• Board Meetings

    Notices and agendas are posted before every meeting at the Central Administrative Office and on Board Docs. Minutes from meetings are also posted at that link. Meetings are open to the public and, EXCEPT WHEN HELD VIRTUALLY, take place in the Research & Design Center at 7539 Manchester Road, Maplewood, MO., 63143. During the summer months of 2022, meetings will be held virtually due to construction activity on campus.

    Next Meeting:

    Thursday, September 28, 2023, Community Roundtables first session, 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m., 1420 S. Big Bend Blvd. (Masonry Institute St. Louis). In-person meeting; registration required.

    Public Forum/Addressing the Board

    Monthly meetings typically begin at 7:00 p.m. with a public forum. PUBLIC FORUM IS ONLY AVAILABLE DURING THE BOARD'S MEETINGS ON THE THIRD THURSDAY OF EACH MONTH. Those who wish to speak during the non-virtual, in-person public forum will be asked to arrive early and sign in with the Board's administrative assistant. Comments are limited to three minutes per person and will be heard in the order of sign-in. Use the form below to sign up. For virtual meetings, commenters will be sent a video conference link in order to participate. Forms must be received no later than 4:00 p.m. on the day of the monthly meeting.

    Public Forum adheres to these guidelines:

    • Each speaker may be allotted up to three minutes for the statement. At the discretion of the Board president prior to the beginning of the meeting, the time limit may be changed to accommodate the number of speakers.
    • Speakers are not to address the Board concerning specific personnel issues at a meeting. A speaker will be immediately stopped from talking further if they speak about a personnel issue. Such issues should be addressed using the District’s established procedures for sharing concerns about school personnel.
    • While the Board does not directly respond to a speaker during public comment, the Board will address speakers in the following manner:
      • The Board President may make clarifying remarks at the end of the public comment session to address any misstatements of facts.
      • The Board of Education may also send a written follow up to a speaker to respond to their question(s).
      • The Board will not entertain public comments or questions outside of the Public Forum segment of the meeting.

    Some residents may be interested in directly presenting information to the Maplewood Richmond Heights School District Board of Education. According to Board Policy BBDH-1, all residents must first meet with the superintendent or designee to attempt to resolve issues unless the superintendent or designee waives this requirement. Meetings with the superintendent for this purpose shall take place within 20 days of the superintendent or designee receiving a written request to meet for the purpose of placing an item on the agenda. All requests must comply with Board Policy BDDH.

    By completing this form, you are submitting a written request to meet with the superintendent or designee for the purpose of placing an item on the agenda for an upcoming Board of Education meeting. 

Board Letter to the Community, June 19, 2023

  • To Our MRH Community:

    At the June 15, 2023 meeting of the MRH Board of Education, the Board heard from community members and staff who offered differing perspectives on the health of the District, particularly as it relates to teacher retention. The Board also received an open letter from community members expressing their concerns about District leadership. We value feedback from all stakeholders regarding the success and safety of our students and staff, and we thank those who spoke at or attended the meeting, sent emails in support of their positions, and met with individual board members. Your participation is critical to our work.

    According to the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s most recent teacher recruitment and retention report, the statewide retention rate for certificated staff at the end of the last school year was 88.1%. As of this writing, MRH’s overall retention rate for certificated staff is 86%: 94% in ECC, 80% in MRHE, 91% in MRHMS, and 84% in MRHHS. We unequivocally agree that these percentages must be higher. The Board is currently engaged in evaluating feedback from departing staff in order to make meaningful decisions to address retention and morale.  

    We acknowledge the organizational and cultural disruptions that come with new leadership. At the start of the upcoming school year, a majority of our district- and building-level administrators will have been in their positions for fewer than three years. We also acknowledge that their efforts to establish goals, guide staff, implement equitable systems, and improve student achievement – while responding to increased demands from the board and community, as well as Missouri’s new accreditation standards – are not best achieved through divisiveness, personal attack, and actions that directly harm students. Instead, we must leverage the tools and processes that have been designed for this purpose to productively support and grow our teachers and administrators.

    When the Board hired the current superintendent, we became aware that required administrative systems and staff accountability measures were not in place. Among other issues, administrators and some staff had not had formal performance evaluations in several years, despite a Board policy requiring the same. We understand that changes to the status quo – which include holding ourselves as Board members more accountable – can produce discomfort. However, going forward, all staff will receive performance evaluations from their supervisors based on clear expectations for skills and behavior. “High quality” in our roles will not be defined exclusively by degrees and previous accolades; it must include demonstration of commitment, will, and dedication to student growth. 

    Our district is characterized by its innovative spirit, distinctive culture, and unique building-level metaphors. We strive to be a welcoming place where students find themselves and their purpose, and where their individual identities are celebrated. But we can and must do better for all students. They have told us through surveys that they want more enrichment, a more inclusive school environment, improved building culture, and a greater sense of safety and respect. Their achievement data demonstrates that we need to do more to prepare them for college and careers. 

    Over the last decade, as the District has become less racially and socioeconomically diverse, the Board has reviewed data showing significant disparities in academic achievement, well-being, and disciplinary action between students who identify in the majority and those who do not. The Board is embracing its obligation to improve learning, increase safety, and ensure belonging for students who are marginalized based on their race, LGBTQ status, disability, and socioeconomic status. We are also committed to increasing safety and belonging for our marginalized staff. We will not shy away from confronting the corrosive impact that systemic racism has on every school district, including our own.

    The Board is accountable for District outcomes. As such, we will continue to review data, establish goals, and direct resources to support performance standards for the District as a whole and for the Superintendent as the Board’s sole employee. The Superintendent will set goals, with oversight from the Board, for herself and her eleven direct reports in alignment with the district’s newly adopted strategic plan. Their collective progress toward these goals will be regularly reported at Board meetings and on the District’s website.

    We invite our community to help us find common ground in creating solutions to the challenges that we face. This Board is unified in its support of the Superintendent, the central office administrative team, the building leadership teams, and all certificated and support staff. Together, we work in service of our students. We encourage you to participate with care and respect in advancing the district’s goals and reinforcing our core values of belonging, inspiration, courage, integrity, and success for all students and staff. 

    Please connect with us directly, or consult the resources available through the board web page and MRH BoardDocs. Our new strategic plan and forthcoming community engagement plan will provide many opportunities for you to join in this work, have your voice heard, and use your perspective to shape the future of MRH.

    In service,

    Amber Withycombe, president, amber.withycombe@mrhschools.net

    Brandi Herndon-Miller, vice president, brandi.herndon-miller@mrhschools.net

    Katie Kaufmann, secretary, katie.kaufmann@mrhschools.net

    Rachel Goltzman, treasurer, rachel.goltzman@mrhschools.net

    Linda Robinson, director, linda.robinson@mrhschools.net

    Christy Martinez, director, christy.martinez@mrhschools.net

    Joshua Miller, director, joshua.miller@mrhschools.net