[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-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",[32,75,87,99],{"_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":56,"_74":56},"mediaId",6164330,"mediaKeyId","5428816-1e4011aecf264bb50aea7b837a9e163d","parentId",5428816,"title","Deputy Superintendent Warns Senate Bill 3 Could Freeze Residential Tax Revenue; District Estimates $4.1M First‑Year Shortfall","audioSeconds",490,"startMs",1255000,"endMs",1745000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5428816-1e4011aecf264bb50aea7b837a9e163d&start=1255&end=1745","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5428816-1e4011aecf264bb50aea7b837a9e163d/thumbnail_1255000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6164330/Missouri/Deputy-Superintendent-Warns-Senate-Bill-3-Could-Freeze-Residential-Tax-Revenue-District-Estimates-41M-FirstYear-Shortfall","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6164330-989c7d35034c8381754d1b1f9f96d649/orig.mp4?Expires=1770810666&Signature=FjyGmLdzge8dXfHc7pkLEE9u22tikzBaLU5QUf-YYrN2FmbVVLad4k3qNCACeLZGp0Dw-7tb4wBUsNcRYZVILVXl4xuCQiVOx3cV7dVIni4FM9CBS00Nu1TurMsOTNyQV-NJKUdtrTOVO13MK7eBi7VAA5dGTS8Iq3O-fk98~IGm-EaRC0lIlYpuRAEnSS8KwmzAJMiZY3sr0z5qAhlD3ARi-yoJ3qa8ecuP68xpjfjC9frn4stXp7felsgNp1gb9yim3l7WiDsUHn-ewMfWiS0KuOqhRLd7Zs7MzwrnsQ3KUQ-CnvdfWflQakMVz-TcyblDVl5v3dRPqLW~cAwKGg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-07-19T11:58:53.973Z","article","Dr. Amy St. John, deputy superintendent of finance and operations, gave the Francis Howell School District Board of Education a first update on the 2025–26 school budget on July 17 and highlighted the potential local revenue impact of recently enacted state legislation referred to as Senate Bill 3.

St. John told the board that the district’s unaudited expected fund balance is about 29.75 percent as the current fiscal year closes. She said the district expects to transfer unused operating funds (funds 10 and 20) to the health fund and would present final numbers next month. Bond financials include roughly $4.4 million designated from unused bond funds and a second bond phase of about $19 million to be finalized in September. Technology deployment this summer has included distribution of roughly 4,000 devices, she said.

On state policy, St. John summarized Senate Bill 3 as legislation passed in a June special session and signed by the governor on June 14 that caps the assessed value of residential primary parcels at September 2024 data. She said the district’s revenue is heavily dependent on residential property tax and that in the district’s estimate about 75.8 percent of local tax revenue comes from residential sources. Because the Hancock Amendment and other aggregate provisions still apply, St. John said the tax bill could show a credit while the district would not realize the growth in assessed valuation. Based on the district’s modeling, St. John said a reasonable estimate of the bill’s first‑year revenue effect is $4.1 million, and she warned that continued inflation would increase costs while funding growth could “flatline.”

St. John also noted the district’s self‑insurance fund required a $6 million transfer last year to remain solvent; she said a rough target reserve for the self‑insurance fund is about three months of claims (approximately $7.75 million based on a $31 million annual baseline). She said the financial audit process is underway and that a formal audit report is expected later in the fall.

Board action and next steps: the board voted to approve the finance and operations report after St. John’s presentation. A motion to approve the report was made by Director Khrushcar and seconded by Director Harmon; members voted to approve the report. St. John said staff will return with updated numbers as audits and transfers are completed and that the bond second‑phase finalization will be presented in September.

Ending: St. John urged the board and community to consider the long‑term implications of a residential AV freeze and said district staff will continue to model impacts and report back in coming months.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","FHSD Board of Education Meeting-July 17, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Dr. Amy St. John, deputy superintendent of finance and operations, gave the Francis Howell School District Board of Education a first update on the 2025–26 school budget on July 17 and highlighted the potential local revenue impact of recently enacted state legislation referred to as Senate Bill 3.","taxTitle","Francis Howell R-III, School Districts, Missouri","taxId",13570,"location","Missouri","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6164335,"Engineers Identify Municipal Sewer Pressure as Likely Source of Odors at Renaissance North; District Pursuing Fixes",991,2423000,3414000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5428816-1e4011aecf264bb50aea7b837a9e163d&start=2423&end=3414","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5428816-1e4011aecf264bb50aea7b837a9e163d/thumbnail_2423000.jpg","/articles/6164335/Missouri/Engineers-Identify-Municipal-Sewer-Pressure-as-Likely-Source-of-Odors-at-Renaissance-North-District-Pursuing-Fixes","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6164335-659b50b4731096e5144a315adc93afe1/orig.mp4?Expires=1770810666&Signature=JvIXrxLjqGpKFi1QrmMfosQGo8BJ4y7F9TOoQbwkc2Fekjj8G97SlEiZUhpMUvd9ygTNMU3lvC5Mwc0~w5LnSeS2ahIpqam70-izwGlhJmE7-xxdf9wELblHK37dPJKmHY-RLtgt~hrGq5iIR5jewF4E3uWb0NhqkXEKsacNsy382nYr4iqBac8-oSK2txoALQEgIFADnn7zbImZFJHaGozxb9c4cbVdufQGkQ5R9MDMT8~ymKX3hnx8U1uHKBbB~iiMiUPSUknVT3Okix79WjBIbhbautLw1Vc7M9dvKKG2eCTsiD6ETXadyPdRMkSbw0moQBB6I9Ykz8ZE65eROQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Esme Wilson, a district staff member, told the Francis Howell School District Board of Education on July 17 that air monitors placed at Renaissance North have not detected hazardous gases and that recent engineering data points to pressure in the municipal sewer system as the most likely source of intermittent sewer odors in the building.

