Senate blocks legislation to stop EPA rules

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WEDNESDAY, NOV. 4, 2015

Missouri’s oldest daily newspaper, serving since 1838

Volume 178, Issue 219 • 12 Pages • 75¢

MAKING THE GRADE • PART 1 OF 3

Scores improve Hannibal schools receive steady or higher marks on yearly evaluation to monitor student success and progress on ‘14-’15 Annual Performance Report

Hannibal Public Schools: 83.9 percent

Hannibal High: 91.4 percent

Hannibal Middle: 72.1 percent

Story, page A4

Stowell Elem.: 84.3 percent

Northeast Independent Living Services (NEILS) will provide services to more youth in the area than before Story, page A3

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GREETINGS To Marjorie Holliday, a valued subscriber from Hannibal.

Courier-Post Reporter

As he remained incarcerated in the Marion County Jail, trial dates were being set in Adair County for a defendant charged in connection with the 2013 robbery and murder of a Hannibal convenience store employee. Cuda L. Dodd, of Hannibal, previously requested a change of venue through a motion from defense attorney Raymond L. Legg, in the Hannibal Marion County Courthouse on Thursday, Aug. 13. Assistant Attorney General Gregory M. Goodwin representSEE DODD, A12

WASHINGTON

1. MAP scores 2. MAP scores for super subgroup (free/ reduced lunch students, racial/ethnic background students, English language learners, students with disabilities, etc.) 3. College/career readiness (high school only) 4. Attendance rates 5. Graduation rates (high school only)

Senate blocks legislation to stop EPA rules

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Annual Performance Reports don’t “necessarily reflect overall high achievement. It reflects achievement and growth.”

— Maria Mundle, Assitant superintendent of curriculum and instruction

MARY CLARE JALONICK

So for that reason, it becomes a very important measure for us,” Maria Mundle, Hannibal’s assistant superintendent of curriculum instruction, said. As a district, Hannibal received an 83.9 percent for the 2014-2015 school year. That’s up from 70.7 percent in 20132014. “It’s nice to see those results in terms of our final APR,” Mundle said. “It is the result of all the work that has gone on in our schools previously.” The APR gives districts an itemized report detailing

the success and growth of a district in five performance standards: academic achievement (Missouri Assessment Program [MAP] scores), subgroup achievement (Academic performance for students in identified subgroups including free/reduced price lunch students, racial/ethnic background students, English language learners, students with disabilities), college and career readiness, attendance rate and graduation rate. SEE APR, A12

Associated Press

Democrats have blocked a Senate bill that would have forced the Obama administration to withdraw new federal rules to protect smaller streams, tributaries and wetlands from development and pollution. Supporters of the legislation — and opponents of the rules — did not get the 60 votes needed Tuesday to stop debate and consider the bill. The vote was 57-41, meaning Democrats have blocked the bill, for now. SEE EPA, A12

WHAT’S GOING ON?

Willow St. Park receiving shelter WHAT IS IT? Hannibal Parks & Recreation Department personnel were making prepartions Tuesday for a concrete pour at the Willow Street Park.

OBITUARIES

DANNY HENLEY

• Richard Bush • Fern Martin


INDEX

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In an age where school performance and measurement metrics seem to be the center of discussions on education, the Hannibal School District has reason to smile. Each building in the district matched or improved upon performance scores from the 2013-2014 school year to the 2014-2015 school year, according to data on the district’s Annual Performance Report (APR). The report, generated by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), is used to determine accreditation for districts in the state. “It’s the department’s measuring stick for how well a school district is performing.

TREVOR MCDONALD

APRs evaluate five areas:

ERIC DUNDON

Nov. 4, 1979: A mob of Iranians, mostly students, overruns the US embassy in Tehran and takes 90 hostages, starting the Iran hostage crisis. President Jimmy Carter called the hostages “victims of terrorism and anarchy,” adding that “the United States will not yield to blackmail.” The crisis was described by the western media as an “entanglement.”

