[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6239388,"mediaKeyId","3337877-c9df8df9bd0c59a56bebc2dd934ab4c0","parentId",3337877,"title","Candidates for Saint Joseph school board debate long-range plan, Hilliards expansion, teacher pay and attendance","audioSeconds",2389,"startMs",548000,"endMs",2937000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3337877-c9df8df9bd0c59a56bebc2dd934ab4c0&start=548&end=2937","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3337877-c9df8df9bd0c59a56bebc2dd934ab4c0/thumbnail_548000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6239388/Missouri/Candidates-for-Saint-Joseph-school-board-debate-long-range-plan-Hilliards-expansion-teacher-pay-and-attendance","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6239388-e045b3f4d996214deb52857f196bff3d/orig.mp4?Expires=1770660127&Signature=SjDnLGAzoVDVZPgXxg-oMD0lkN1jJHxWJR3j4rY2QvVwbze9HBrrxrrXBDZyJruyucbDzLLWsHPOXvMCA7EBZY207ZD3sJv2lUr5h50nECHczmeb8KFV8GO49trTsKo8KzrfcGHgpMTUaHKyPGQUhff70ABcgMqZE14VMzGsUmAPs5kkotthUZiXC3ecp-SQi3yGaxZyRb9lWS2NWRD-vxBtZyDEZVYId1GgFfMydfR5s-oPUEEYKcRxu8SVQNXt1v0OV2w34gKBOdgYQIbL4cwGDzcSNwv2IokiqGOWlAgVkCa83FaHCBsynHIEgNPq9xpKu5CI5L5EA0hpGh7~8w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","St. Joseph School District","date","2025-05-15T02:51:52Z","article","Candidates for a Saint Joseph School District board vacancy used their interview time to outline priorities and respond to the board’s long-range planning questions, with several recurring themes: support for a long-range facilities plan contingent on clear implementation details, interest in expanding career-technical options at Hilliards, and a focus on teacher recruitment, retention and student attendance and behavior.

Tom Richmond, one of the applicants, said he supported the district’s long-range plan in concept and emphasized that implementation would require multiple steps and continued community engagement. Richmond said, “I do support the long range plan,” and added that a clear implementation path and community buy-in would be essential.

Cassandra Steele (appearing as Miss Steele in the transcript) also said she supported the long-range plan and described the district as “a two-high-school town,” arguing the two-high-school model would provide sufficient size to offer a broader set of courses and electives. Several other candidates raised similar concerns about unequal opportunities across the current high schools and stressed the need for feeder-system planning and more information on how staff would be assigned under any reconfiguration.

Hilliards, the district’s career-technical center, drew consistent praise. One candidate called for a plan to “double Hilliards in the next 10 years,” noting local manufacturing demand and the potential for graduates to enter high-paying skilled trades immediately after completion of programs.

Teacher recruitment and retention was a frequent topic. Candidates recommended improving communication with the community, investing in teacher pay and tools, and removing nonteaching tasks that pull staff away from instruction. Several applicants also identified student attendance, behavior in classrooms and early-childhood readiness as key drivers of test scores, graduation rates and long-term outcomes; one candidate recommended expanding early learning centers to strengthen readiness and attendance.

Candidates repeatedly asked for more and clearer data on enrollment, building capacity and projected class sizes if reconfiguration occurred; the transcript records multiple references to district enrollment having declined from roughly 11,000 to about 10,000 students, a change candidates said must inform facilities and staffing decisions.

None of the candidates proposed binding changes at the meeting; the discussion functioned as part of the selection interview and provided the board with a record of each candidate’s priorities and concerns. The transcript shows the board asked follow-ups about how candidates would communicate plans to the public and how they would work with current board members to achieve cohesion.

The candidates’ remarks supplied the board with a range of community-focused proposals but did not produce formal policy decisions during this meeting. Board members and staff signaled they would use interview content, scoring and administrative steps to select an appointee and then address policy and implementation through regular board processes.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","May 14, 2025 Special Board of Education Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","Multiple applicants interviewed by the Saint Joseph School District Board of Education discussed the district’s long-range plan, two-versus-three high school proposals, the Hilliards workforce-education center, teacher recruitment and retention, attendance and student behavior during the board’s candidate interviews.","taxTitle","St. Joseph, School Districts, Missouri","taxId",13572,"location","Missouri","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6239393,"Saint Joseph School Board selects Tom Richmond to fill vacancy",54,1441000,1495000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3337877-c9df8df9bd0c59a56bebc2dd934ab4c0&start=1441&end=1495","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3337877-c9df8df9bd0c59a56bebc2dd934ab4c0/thumbnail_1441000.jpg","/articles/6239393/Missouri/Saint-Joseph-School-Board-selects-Tom-Richmond-to-fill-vacancy","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6239393-a32b3b16f407295d2be0984a2aedbf5e/orig.mp4?Expires=1770660128&Signature=aTl7l0E8Q~Pa9Kcq8dcGAbI2066kbge6cViwsB17BY5i7bAQXjAtPbWrKrZTUETMTpSt2D8gAL2dMYlgqTfVl6If~RFbFq03khNckrs74m--01tbU8Cn0rOdnu1GnZDasxszNwnOOGP1rcxxaqqZh4EnQjpgSFrbTB5VgWPd87lp1uGwHzw0nLZ-8yCS1Cf67AqTDSY2MriwwLGauEmRrqODkx-lanGH1k~TQ7ukorbQpZAmB9-VbuOqOCKjGP3gP7s4xGg2UQq23I5RseYbIMWxuyX68jixnHbzKV1Y6nuEOaiqUHC40245EuKjw1aR9IP-2~mHWgbNB3~xEpLRTQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Saint Joseph School District Board of Education selected Tom Richmond to fill a board vacancy at a special meeting, announcing the choice after a scored interview process of applicants.

Board members ran a candidate interview process in which each applicant answered up to 10 questions with three minutes per answer; the panel used a numerical scoring system (1 ranked highest, 5 lowest). After scores were tabulated, the board announced that Richmond had the lowest aggregate score and was the selected candidate. At the conclusion of the announcement a board member asked whether the district could \"install him tonight,\" and staff indicated paperwork and a signature were needed.

The selection followed a multi-candidate interview session held during the meeting. Board members and staff explained the interview format before candidates were called to respond. The transcript shows the panel emphasized the ten-question format and that candidates would wait in the hallway until called. The meeting minutes and transcript do not record a separate roll-call vote adopting the appointment; the selection was announced based on the scoring results.

Later in the same meeting the board voted unanimously to enter a closed session under state statutory authority cited on the record (transcript reference: \"RSMO 6 10.03 and 13\"). The board recorded the motion and a roll-call of members present showed a 7-0 vote in favor of going into closed session.

The board did not set or announce an effective date for Richmond’s term during the portion of the meeting captured on the transcript. The transcript does show staff indicating that a signature and paperwork remained as administrative steps for finalizing the appointment.

The appointment closes the interview process the board conducted at the special meeting; the board indicated it would record any additional administrative steps in district records.

(Reporting note: the meeting transcript does not state an exact calendar date for the meeting; the article uses the meeting context provided in the transcript.)","After interviewing multiple applicants, the Saint Joseph School District Board of Education selected Tom Richmond to fill a current board vacancy using a scored interview process; the board also voted to enter closed session later in the meeting.","actionData","errors"]

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Candidates for Saint Joseph school board debate long-range plan, Hilliards expansion, teacher pay and attendance

Saint Joseph School Board selects Tom Richmond to fill vacancy