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TRENTON
THURS., AUGUST 15, 2024
REPUBLICAN-TIMES “GOD BLESS AMERICA”
Old Glory flying at Five Points
republican-times.com
16 PAGES
Established Sept. 4, 1864 - 160th Year - No. 50
Photo by D’Anna Honeycutt
TFD Responds to House Fire The Trenton Fire Department responded August 12 at 5:25 AM to reports of a house fire at 515 East 9th Court in Trenton.
When firefighters arrived, they found the rear half of the house completely engulfed in flames. Firefighters deployed two 1 ¾ inch attack
Photo by North Central Missouri Fair
TAKIN' IT SERIOUS----Tractor Pull action at NCMO Fair. Photo by North Central Mo Fair
Trenton R-IX Hands Special Services Reins to Thorne After twenty three years as a special education instructor at Trenton High School, Brenda Thorne has moved into the “captain’s chair” as Director of Special Services for the District. With a service roster of 179-students PK-12 and a staff of 12-teachers and 21 paraprofessionals, Thorne is a masterfully prepared professional whose job, as she sees it, “is to level the playing field for all students.” Students receiving special education services have long been stigmatized, categorized, and for many
years up until 1993, were segregated from the regular school classroom and other students in self-contained classrooms. The concept of “Least Restrictive Environment” and it’s operable process of “mainstreaming” identified where students needed assistance, where learning disabilities existed, but emphasized the social needs of all kids to belong, “It is so critical that students receiving assistance are able to interact, learn not just the communication and social skills with others, but the necessary work skills to transition
into trades, careers and even professional degree programs.”Thorne said. Thorne works in partnership with “Case managers” and administrative assistant Kim Suttenfield, who for 12-years has served in the role of facilitating the work of staff, making necessary appointments for students with therapy providers, and communicating rights and processes to parents. “I write evaluation reports for all PK-12 students receiving services.”Suttenfield says.”I schedule testing, score the results, and provide them back to our [See SPECIAL, Page 2]
Dont forget to check out all the fair fun and results inside!!
Back to School: A Conversation with Superintendent Daniel Gott The 2024-25 school year begins for teachers with a teacher workshop and inservice August 14. It begins for students on August 20. It began July 1 for Superintendent Daniel Gott, when the calendar clicked over the change of a new fiscal year. Gott wears many hats… visionary, CEO and CFO, juggling -programming, staffing and hiring, and financials with a deft skill, good political instincts, and a practical series of tasks which have everything in place when kids will make their way into the building
August 20 as the THS Marching Band and Drum Corps serenade them on the way in. “We spent a lot of the summer finishing hiring, and every year, you have some people who were committed who at the last minute withdraw.”Gott said.”That requires some hustling to get everything covered.” A very tight financial environment for the school involved dealing with limited new state monies, trying to navigate the landscape of salary schedules and whether or not to participate in the state’s $40,000
salary mandate program for beginning teachers. “We did not participate in the $38,000 baseline grant program,”Gott said.”The state would have provided 70% of those new monies for first year staff, but nothing for retained teachers who put in four, five or multiple years in the district.” “In 2025-26, the $40,000 mandate will be in effect for all schools, not optional, and we’ll have to figure out how to absorb that, and extend it’s benefits to everyone.”Gott said.”At some point, we have to be [See GOTT, Page 2]
ROTARY NEWS
Tom Witten, left, was presented with a Paul Harris +1 pin in recognition of his service to Rotary and contributions to the Rotary Foundation. The presentation was made at the Trenton Rotary Club’s Aug. 8 meeting by Past President Jackie Soptic, right. Submitted Photo
The Workforce Development Board of North Missouri was the topic of a program presented to members of the Trenton Rotary Club at their weekly meeting on Thursday, Aug. 8 at the BTC Bank community room. Jackie Soptic presided at the meeting, Joe MacDonald gave the prayer and Megan Taul was the sergeant at arms. Program Chairman Kristi Harris introduced WDB Executive Director Brent Stevens, who told about the programs offered by the organization, which is administered through North Central Missouri College. The current WDB was originally made up of two regions, but recently was consolidated by the state to serve a 34-county area, stretching from St. Joseph to the Troy, MO area near St. Louis. There are several job
centers located throughout the service area where individuals can go for assistance, however, Stevens said services can also be offered outside of the service center WBD provides a variety of services including job searches, resume and interview preparation, education and training programs and assisting dislocated workers with available resources to help them as they work to get back into the workplace. Assistance for such things as daycare, books, uniforms, etc., is also available if needed by workers for their employment. The WBD has also organized job fairs and employee training for businesses as well as working with businesses on apprenticeship programs on-the-job training. The WBD will be hosting a “Build My Future” program this fall in Bethany,
[See ROTARY, Page 2]
FLOWER SHOW PARTICIPANTS AT NCMO FAIR Photo by North Central Mo Fair
Check out the Farmer’s Market at Sesquicentennial Park Saturday morning from 8 - 12.