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Mark Twain Elem.: 95.7 percent Oakwood Elem.: 98.6 percent

Courier-Post Editor

THIS DAY

Weather Nation/World Local Opinion Deaths Health Sports Classifieds Comics

Field Elem.: 92.9 percent

Veterans Elem.: 78.6 percent

@hannibalcourier @HCP_Editor @Danny_Henley @HCP_Trevor @HCP_Sports

Fourth murder defendant facing trial Cuda Dodd faces murder charge in the October 2013 death of Adrienne Arnett

Dana Milbank: Speaker Ryan offers glimmer of hope

INSIDE

ADAIR COUNTY

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Hannibal Parks & Recreation Department workers were preparing a site Tuesday for the pouring of a concrete pad at Willow Street Community Park. On the pad will be constructed a shelter. The $9,000 structure was purchased for the park earlier this year by the Zeta Phi Beta Sorority. Andy Dorian, director of the Parks & Recreation

Department reported at the October Park Board meeting that the pad was the Parks Department’s responsibility. Dorian added that the two-acre neighborhood park, which offers a full basketball court, ball field and playground, could be renamed. “It will be another place for people to go,” said Dorian. Reach reporter Danny Henley at danny.henley@ courierpost.com .

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Hannibal Parks & Recreation Department personnel were making preparations Tuesday for the pouring of a concrete pad at the Willow Street Community Park. DANNY HENLEY/COURIER-POST

A12 WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2015

• Hannibal Courier-Post • www.hannibal.net

(NEWS) APR Continued from Page A1

Most districts can earn up to 140 points on APR, which are then calculated into a percentage grade. As a district, Hannibal earned 117.5 points (83.9 percent), compared to 99 in 2013-2014 (70.7 percent) and 108.5 (77.5 percent) in 2012-2013. The greatest areas of improvement for the district came in MAP scores in the English/Language Arts, Science and Social Studies tests. That portion of the APR reflects the number of students who scored proficient/advanced in those areas, as well as the overall growth of students in those areas. At the elementary and middle school levels, “APR all boils down to a student’s performance on a single test,” Mundle said. Like districts as a whole, individual buildings also earn points. High schools can earn up to 140 points, while other buildings can earn up to 70 points. Across the board, scores held steady or improved in every academic area in every building. Mundle said one of the

areas the district focused on was science. The district examined delivery of science material and focused on maintaining instructional time in the subject, she said. Hannibal 60 As a results, three buildings saw improved science Hannibal High School scores on this year’s APR from the previous year: Hannibal Middle School Hannibal Middle School, Mark Twain Elementary A.D. Stowell Elementary and Oakwood Elementary. On the whole, compre- Eugene Field Elementary hensive APR scores imVeterans Elementary proved at Hannibal High School (78.9 percent to Mark Twain Elementary 91.4 percent), Hannibal Middle School (45 to 72.1), Oakwood Elementary Mark Twain Elementary (75.7 to 95.7), Oakwood Elementary (87.1 to 98.6) and Veterans Elementary Palmyra R-I (70 to 78.6). Percentage scores at Stowell Elementary (84.3) and Eugene Ralls Co. R-II Field Elementary (92.9) held steady from 20132014 to 2014-2015. 40 Mundle cautioned, however, to not draw comparisons between school buildings because of APR scores. The scores are not school — and we have sevmeant to distinguish an eral — it’s possible that “A” school from a “B” or its APR could be lower than another school just “C” school. “You earn points on because it maintains a APR based on improve- high level of performance ment,” she said. “So if we but it didn’t grow to an have a high-performing even higher level of performance.”

Inaugural year of MSIP 5

Decrease in score from one year prior

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Most Democrats say the Obama administration rules will safeguard drinking water for 117 million Americans and should remain in place. The White House threatened a veto of the bill, saying the regulations are “essential to ensure clean water for future generations.” Republicans and a handful of Democrats from rural states say they fear a steady uptick in federal regulation of every stream and ditch. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said on the Senate floor that the regulations are “a cynical and overbearing power grab dressed awkwardly as some clean water measure.” Four Democrats voted with Republicans on the measure — Sens. Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota, Claire McCaskill of Missouri, Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Joe Donnelly of Indiana. Federal courts have already put the rules on hold as they consider a number of lawsuits that were filed immediately after the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers issued the regulations in May. The rules clarify which smaller waterways fall under federal protection after two Supreme Court rulings left the reach of the Clean Water Act uncertain. Those decisions in 2001 and 2006 left 60 percent of the nation’s streams and millions of acres of wetlands without clear federal protection, according to the EPA, causing confusion for landowners and government officials.

