Excelsior Springs, Mo. (March 17, 2025) – Last week, the Excelsior Springs School District was facing significant backlash after the apparent decision to withdraw from the Northland CAPS program, a hands-on professional learning initiative designed to give students real-world career experiences. But, following passionate appeals from students and parents, the program was reinstated at the March 11, 2025, Board of Education meeting. However, the district’s handling of the situation, particularly the conflicting statements from officials, has left many community members feeling misled—and raised concerns that the Board of Education itself may have been misled.
Students Left in Limbo
Excelsior Springs High School junior Jameson Bright was among those who had planned their senior year around participation in Northland CAPS. At Tuesday’s board meeting, Bright shared how excited he was after an informational session about the program, only to be devastated when he learned the district had decided to withdraw.
“I submitted my full application, which took hours to complete,” Bright told the board during the March 11 meeting. “I was ecstatic when I got called to the counselor’s office, thinking it was about the program, only to be told that the district was withdrawing. This left me in a state of disarray.”
Other students echoed his concerns. Cameron Wansing credited CAPS with shaping his career path in finance. He also read a letter from ESHS senior Maycie McLaughlin, who shared how the program helped her and her sister clarify their career goals in nursing and veterinary care.
District Officials Appear to Contradict Themselves, Board Potentially Misled
At the board meeting, Superintendent Jaret Tomlinson asserted that the program had never been cut, characterizing the situation as a budget discussion rather than a cancellation.
“This is really about looking for some guidance from the board,” Tomlinson said. “We have historically budgeted for 10 students per year, and this year we had 19 or 20 apply. We weren’t comfortable doubling the budget without input from the board. But we are not talking about getting rid of the program completely.”
However, emails obtained by The Excelsior Citizen appear to contradict this claim. On March 3, Assistant Superintendent Melissa Miller informed parent Angela Bright via email that the district had made the decision to cut the program for financial reasons. “The decision to move away from this option is completely a financial decision,” Miller wrote. “I thought it was more responsible to plan on not having funds and allow students the opportunity to make different choices now as opposed to waiting until school has started.”
In a follow-up message later that same day, Miller doubled down on the decision, stating, “As soon as the decision was made, I felt like it was imperative and responsible to let parents and students know as soon as possible.”
Miller also acknowledged the broader impact of the decision, writing, “This was not the only cut. We lost a career center program, and I’m still looking at existing opportunities to allocate funds in a way that supports our students and teachers as much as possible…I know this feels like a last-minute decision, and ultimately it was.”
These statements made by Miller in her emails directly oppose Tomlinson’s claim during the Board of Education meeting that the program had never been cut. Bright said after the meeting, she was concerned that the community and the Board of Education may have been misled about the district’s decision-making process.
Parent and Student Outrage Leads to Reversal
News of the decision quickly spread, sparking an outpouring of frustration from students and parents on social media who felt blindsided by what they saw as an abrupt and unfair cancellation.
Bright voiced her disappointment in the email exchange with Miller, writing, “It is so frustrating to see academic programs being cut while money is being spent on buildings and salaries. This program matters. Why was it presented to kids as an option if it was going to be taken away after they applied?”
During Tuesday’s meeting, board member Jill Evert stated, “I’ve come to the conclusion a long time ago to believe only 50% of what you read on social media because I think a lot of hard feelings could have been avoided.” Her remarks suggested that parents and community members may have overreacted based on misinformation. However, this perspective overlooks the fact that official district communications confirmed the program had been cut before the public outcry. Evert’s comments raise questions about whether board members were fully informed about the decision-making process, or if they too had been left in the dark by district administrators.
The board ultimately voted to fund all 19 students who had been accepted into the program for the upcoming school year. Moving forward, the board will revisit the program’s budget and determine whether a cap should be established for future participation.
Moving Forward
While the program’s reinstatement was a victory for students and parents, the situation has sparked broader discussions about how decisions are communicated. Many in the community are looking for assurances that students and parents will be informed earlier in the process and that the board will play a more active role in shaping these decisions.
This issue also arises at a critical time, as the district prepares to present a tax levy proposal to voters on April 8th. The handling of the Northland CAPS situation has fueled concerns about transparency and decision-making within the administration, which could impact public trust and support for the levy. With public education already facing significant financial challenges, district leaders will need to work hard to rebuild confidence among stakeholders no matter the outcome of the ballot measure.
For now, the students who advocated for Northland CAPS have won their fight, ensuring they can participate in the program next year. However, the confusion surrounding the program’s brief elimination has underscored the need for clearer communication and greater collaboration between district leadership, the board, and the community.
If you appreciate the value our local journalism brings to the community, please consider making a recurring contribution to the Excelsior Citizen!
