Students at Bishop LeBlond High School continue to lead the state and national averages, even though this year’s average ACT test score was down from last year’s record high.

In a news release, officials said LeBlond’s class of 2016 earned an average ACT composite score of 22.3. That’s down 1.5 points from the school’s record high in 2015. LeBlond’s 22.3 compares to the 2016 Missouri composite average of 20.2 and the national average of 20.8, both of which were down from the year before.

LeBlond’s senior class average is at the 61st percentile nationally. This means for every 100 students taking the test, the average LeBlond student would score better than 61 of them.

LeBlond principal Jeff Sullivan said 80 percent of this year’s class scored at or above the college readiness score for English composition. The ACT College Readiness Benchmark is the score at which ACT officials say means students would have a 50 percent chance of earning a “B” or higher in college English composition.

Students at LeBlond can earn Advanced Placement or dual credit through English, math, science and social studies courses. Sullivan said the results continue to show that students who take the most rigorous courses at LeBlond will be best prepared for college.

“With 100 percent of the class of 2016 enrolling in college we really encouraged them to take the most challenging courses. We know that with the right preparation they will do better in college and be more likely to graduate within four or five years.”

Sullivan said the ACT scores indicate that for those students who took the most challenging courses, the top 25 percent of the class, the hard work paid off as they earned an average ACT of 27.9, placing them at the 91st percentile nationally.

Joey Austin has resigned as Director of Communications for the St. Joseph School District.

Austin was hired in October 2013.

“Joey has been an integral part of the administrative team and school district throughout the last several years. We thank her for her service and wish her the best in the future,” said Dr. Robert Newhart, Superintendent.

Austin’s last day will be September 30. The job for Director of Communications will be posted on the district’s website immediately.

A golf tournament this weekend will raise funds to benefit the St. Joseph Community. 

Golf Professional John Norman Miles is one of the organizers of the event which is sponsored by the Knights of Columbus Council 571, Knights of Columbus Council 5067 and the Ancient Order of Hibernians in St. Joseph. 

Miles said it’s the 26th year for the golf tournament which is known as the “4-Angel Scramble.” 

“We just decided that we liked the connotation,” Miles said. “Everybody has a lot of good in them. Sometimes we kid and say, ‘They have a little bit of the devil in them,’ but I think we have a lot more angel in us.” 

The event is not only a golf tournament, but a fundraiser for organizations in the community. 

“Our goal is to, number one, have a really good time,” Miles said. “And number two, raise a considerable amount of money to put back into the St. Joe community to those people and the areas that need it the most.” 

Miles said they’re hoping to triple the amount they’ve raised in previous years. 

“In the past they’ve raised a little bit over $2,000. This year our minimum goal is 6,000 and we’re almost close to that right now,” Miles said. “Each year we want to grow this event from a fundraising standpoint to where we have $10,000 or more eventually to put back into the community each year. A lot of times, this is a great time to run an event because, when you start to look at fall and winter, that’s when food kitchens, for instance, need some help. That’s when people actually start to get a little bit more depressed, unfortunately, with the holidays approaching and so there’s a lot of need in our community and it takes the people to make a difference.” 

Proceeds will go to help outreach programs such as food banks and youth education. 

The “4-Angel Scramble” has two starts at 8 a.m. and at 1:30 p.m. on Friday at the Fairview Golf Course. 

For more information call John Norman Miles (816) 232-9681.

The Maryville City Council gave a green light to a project to replace all of the city’s water meters, so water bills may be going up for many customers of the city utility, even though rates are not increasing.

The contractor, Schneider Electric, says the city is only billing its customers about 90% of what they owe. With the new, modernized water meters, officials say they can increase revenues by about $7.8 million over the next 15 years.

Officials say $3.6 million of that will be paid to Schneider. City staff told the council that the significant expenses will soon come due for the city’s drinking water system, and that collecting the additional revenue will be help them pay for them.

The new meters will also allow the city to read water meters remotely, from a central location, providing additional savings.

The City Council on Monday also agreed to place on the ballot a 5% bed tax on local hotels. If voters approve, the funds would help pay for a proposed special events center on campus at Northwest Missouri State.

Gov. Jay Nixon announced his appointments to the Northwest Missouri State University Board of Regents.

According to a news release from Northwest, they are Jerry Genochio (D), of Kansas City; Matt Kitzi (D), of Columbia; and Roxanna R. Swaney (R), of Liberty; as well as Student Regent Janay Orange. All four appointments must be confirmed by the Missouri Senate before they become official.

If confirmed, Genochio fills the Board seat of Robert Dowis (D), of Conception, who was appointed to the Board in January 2012 but never served because the governor withdrew the appointment. Kitzi fills the Board seat of James W. “Bill” Loch (D), whose term ended in January 2012. Swaney fills the Board seat vacated by Joseph B. Bosse (R), whose term expired in January, although he continued to serve through June.

Orange fills the seat of Ve’Shawn Dixon as the Board’s student representative. Dixon’s term ended Dec. 31, 2015, although he also served through the spring. The student regent is a non-voting member of the Board.

A 1991 graduate of Northwest, Genochio is the producing director for the Kansas City Repertory Theatre. Previously, he was production manager for Alabama Shakespeare Festival, PlayMakers Repertory Company and the Sacramento Theatre Company. He also was an adjunct associate professor for the Master of Fine Arts programs at the University of Alabama and the University of North Carolina. His Board term will end Jan. 1, 2017.

A 1997 graduate of Northwest, Kitzi is a partner with the law firm of Armstrong Teasdale and serves as co-chair of the firm’s emerging companies practice group and securities regulatory and litigation practice group. In 2005, Kitzi was appointed by then-Secretary of State Robin Carnahan to serve as commissioner of securities. He oversaw the Missouri Securities Division and led efforts to protect investors in Missouri, serving in that role until 2012. His Board term ends Jan. 1, 2023.

A 1984 graduate of Northwest, Swaney has worked for CenturyLink since 1999, serving in multiple positions within the company, including her current role as lead sourcing analyst. She is past president of the ArtsTech Board, a past president of the Institute for Supply Management-Kansas City and the former president of the Clay County Parks and Recreation Board. Her Board term expires Jan. 1, 2023.

Orange, a graduate of Oak Park High School in Kansas City, is a public relations major with a minor in criminal justice. She is active at the University in the Northwest Dance Company, the Student Activities Council, the Office of Muticultural Student Success and the TRIO mentoring program. She also is a student security officer with the University Police Department. Her term ends Dec. 31, 2017.

The nine-member Board of Regents is responsible for sound resource management of the University and determining general, educational and financial policies. Dr. Patrick B. Harr (R), of Maryville, serves as Board chair, and Francis “Gene” Dorrel (R), of Maryville, is its vice chair. Dr. Marilou Joyner (D), of Kansas City; John W. Richmond (D), of Albany; and Richard N. Smith (R), of Coffey; round out the Board.