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APRs don’t “necessarily reflect overall high achievement, it reflects achievement and growth,” she continued. In other words, schools with a steady amount of growth could have a higher score than a school

ed the prosecution. Judge Russell E. Steele sustained the defense request and transferred Dodd’s case to Adair County. Dodd was arraigned in Adair County Circuit Court on Wednesday, Sept. 2. For the next hearing, Steele, defense and prosecution at-

The EPA says the new rules would force a permitting process only if a business or landowner took steps that would pollute or destroy the affected waters — those with a “direct and significant” connection to larger bodies of water downstream that are already protected. For example, that could include tributaries that show evidence of flowing water. The Senate bill would force the EPA to withdraw and rewrite the rules. Democratic supporters of the regulations say that would just cause even more confusion. “We shouldn’t pass legislation that would create even more uncertainty and invite years of litigation,” said Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif. The House passed a similar bill earlier this year. Farm and business groups are among the rules’ chief opponents, and more than half the states have sued the government in an attempt to block them. Officials from states such as Georgia, New Mexico and Wisconsin have suggested the regulations could be harmful to farmers and landowners who might have to pay for extra permits or redesign their property to manage small bodies of water on their private land. The EPA has argued the criticism is overblown. Since the rules were originally proposed last year, the agency has been working to clear up some misconceptions, like some critics’ assertions that average backyard puddles would be regulated. Current exemptions from the Clean Water Act for farming practices, including plowing, seeding and the movement of livestock, among other things, will continue.

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EPA

No change in score from one year prior

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DODD

In this June 11, 2015 file photo, a dry water ditch is seen next to a corn field in Cordova, Md. The White House on Tuesday threatened to veto a Senate bill that would block new federal rules to protect smaller streams, tributaries and wetlands from pollution and development. AP PHOTO/ALEX BRANDON, FILE

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where more students score proficient/advanced on the MAP test. “No matter where they enter in the beginning of the year in their ability, we want them to grow a full year for themselves,” Mundle said.

torneys set Dodd’s trial dates during a trial setting hearing at 1 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 3. Dodd was charged with first degree robbery and second degree murder Oct. 8, 2014, in connection with Adrienne Arnett’s death in 2013. Dodd, Amanda J. Lehenbauer and Krystal N. Tresler were charged one year after the murder, according to previous Courier-Post reporting. In 2014, Gary J. Wiltermood III and Michael A. Studer each entered

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Mundle credits the district’s teachers for the positive improvements in this year’s scores. Reach editor Eric Dundon at [email protected] .

guilty pleas for second-degree murder. Wiltermood was sentenced to 20 years with the Missouri Department of Corrections. Studer, who was identified as the man who fired the gun during the murder, was sentenced to 25 years with the Missouri Department of Corrections, according to Courier-Post reporting. Dodd remains incarcerated in the Marion County Jail on a $100,000 cash only bond.

SHELBY COUNTY, MISSOURI

LAND AUCTION FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2015 AT 1:00 P.M. SALE TO BE HELD AT THE SHELBY COUNTY COURT HOUSE, SHELBYVILLE, MO

49.44 ACRES 1 TRACT

3.5 ACRES 1 TRACT

Real Estate of the Late Nellie Ann Dodd Selling Approximately 49.44 Acres of Productive Farmland in Twp. 59 North Range 12 West Also Selling Home and Outbuildings on approximately 3.5 Acres in Cherry Box, MO

Representing Attorney

JOHN B. MORTHLAND WasingerParham, L.C. Attorneys at Law

573-221-3225 Land to be sold in 2 Tracts

HANNIBAL

COURIER~POST ( THURSDAY, NOV. 5, 2015

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• Photos: City council hears concerns of chloramines

Data-driven decisions paying dividends at HMS School saw some of the biggest improvements in the state

•BLP Holiday Gift Show to offer holiday shopping for a good cause • 5 things we know so far about J.K. Rowling’s upcoming Harry Potter-related prequel movie

ERIC DUNDON Courier-Post Editor

If the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) gave out superlatives to schools in the state, Hannibal Middle School would be a top

contender for “Most Improved.” According to data on the most recent Annual Performance Report (APR), HMS ranked in the top five middle schools in the state in percentage score improvement from the 2013-2014 school year

to 2014-2015. The APR measures Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) scores achievement and growth and attendance rates at the middle school Seventh grade math teacher Melinda Kneib works level, generating a per- with a small group during RTI time at Hannibal Midcentage score attributed dle School on Monday, Nov. 2. RTI time is used for SEE HMS, A12

personal instruction for students needing extra help in certain subjects. ERIC DUNDON/COURIER-POST

• Photos: Friday river fog in Hannibal See more at www.hannibal.net

OPINION

HANNIBAL

A sweet melody

Council hears woes over water

Kathleen Parker: Clash of the Floridians Story, page A4

SPORTS

The NFL and the Carolina Panthers still don’t know how protesters got rappelling gear into the team’s stadium Monday night and suspended themselves by cables from the upper deck during a nationally televised game against the Indianapolis Colts. Story, page A6

