Columbia Public Schools upcoming employment fair

By ROSELLEN DOWNEY

NEIGHBORHOODS@ColumbiaMissourian.com

Columbia Public Schools is having an employment fair on Saturday, Feb. 5. This fair will be at Smithton Middle School on West Worley Street between 9 and 11 a.m.

People who would like to apply for positions as teachers, administrators, counselors, media specialists, support staff office personnel, paraprofessionals, LPN’s and nurses should call 214-3422 to make an appointment for a screening interview. Those who are interested in being substitute teachers, working in nutrition services, custodians, working in specialized maintenance, technology assistants, playground supervisors and coaches should attend the employment fair and bring a current resume.

Applications, open positions and additional information can be found on the district’s human resources website.

Columbia Public Schools’ surveys measure need for social media

BY ROSELLEN DOWNEY

NEIGHBORHOODS@ColumbiaMissourian.com

COLUMBIA — For the past month, Columbia Public Schools have been conducting a survey to determine the public’s opinions on a variety of topics, including the district’s use of new media communications.

“We don’t currently do social media,” said Michelle Baumstark, communications coordinator for Columbia Public Schools.

Columbia Public Schools used a phone survey conducted by Kansas-based Patron Insight in addition to online community and staff surveys.

The Columbia School Board approved the cost of the 400-person phone survey, which was not to exceed $14,000, several months ago. Baumstark said the cost is associated with how many calls Patron Insight needs to make to complete the surveys.

The online portion of the survey features the same 26 questions included in the phone survey. These questions measure each respondent’s interest in Columbia Public Schools Television, the district’s newsletter and a possible district Facebook page and Twitter feed.

This survey is a part of Columbia Public Schools’ five-year Comprehensive School Improvement Plan. According to Baumstark, the survey looks at how the district communicates with those who live within its boundaries. She said the results of the survey may help them decide if social media are something they should embrace and utilize at the district level.

“I think it’s a very helpful process in building a stronger school district,” said Michele Clark, communications coordinator for the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

Baumstark said the district plans to conduct a similar study each year for the next few years as part of the Comprehensive School Improvement Plan.

The survey closed at 5 p.m. Friday. The results will be tallied and presented to the Columbia School Board at a yet-to-be-determined date.

Columbia College celebrates the season with holiday lighting ceremony

Chris Mazurek, a psychology professor at Columbia College, snuggles to keep his children Katie, 2, and Ben, 5, warm while they watch college president Gerald Brouder give the welcoming speech on Friday, Dec. 3, 2010, at Columbia College. | Photo by Taylor Glascock

By REN BISHOP

neighborhoods@ColumbiaMissourian.com

It was the first time Harper was going to meet Santa.

“He’s only one year old,” Ava Metcalf, 5, said of her younger brother.

Ava and Harper’s mother Jadria Metcalf is a student in Columbia College’s evening program. The college’s annual holiday lighting ceremony on Friday, Dec. 3, gave her family the opportunity to meet Santa and to see her home away from home, she said.

“Ava is always asking where I go to when I leave for class, so this is a great way for me to show my children where I go and for them to meet Santa,” Jadia Metcalf said.

STRIPES to take winter break

By ROSELLEN DOWNEY

neigborhoods@ColumbiaMissourian.com

Saturday night will mark the final time the STRIPES safe-ride program will be in operation this semester. Starting Dec. 5, calls and messages left at the program’s facility will not be returned, according to a news release from the program.

STRIPES will resume providing rides toward the beginning of the spring semester in late January. This fall it gave 9,000 safe rides to members of the MU community, according to the news release. It is within 5,000 of its milestone goal of 100,000 safe-rides.

Request a letter from Santa Claus

By SYDNEY BERRY

neighborhoods@columbiamissourian.com

The University YMCA is selling hand-written letters from Santa Claus for children. The letters will be signed by Santa and postmarked from the North Pole.

The $5 cost goes to support the University YMCA youth programs in Columbia.

The letters can be sent anywhere in the U.S.

To order a letter, click here, or email Julie Alexander, executive director, directly at alexanderju@missouri.edu. Orders need to be placed by noon on Dec. 7.

Magician to visit Columbia College

By REN BISHOP

neighborhoods@columbiamissourian.com

Do you believe in magic? Norman Ng, a magician who tours campuses nationwide, certainly does.

The modern magician will be performing at 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 9, in Launder Auditorium. Elizabeth Ball, director of student activities and leadership development, believes that college students will be intrigued by his show.

Missourian Readers Board

By KATHLEEN POINTER

Do you want to share your perspective on the community and the coverage it receives? Would you like to learn more about how your local paper operates? Join the Missourian Readers Board!

Last month was the first 2010-2011 Readers Board meeting, but it’s not too late to join. Meetings are the usually in the evening of  the third Tuesday of the month. Meetings last about an hour, and, yes, the Missourian feeds you.

For more information check out this invitation from Executive Editor Tom Warhover and information about last year’s board.

Contact Assistant City Editor Kathleen Pointer (kathleen.pointer@gmail.com) for more details.

Columbia College philosophy and peace clubs to host Gandhi film screening

By REN BISHOP

Columbia College philosophy and peace clubs have joined together to host a screening of Gandhi at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 6 in Brown Hall. The film will be a part of a four-hour presentation, including an intermission and free snacks for viewers.

The Philosophy Club has hosted several screenings of films so far this semester and its advisor Dr. Melanie Johnson-Moxley placed the film on the schedule due to an overwhelming interest in the film, she said.

Columbia College evening campus to hold celebration

By REN BISHOP

neighborhoods@columbiamissourian.com

Columbia College evening campus will celebrate its 35-year anniversary from 4:30 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 2 and Wednesday, Nov. 3 in the Atkins Holman Student Commons.

The evening campus was created in 1975 and provides the best educational opportunity for nontraditional students, Gerald Brouder, president of Columbia College, said.

The evening campus offers 25 comprehensive degree programs ranging from nursing to criminal justice. More than 125 courses are offered every eight weeks with more than 1,100 students attending each session, according to Columbia College’s website.

Patti Skinner, director of the evening campus, said she believes the campus has excelled due to the quality of its faculty.

“I think one of the reasons the evening campus has been so successful is that we have built a team of experienced faculty members, who have advanced degrees in the field they teach,” Skinner said.

Faculty members, students, staff and alumni are invited to attend the celebrations.

Rangeline Street closing for construction

By LAURA KEBEDE

neighborhoods@ColumbiaMissourian.com

Students and residents near Columbia College need to use College Avenue or Eighth Street to avoid sewer repair and construction on Rangeline Street between Wilkes Boulevard and Rogers Street, said Bob Hutton, executive director of administration services at Columbia College.

The city will repair sanitary sewer lines to keep up with the system to reduce costs in the long run, Public Works Department spokeswoman Jill Stedem said.

The construction will include new sidewalks, curbs and a 7-foot wide median along that stretch of Rangeline, and will be completed by the middle of December, Hutton said.