contract payouts generated discussion but did not pass.

Board member Jill Evert shared insights from the real-world learning sessions, including a presentation from Fort Osage that highlighted internship opportunities, student-run projects, and hands-on learning models. She said the examples offered useful ideas as Excelsior Springs prepares for its upcoming strategic planning work.

Jones also attended sessions focused on artificial intelligence in education. He said districts across Missouri are beginning to evaluate how AI affects instruction, assessment, and academic integrity, and believes these conversations will be relevant as Excelsior Springs reviews its long-term academic goals.

Board members also referenced sessions on legal updates, including new teacher salary requirements and early childhood expectations tied to recent legislation. They mentioned a statewide data tool introduced at the conference that allows districts to compare performance trends. Several expressed interest in sharing the tool with district leadership.