Katie Schisler, standing, leads a practice of the Stowell Strings Nov. 3. TREVOR MCDONALD/ COURIER-POST

Instrument program began with a General Mills grant, fueled by music teacher’s passion TREVOR MCDONALD

TWEET WITH US


A quartet of violinists prepared to make sweet music with help from their smiling director at A.D. Stowell Elementary School on Tuesday, Nov. 3. The musicians traveled from Hannibal Middle School after their last sixth grade class, joining together with music teacher Katie Schisler for the Stowell Strings program.

@hannibalcourier @HCPEditor @Danny_Henley @HCP_Trevor @HCP_Sports

THIS DAY

Schisler gave each student a book of Christmas songs as a gift. After playing through “Fiddles on Fire,” the young musicians got into the holiday spirit with “Jolly Old St. Nicholas.” Stowell Strings began in 2014 with a $2,000 General Mills grant, allowing the purchase of enough violins for each fifth grader to participate in a violin unit in Schisler’s music class. Of the 12 students who joined Stowell Strings in 2014, about

half of them continued with the program, Schisler said. Fifth grade students from the 2016 school year receive the opportunity to join Stowell Strings if they show interest in playing violin and Schisler selects them to join the group. Out of 45 fifth grade students, 19 have expressed interest. However, only 10 spots are available, Schisler said. SEE STRINGS, A5

City Council listens to residents’ chloramine concerns; no action taken DANNY HENLEY Courier-Post Reporter

Those turning out for Tuesday night’s Hannibal City Council meeting expecting a voices-raised, finger-wagging, face-reddening free-for-all pitting opponents to the addition of chloramine to the city’s water supply against the Hannibal Board of Public Works departed City Hall disappointed. The fact that the tone of the meeting was one of civility is not surprising considering that at least some chloramine opponents openly acknowledge that the BPW SEE COUNCIL, A12

WHAT’S GOING ON? Nov. 5, 1872: In defiance of the law, suffragist Susan B. Anthony votes for the first time and is later fined $100. In 1856, Anthony became the New York state agent for the American Anti-Slavery Society.

GREETINGS To Tom Miller, a valued subscriber from Shelbina.

OBITUARIES • Pat Ebers • Jerry Ham • Fern Martin

WHAT IS IT? Graupman Construction employees repair patches for the entrance and parking lot near Mi Mexico Cafe on Wednesday, Nov. 4. TREVOR MCDONALD Courier-Post Reporter

A thin layer of rock base caused some lumpy pavement for a Hannibal shopping center parking lot, but local construction employees worked to make enduring patch repairs before winter’s cold winds appear. Ron Smith, who has been with Graupman Construction for 30 years, detailed the steps for making the patches to smooth the lot at 3650 Stardust Drive. Smith, Ben Graupman and Jim Robinson planned to complete the patches near the entrance Wednesday, and begin paving work on a section in front of Mi Mexico Cafe.

Smith said he discovered two-inch layers of rock directly on top of the mud beneath the lot, which contributed to collapsed sections exposed to years of trapped water and freeze and thaw cycles. For the repairs, employees dug down 11 to 12 inches, laying down a layer of rock between three and four inches thick. Rock fabric keeps mud and rocks where they belong, and another layer of rock is added before final grading and compacting. Crew members top the patch with a pair of two-inch layers of asphalt, Smith said. “It won’t fail for a long time,” he SEE PATCHING, A12

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Crew patching things up

Graupman Construction employees Ron Smith and Jim Robinson perform patch repair work near Mi Mexico Cafe on Wednesday, Nov. 4. TREVOR MCDONALD/COURIER-POST

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• Photos and video: Strings players rehearse at Stowell elementary

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FRIDAY, NOV. 6, 2015



Ready to run

• Missouri Gov. Nixon backs Clinton bid for presidency • Poll: Did you ever play a musical instrument? See more at www.hannibal.net

Mark Twain Elementary fourth grade teacher Judy Taylor passes out materials to students Wednesday, Nov. 4. ERIC DUNDON/