Wilson said the district has operated 10 air monitors for months and “they still have not read any, any dangerous elements in the building.” She reported occasional VOCs traced to janitorial waxing and propane-powered scrubbers, and said hydrogen sulfide and methane (LEL) readings have not been recorded.

The district also repaired roughly three minor plumbing breaks identified by smoke testing and re-tested the piping; the repairs eliminated any open plumbing pathways from the building interior, Wilson said. Engineers then installed manometers on five rooftop plumbing vents and recorded pressure readings at 10-second intervals for 10 days, producing about 87,000 data points. The highest recorded rooftop pressure was 0.10 inches of water column; Wilson said readings of 0.05 inches are comparable to the positive‑pressure standard used to protect immunocompromised hospital patients.

Those positive pressure spikes appeared both when the building was occupied and when it was empty, Wilson said, including overnight and on weekends. The pattern led engineers to suspect the source is not on-site activity but pressure transmitted back through the municipal sewer system. Wilson said the district has asked the municipality for information and that the next step is to place a manometer in the sewer main manhole to compare main-line pressure with the building readings.

Why it matters: if municipal sewer pressure is forcing positive pressure into the building’s plumbing vents, small plumbing breaks — which would normally be contained — can emit noticeable sewer gas into occupied spaces when the system is under positive pressure. That dynamic, Wilson said, explains sudden, short-lived odor events reported by staff.

What the district will do next: Wilson said engineers from McClure Engineering and Bax Engineering are developing options that aim to isolate the building from the sewer‑main pressure before it reaches the structure. Possible fixes discussed include installing a relief or trap in the sewer main upstream of the building connection; the engineers also prepared rooftop vent relocation drawings that remain under price solicitation from subcontractors. Wilson said addressing the municipal-pressure problem would be less costly and less disruptive than extensive rooftop piping relocations, and would avoid the long appliance of horizontal runs across the roof.

Timing and safety: Wilson said manhole monitoring in the sewer main will proceed over an upcoming weekend and that engineers expect to identify a technical fix in the following weeks. She added that because the district has capped roof vents and repaired the interior plumbing breaks, staff do not expect a recurrence of noticeable odors when students return in August, though an upstream repair before the first day is not guaranteed.

Questions at the meeting addressed feasibility and cost: a board member asked whether the building could be reconnected to a different sewer branch; Wilson said gravity and existing elevations make that approach impractical. Another board member asked who would pay for remediation; Wilson said that decision is under discussion with district counsel and the municipality.

Ending: District staff said monitoring will continue while engineering refines the preferred solution and seeks municipal coordination. The board received the update and had questions; no formal vote was taken on the technical work at the July 17 meeting.","Esme Wilson, a district staff member, told the Francis Howell School District Board of Education on July 17 that air monitors placed at Renaissance North have not detected hazardous gases and that recent engineering data points to pressure in the municipal sewer system as the most likely source of intermittent sewer odors in the building.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6164326,"Board Gives First Reading to Student Device Policy; Teachers and Directors Urge Clear Confiscation Practice",476,1936000,2412000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5428816-1e4011aecf264bb50aea7b837a9e163d&start=1936&end=2412","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5428816-1e4011aecf264bb50aea7b837a9e163d/thumbnail_1936000.jpg","/articles/6164326/Missouri/Board-Gives-First-Reading-to-Student-Device-Policy-Teachers-and-Directors-Urge-Clear-Confiscation-Practice","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6164326-0d76deab91b07cffa458e97823def56c/orig.mp4?Expires=1770810666&Signature=ZOy88F9o8jGcNsN0h3M1OmpIthQX7YTKQ-6hHe0XjJYJHb37sSQlk9E4vUunSUFMEA9jUVmWo3A97ETBfrbOCuAU9xE1jyUFLxwUd7dAOV-YSKjk5pvPn4raawFW94okfxsDsYZecVMGDzejbhgeXjr3r4kj7s6EhHI-HqSKmWp-M50iWtURsW9-MYiKM6yCjhiQnDN9NPAnU4u9LlqNT9~u70NP8t9Txpmh4XmL9C3dAGB7wzrznF-xCwiiTQOavj-G0nzqf8IkMLsrlN8RhiMC1Z0uE39rDX3CZCmkWvrFYDHoldPBMPHsruvCXWbWbQRnzhfKJVGQ6mps6oTg6A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Francis Howell School District Board of Education held a first reading of revised Policy 2656 on July 17, with district staff and board members noting much of the language is required by state statute and that the policy will return for a second reading and vote after an August open‑meetings training.