OPINION

COURIER-POST

Esther Cepeda: Hispanics make their way to Hollywood Story, page A4

SPORTS

Hannibal, Palmyra and Mark Twain football teams play another round of playoffs tonight. Read up on the tonight’s matchups in the sports section. Story, page A6

cific marathon in the Pa cipating in an ultra the rti in pa rt n pa ow g sh kin is ta l iba e be Kyle Gibbs of Hann end Gibbs will for the seventh tim UTED ek l Missouri. CONTRIB ra nt ce hut so Northwest. This we in n Ru e nc ra du En le Ozark Trail 100 Mi

Stowell Elementary principal to run in 100-mile race DANNY HENLEY Courier-Post Reporter

For many people weekends are a time for running errands or running around. For Kyle Gibbs of Hannibal, this Saturday and Sunday are reserved for just running … period. The ultra runner will be traveling to south-central Missouri Friday afternoon in order to be on hand for Saturday’s 6 a.m. start of the Ozark Trail 100 Mile Endurance Run, a point-to-point 101-mile ultramarathon on the Ozark

TWEET WITH US @hannibalcourier @HCP_Editor @Danny_Henley @HCP_Trevor @HCP_Sports

THIS DAY

Trail through the Mark Twain National Forest. Gibbs has yet to miss an Ozark Trail Run, which is now in its seventh year. “There are three of us who have been in it every year and we’re trying to keep our streak alive,” he said, noting that 80 to 100 athletes typically compete in the race. In regard to his previous Ozark Trail ultramarathons, Gibbs humbly reports he has completed each of the first six events. A check of past race results reveals the 37-year-old runner has never finished lower than sixth overall. His best showing came in 2011. SEE RUN, A5

HANNIBAL

Nov. 6, 1944: Hanford Atomic Facility produces plutonium for the first time which is subsequently used in the atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki, Japan. The Hanford Site is now a mostly decommissioned nuclear production complex operated by the United States federal government on the Columbia River in the U.S. state of Washington.

Garden: Unicorns and unity Common Ground Community Garden board members look to future plans, reach out for more volunteer help TREVOR MCDONALD Courier-Post Reporter

As volunteers for the Common Ground Community Garden looked to the future, discussions included a new irrigation system

featuring unicorns during the board meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 4 at Java Jive. Plans for the spring season included three or four bicycle-powered water pumps, decorated like unicorns. Former Director Jessie Dryden also discussed potential educational work cooperatives through a partnership with Families and Communities Together (FACT). While they talked about the garden’s future, board members expressed concern about drumming up more volunteer help

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OBITUARIES

WHAT IS IT? Hannibal Street Department workers were setting out barricades along Broadway on Thursday afternoon. DANNY HENLEY

• Wilford Davis • Edna Waggoner


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Emphasis on reading boosts MTE annual score Mark Twain Elementary School’s score jumped 20 percentage points in most recent Annual Performance Report ERIC DUNDON Courier-Post Editor

Mark Twain Elementary school principal Karen Wheelan credits the work of her teachers for the significant jump in score the school received on annual state evaluations from 2013-2014 to 2014-2015. The school’s score rose from 75.7 percent to 95.7 percent, the second highest jump of buildings in the district, following only Hannibal Middle School. The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s Annual Performance Report measures student success and growth in five core areas. At the elementary level, the only areas monitored are Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) scores and attendance. Mark Twain Elementary’s score on the APR reflected higher achievement and growth in both the English/Language Arts and Science portions of the MAP test. “We work hard every year and I think last year our efforts were just more focused,” Wheelan said. Teachers specifically focused on English/ Language Arts. Like at the middle school, Wheelan said staff last year used data analysis to pinpoint which students fell below grade level expectations in reading. Teachers then could provide individual instructions to those students. Wheelan said in her 26 years in education, the use of data has grown out of use to merely generate grade cards. A few into her career, SEE READING, A12

WHAT’S GOING ON?

Preparations made for Saturday parade

GREETINGS


The Hannibal City Council gave unanimous approval Tuesday night to a request from American Legion Post 55 that it be allowed to stage a Veterans Day parade in Hannibal on Saturday, Nov. 11. The event kicks off at 11 a.m. As has been the case in past years the parade will begin at Grand Avenue and Broadway. The parade will proceed down Broad-

way to Main Street. It will then turn onto North Main and continue on to North Street. In anticipation of Saturday’s parade, Street Department personnel were out Thursday afternoon dropping off barricades along the parade route. They’ll be set in the cross streets just before the parade begins. Reach reporter Danny Henley at danny.henley@ courierpost.com .

NEED MORE INFORMATION? Drop us a line at: PHONE (573) 221-2800 E-MAIL [email protected]

Hannibal Street Department personnel were unloading barricades along Broadway on Thursday in advance of Saturday’s Veterans Day parade. DANNY HENLEY/COURIERPOST

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and recruiting a fulltime leader. Dryden said she was hopeful that work cooperatives with FACT — which would aim to “educate and empower workers” through various programs in the garden — would generate income for the garden and new work opportunities for participants. The irrigation system would be part of a cooperative plan created between Dryden, water management experts, local welders and Bobbie Altiser, owner of forthcoming Pedal’rs Bicycle Shop. As a person pedaled on the unicorn, the system would draw water from the compost heap and irrigate the garden, Dryden said. Dryden said the bicycles would lessen watering work and lend distinctive artwork to the space. If a person pedaled for ten minutes daily, the irrigation process would be complete. She said she hoped the unicorns would encourage what she called “Tom Sawyering,” referring to Sawyer’s popular recruitment of a group of his friends to whitewash a fence for fun. Board member Gary Jordan fondly remembered large groups of children who worked in

READING Continued from Page A1

benchmark data went into utilization. She said within the last few years specifically, schools use data analytics to identify specific trends, strengths and weaknesses of a student. As a result, last year the school began meetings in grade level teams every other Tuesday to identify struggling students and discuss ways to reach those students. Wheelan said that practice has continued this year. Reading comprehension was particularly stressed last year, Wheelan said. “Let’s get as many kids as we can reading on grade level, or at least growing in reading,” she said of the school’s goal, noting that the science test, for example, measures reading comprehension just as much as knowledge of science principles. To accomplish that objective, teachers gave an extra 30 minutes of instruction per day on read-

the garden during the start of the growing season, but he noticed waning interest as summer progressed. Fellow board member Donna Black said the garden suffered from “a leadership vacuum,” because no one has yet stepped to assume Dryden’s former position. Although members such as Celia Thompson and her daughter, Jorie Thompson, helped throughout the season, fewer volunteers tended to the garden toward harvest time, Toni Blackman said. Dryden expressed confidence that Hannibal residents would acknowledge the bounty of healthy food and fellowship the garden can bring. She referred to recent discussions surrounding the city’s water supply. “The next thing, I think, is the food,” she said. As winter approached, board members agreed to let the garden lay fallow. But the members would not be waiting around during those months. Jordan said everyone needed to maintain communication with fellow residents about the Common Ground Community Garden. He also expressed the need to recruit more youth to help out. Above all, Jordan said working with other people is a rewarding experience.

“ There’s no thing,” he said.

better

Reach reporter Trevor McDonald at [email protected] Jessie Dryden, left, talks about future plans for the Common Ground Community Garden with board members Donna Black and Toni Blackman during a board meeting Wednesday, Nov. 4, at Java Jive. TREVOR MCDONALD/COURIER-POST

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ing and reading comprehension, Wheelan explained. Additionally, the school was able to purchase more web-based intervention programs to assist students. Last year, the school had a science program. This year, Wheelan said, programs in English and math were added and put into more grade levels before. The cooperation of teachers has made a big difference in seeing student growth, according to Wheelan. “I have great support here at Mark Twain Elementary and we work really well together,” she said. “And I think we’re on the same page in that we’re going to do what’s best for kids,” she said. Education for the individual is a moving target, but Wheelan said everyone in the Mark Twain Elementary community has been flexible. “We make changes as we go to best meet the needs of everyone,” she said.

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Reach editor Eric Dundon at [email protected] .

Palmyra, Ralls Co. R-II also see score improvements ERIC DUNDON Courier-Post Editor

Other Hannibal-area school districts saw improvement in overall APR scores. The Palmyra R-I School District saw staggering numbers, with all three schools earning perfect scores on the APR. The district score, however, reached a 98.6 percent, an increase from 96.4 in 2014 and 94.3 in 2013. The Ralls County R-II School District also increased its overall score to 89.6 percent from 85.7 in 2014 and 81.8 in 2013. Some of the district’s greatest improvements came

in math MAP scores. Individual buildings seeing the greatest improvements were Mark Twain High School and New London Elementary School. “The data shows that we are continuing to improve the programs and practices within our schools. A continued focus on early intervention, especially at the preschool and early elementary grade levels, provides a firm foundation upon which to build and grow,” Delores Woodhurst, curriculum, instruction, and assessment coordinator for Ralls County R-II, said.