President Blair and staff explained that the district’s policy writer drafted language that closely tracks statute and that the board’s ability to change some provisions is limited by law. During public and board discussion, concerns focused on two practical points: whether the policy’s wording should explicitly list smart watches and eyewear, and how confiscation or device removal would be handled to avoid teacher‑student conflict.

A teacher who spoke during the policy discussion described a practice she used in a previous school where administrators, rather than teachers, retrieved discovered devices discreetly and kept them in the office until the end of the day; she said that practice reduced classroom conflict and preserved instructional minutes. Board members and staff said those kinds of daily practices could be standardized with building administrators even if not spelled out in the statutory policy language.

Staff also noted Senate Bill 68 and related statutory guidance constrains one‑size‑fits‑all, zero‑tolerance consequences and that discipline decisions may need to be handled case by case. Student discipline outcomes will continue to be recorded in the district’s student data reporting system, staff said.

Next steps: Policy 2656 will return for a second reading and vote after the district’s August 2 open‑meetings training; staff asked board members to submit specific questions between meetings. Separately at the July 17 meeting the board approved Policy 3510 by vote.","The Francis Howell School District Board of Education held a first reading of revised Policy 2656 on July 17, with district staff and board members noting much of the language is required by state statute and that the policy will return for a second reading and vote after an August open‑meetings training.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6164322,"Resident Calls Out Teacher Absenteeism, Urges District Review of No‑Cost Reforms",184,869000,1053000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5428816-1e4011aecf264bb50aea7b837a9e163d&start=869&end=1053","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5428816-1e4011aecf264bb50aea7b837a9e163d/thumbnail_869000.jpg","/articles/6164322/Missouri/Resident-Calls-Out-Teacher-Absenteeism-Urges-District-Review-of-NoCost-Reforms","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6164322-6dc82122db6ada5de6785e15f2b4d78e/orig.mp4?Expires=1770810666&Signature=gIFRcf53Kt93hjtkrE2e0rNfkD1LRyHIv-bk86okzDCRfpnyymo5rJ4odugWDxhzVzIv8Xyh6qhCjALoSq1K7RIjA7~aBf4EVYawQ6eDs~QwDE~4KjycPyhK3IX2xiLfQPHuQLCVpy7vKLv4QS6eQkInvnmC2ibvoyQlKmSJmzZ8QY~vex4z56fJo2LAsxGLKdeeXn-ydPkVt34zZg~6YSoXtqlN-A3guLYDz2~mFkxQgFUENt~YdKVv8DlAP4saAT~VfuROqztazXo5KAdLfn7maiqqWdsxhhXG2tTkOSxdpbVsgZWtj6oDQVo~rs0e3HxUNsUdzJFBrMZyTuGfHg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Carl Servey, a resident, addressed the Francis Howell School District Board of Education during the patron comments period on July 17 to raise concerns about employee absenteeism among teachers.

Servey said district data for 2022 showed more than 19,000 teacher days absent, which he translated to an average of about 14.5 absences per teacher annually and roughly 114 teachers absent on any given school day. He said those absences mean students are more often taught by substitutes and urged the board to adopt measures to reduce absenteeism; he said he had previously sent a three‑page proposal and urged the current board to retrieve an email he said was sent on Dec. 2, 2023.

Servey said his discussions with district staff member Mrs. Simpkins were constructive and that he believed some of his suggestions would not require additional district spending or reductions in teacher benefits. He asked the board to consider the objective of reducing absenteeism to increase time students spend with their regular teachers.

Ending: The board received the public comment; no formal action or staff response was recorded on the record at the July 17 meeting beyond the public‑comment opportunity.","At the July 17 meeting, resident Carl Servey presented 2022 teacher‑absence figures, saying teachers recorded more than 19,000 days absent and urging the district to revisit a no‑cost plan he shared in 2023 to reduce absenteeism and increase student contact time.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Deputy Superintendent Warns Senate Bill 3 Could Freeze Residential Tax Revenue; District Estimates $4.1M First‑Year Shortfall

Engineers Identify Municipal Sewer Pressure as Likely Source of Odors at Renaissance North; District Pursuing Fixes

Board Gives First Reading to Student Device Policy; Teachers and Directors Urge Clear Confiscation Practice

Resident Calls Out Teacher Absenteeism, Urges District Review of No‑Cost Reforms