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Things we want you to know: Shared Connect Plan, Retail Installment Contract and number port-in required for all lines. Credit approval also required. A $25 Device Activation Fee applies. Valid for new accounts only. A Regulatory Cost Recovery Fee applies (currently $1.82/line/month); this is not a tax or gvmt. required charge. Additional fees, taxes, terms, conditions and coverage areas apply and may vary by plan, service and phone. 50% More Data for the same price as compared to published Verizon and AT&T Shared Data Plan pricing for current consumer 20GB and less shared plans. Additional data allotment valid for the first 24 months. Standard data allotment applies thereafter. $400 Switcher Incentive: Requires purchase of a new Smartphone with Device Protection+ and trade-in of an active Smartphone on former carrier’s plan. Limit one $400 reward per ported-in line. Traded-in Smartphone must be in fully functional, working condition without any liquid damage or broken components, including, but not limited to, a cracked display or housing. Smartphone must power on and cannot be pin locked. For in-store transactions: $150 Promotional Card given at point of sale with trade-in of Smartphone. Additional $250 Promotional Card will be mailed to customer within 6–8 weeks. Promotional Cards issued by MetaBank,® Member FDIC, pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. Valid only for purchases at U.S. Cellular® stores and uscellular.com. For online and telesales transactions, see uscellular.com for redemption details. Device Protection+: Enrollment in Device Protection+ required. The monthly charge for Device Protection+ is $8.99 for Smartphones. A deductible per approved claim applies. You may cancel Device Protection+ anytime. Federal Warranty Service Corporation is the Provider of the Device Protection+ ESC benefits, except in CA and OK. Limitations and exclusions apply. For complete details, see an associate for a Device Protection+ brochure. Kansas Customers: In areas in which U.S. Cellular receives support from the Federal Universal Service Fund, all reasonable requests for service must be met. Unresolved questions concerning services availability can be directed to the Kansas Corporation Commission Office of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at 1-800-662-0027. Offers valid at participating locations only and cannot be combined. See store or uscellular.com for details. Limited-time offer. Trademarks and trade names are the property of their respective owners. ©2015 U.S. Cellular

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A12 THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2015


(NEWS) “Everyone worked so tremendously hard. The students are diligent and work hard.” —HMS Assistant Principal Rich Pugh

HMS Continued from Page A1

to the building. HMS received a 45 percent in ‘13-’14. The school improved by 27.1 percentage points to 72.1 in ‘14-’15. Most of the gains came from improved performance on the English/Language Arts and Science portions of the yearly MAP tests. “I was so pleased with the scores,” Assistant Principal Rich Pugh said. “Everyone worked so tremendously hard. The students are diligent and work hard.” The greatest change at HMS between the two school year was the continued and focused implementation of data-driven decisions, according to first-year principal Matt Nimmo. The greater use of data has helped teachers provide specific instruction to students needing extra attention. “Learning isn’t finite,” Nimmo said in Melinda Kneib’s classroom on Monday, Nov. 2, as she worked with four students in a small group on math during the school’s “RTI” time. During Monday’s RTI time — Response To Intervention — most students read quietly or worked on homework while others worked with teachers in a oneon-one or specialized environment to cater to the student’s individual needs. In Heidi Tamerius’ class, a handful of students sat on the floor and worked together to answer questions on a math assignment. Nimmo said instructors will continue with faculty team meetings to determine “what’s working, and what strategies we need to work with.” Part of the data analysis on students involves “Star” tests taken five times per year on the computer. According the assistant principal Stephanie Utterback, the tests are “an adaptive test. As students get answers right, they will gradually get more

PATCHING Continued from Page A1

said. Smith said he and fellow employees worked hard to complete a long list of jobs before winter. Spring could bring the potential for even

difficult and vice versa.” “That shows where we need to meet them,” she said. Nimmo explained the Star tests, in practice at HMS for about the past three years, helps identify the specific needs of students so faculty can “directly give intervention on those students.” Pugh said an evaluation of Star scores leads to the compilation of a list of lower-performing students. Teachers can then collaborate on how best to instruct those certain students. The results have paid dividends specifically in science, where HMS went from earning zero points on that portion of the APR in 2014 to earning 15 out of 20 points in 2015. The focus at HMS doesn’t necessarily fall wholly on the students. Administrators have taken a greater role in the classroom, observing instruction more often. By focusing on four core indicators from the Network of Educator Effectiveness, administrators provide detailed feedback on how to more effectively teach. Teachers have “responded very positively,” according to Utterback. “We really focused on not giving them the score, but really focusing on the comments, feedbacks and suggestions.” The results have translated into big gains and positive momentum for HMS. The school fell among the top schools for improvement not just at the middle school level, but on all levels. Only low-scoring middle schools in the City of St. Louis and Riverview Gardens School Districts saw high improvement numbers from a year ago. After seeing the DESE data, Utterback offered this succinct summary: “Apparently, we’re moving in the right direction.” The scores reflect just that. Reach editor Eric Dundon at [email protected] .

more work — the company recently submitted a bid for crack fill repairs, seal coat application and striping for the nearby Huck Finn Shopping Center, Smith said.

Reach reporter Trevor McDonald at trevor. mcdonald@courierpost. com.

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is not the enemy. “The residents are not trying to fight against you, we are trying to fight with you. We want to work with you against the DNR (Missouri Department of Natural Resources),” said Janet Dietrich, one of three people addressing the Council Tuesday regarding the use of chloramines as a water disinfectant. Randy Park, president of the BPW Board, cited comments by Robert Bowcock during a public gathering in Hannibal on Oct. 12 as evidence that the BPW is not to blame for the chloramine controversy. The engineer, who warned that Hannibal residents could face health issues and property damage as a result of having chloramines in the water, advised those at the meeting that chloramine opponents’ “fight is with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.” Park urged unhappy citizens to grab their “pitchforks” and head to Jefferson City. “That’s where the changes need to be made,” said Park. Advised by Councilman Mike Dobson that it took the MoDNR almost a year to respond to one of the studies the BPW submitted for review, Rhonda Fogle, another of the residents speaking on the topic of chloramines before the Council, said that simply isn’t acceptable. “We’ll just have to wear them out. Irritate the crap out of them (MoDNR) until they do something. Burn their phone up... make them mad,” she said, noting it will take a community effort to achieve success in dealing with the state agency. While the BPW was not billed as a villain Tuesday night, neither was it given a free pass. Melissa Cogdal, another chloramine opponent, was anxious to hear what reviews of past engineering studies and activated-carbon options have revealed. Cogdal urged the Council to help ensure the BPW fulfills promises to make those findings public. “Help us hold the BPW to their word, that’s all I want,” she said. Robert Stevenson, general manager of the BPW, said he has not forgotten his vow. “I made that promise and I intend to keep it,” he said. “We don’t have any results to share. These things for some reason take time. We have to make contact

Anti-chloramine signs were on display during Tuesday night’s Hannibal City Council meeting at City Hall. DANNY HENLEY/COURIER-POST

with a variety of people, ask questions, wait for them to study and get back to us. Unfortunately nothing happens fast in this business.” Mayor Roy Hark acknowledged that other water disinfectant options may be available, but he expressed concern at their cost. “There may be alternatives. That remains to be seen out there,” he said. “I’m sure it’s going to cost us a lot more money. I’m concerned about the citizens that have to pay higher and higher water bills.” Park added the BPW constantly tries to balance efficiency with cost. “Unless you’re Donald Trump, or if you don’t pay your own bills, you are concerned about what things cost,” he said. “It’s our fiduciary duty as the Board of Public Works and city to make sure we can run an operation that meets our safety concerns and that we can all afford.”

Dietrich didn’t want to hear cost used as an excuse for keeping chloramines in the water. “If there was money for an unneeded, unnecessary recreational lake there has to be money for a better water system,” she said, referring to a proposed lake at an industrial park site in western Hannibal. One thing chloramine opponents and BPW representatives could agree on is that water standards are a moving target. “Chloramines are just a Band Aid,” said Fogle “The EPA is in studies now, coming up with different regulations. There’s so many unknowns. In two or three years down the road, we’re going to have to get a new (disinfectant) system.” “I can assure you whatever the DNR says today won’t stand for five more years or 10 more years. The game is going to change,” said Park. “We’re going to have to reevaluate things all the time and we’ll have to

consider the effect on this community.” If change to the city’s water disinfectant method is inevitable, Cogdal would rather see it occur sooner than later. “For the sake of our children and grandchildren, do not leave this for them to fix. Help our future generations have a step up in preserving America’s Hometown,” she said. “If the only reason it’s going to take years to fix is if we take years to fix it. Will it take time? Yes. Does it have to take years? Absolutely not. “If the Board of Public Works, city officials, and citizens of Hannibal can stick together I know that we can implement change quickly and peacefully. Then we can unite together and tackle the other needs in our community.” No action was taken by the Council. Reach reporter Danny Henley at danny.henley@ courierpost.com

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