October 12, 2009

Nate Birt, news and online editor

Boonville Daily News
412 High St.
Boonville, MO 65233
660-882-5335

Pamela Jaeger, custodian of records

Central Office
Boonville R-I School District
736 Main St.
Boonville, MO 65233
660-882-7474

Dear Mrs. Pamela Jaeger:

This is a request for records under the Missouri Sunshine Law, Chapter
610, Revised Statutes of Missouri.

I request that you make available to me copies of the following records:

1. A copy of the Boonville R-1 School District’s protocol stating

that the principal of Boonville R-1 High School must edit all
content of The Pirate Press student newspaper before it is printed.
Boonville Superintendent Mark Ficken told the Boonville Daily
News on Oct. 2 that this protocol has existed for the past three or
four years. The document should indicate the day, month and
year in which the protocol took effect and the name of the person
or persons who authorized it.
2. A copy of all Boonville R-1 School District curriculum and
guidelines pertaining to the newspaper production class at
Boonville R-1 High School. The document(s) should indicate the
day, month and year in which the curriculum and guidelines took
 effect and the name of the person or persons who authorized
them.
3. A copy of all printed Boonville R-1 School District documents,
and all electronic documents on Boonville R-1 School District
computers, including but not limited to page proofs and PDFs,
related to the October 2, 2009, issue of The Pirate Press that were
created, edited, opened or printed from Sept. 23, 2009 to Oct. 9,
2009.
4. All electronic correspondence — including but not limited to e-
mails sent or received using district computers, and text-messages
sent using district-provided electronic devices such as cell phones
or pagers — between Superintendent Mark Ficken and
journalism teacher Stephanie Carey of Boonville High School
from Sept. 23, 2009 to Oct. 9, 2009.
5. All electronic correspondence — including but not limited to e-
mails sent or received using district computers, and text-messages
sent using district-provided electronic devices such as cell phones
or pagers — between Superintendent Mark Ficken and Principal
Jay Webster of Boonville R-1 High School from Sept. 23, 2009
to Oct. 9, 2009.
6. All electronic correspondence — including but not limited to e-
mails sent or received using district computers, and text-messages
sent using district-provided electronic devices such as cell phones
or pagers — between Superintendent Mark Ficken and Assistant
Principal Jeff Brackman, and between Principal Jay Webster and
Assistant Principal Jeff Brackman, from Sept. 23, 2009 to Oct. 9,
2009.
7. All electronic correspondence — including but not limited to e-
mails sent or received using district computers, and text-messages
sent using district-provided electronic devices such as cell phones
or pagers — between journalism teacher Stephanie Carey of
Boonville R-1 High School and Boonville Daily News publisher
Deborah Marshall from Sept. 23, 2009 to Oct. 9, 2009.
8. All electronic correspondence — including but not limited to e-
mails sent or received using district computers, and text-messages
 sent using district-provided electronic devices such as cell phones
or pagers — between Superintendent Mark Ficken and Boonville
School Board members Brenda Campbell, Charles Melkersman,
Bob Roach, Jeff Lammers, Chris Dowling, Ben Phelps and
Richelle Kluck, from Sept. 23, 2009 to Oct. 9, 2009.
9. All electronic correspondence — including but not limited to e-
mails sent or received using district computers, and text-messages
sent using district-provided electronic devices such as cell phones
or pagers — between Principal Jay Webster of Boonville R-1
High School and Boonville School Board members Brenda
Campbell, Charles Melkersman, Bob Roach, Jeff Lammers,
Chris Dowling, Ben Phelps and Richelle Kluck, from Sept. 23,
2009 to Oct. 9, 2009.
10. All electronic correspondence — including but not limited to e-
mails sent or received using district computers, and text-messages
sent using district-provided electronic devices such as cell phones
or pagers — between Boonville School Board members Brenda
Campbell, Charles Melkersman, Bob Roach, Jeff Lammers,
Chris Dowling, Ben Phelps and Richelle Kluck, from Sept. 23,
2009 to Oct. 9, 2009.
11. All electronic correspondence — including but not limited to e-
mails sent or received using district computers, and text-messages
sent using district-provided electronic devices such as cell phones
or pagers — between journalism teacher Stephanie Carey of
Boonville R-1 High School and Boonville School Board
members Brenda Campbell, Charles Melkersman, Bob Roach,
Jeff Lammers, Chris Dowling, Ben Phelps and Richelle Kluck,
from Sept. 23, 2009 to Oct. 9, 2009.
12. All electronic correspondence — including but not limited to e-
mails sent or received using district computers, and text-messages
sent using district-provided electronic devices such as cell phones
or pagers — between journalism teacher Stephanie Carey and
Pirate Press student staff members Emily Voss, Kaela Fritts,
Tiffany Pinkett, Nicholas Carey, Brandon Bader, Taylor Brock,
Caleb Bruckner, Markela Prather, Tyler Chipley, Eric Doogan
 and Samuel Paris from Sept. 23, 2009 to Oct. 9, 2009.
13. All electronic correspondence — including but not limited to e-
mails sent or received using district computers, and text-messages
sent using district-provided electronic devices such as cell phones
or pagers — to or from Superintendent Mark Ficken, and to or
from Principal Jay Webster of Boonville R-1 High School,
relating to student journalism or the teaching of student
journalism at Boonville High School from Sept. 23, 2009 to Oct.
9, 2009.
14. All electronic correspondence — including but not limited to e-
mails sent or received using district computers, and text-messages
sent using district-provided electronic devices such as cell phones
or pagers — to or from Superintendent Mark Ficken, and to or
from Principal Jay Webster of Boonville R-1 High School,
containing the phrase "Boonville Daily News" or a variation
thereof.
15. All electronic correspondence — including but not limited to e-
mails sent or received using district computers, and text-messages
sent using district-provided electronic devices such as cell phones
or pagers — among Principal Jay Webster and secretary Debbie
Draffen, secretary Jean Reynolds and activities director Chris
Shikles, all of Boonville R-1 High School, from Sept. 23, 2009 to
Oct. 9, 2009.

I request that all fees for locating and copying the records be waived.
The information I obtain through this request will be used in news
articles to help Boonville taxpayers better understand the function of
the Boonville R-1 School District and its government as it relates to
The Pirate Press student newspaper at Boonville High School. The
operation of the student newspaper is a matter of public interest
because the newspaper is 1) a part of the curriculum at Boonville High
School and 2) subsidized by the Boonville Board of Education,
according to the Pirate Press Web site: http://
www2.boonville.k12.mo.us/websites/piratepress.
Please let me know in advance of any search or copying the total fee
that I would be charged for copies of these records.

If portions of the requested records are closed, please segregate the

closed portions and provide me with the rest of the records.

Please be aware that according to the Web site (http://ago.mo.gov/

sunshinelaw/faqs.htm#header6a) of the Missouri attorney general:
"When a request is made for access to a public record, the records
custodian must allow access as quickly as possible, but no later than the
end of the third business day following the date of the request. Records
must be provided in the format requested, when available.

"If access to a public record is not granted immediately, the records

custodian must explain why the record cannot be produced without
delay and give the place and time the record will be made available
(Section 610.023.3)."

If any request for records identified I have identified is denied, please

state in writing the reasons for the denial, including the statute that
authorizes the denial. Please be aware that according to the Missouri
attorney general's Web site: "If a request for access is denied, the
custodian shall provide, on request, the reasons for the denial, including
the statute that authorizes the denial. The denial must be furnished to
the requester within three business days after the request is received
(Section 610.023.4)."

If Pamela Jaeger is not the custodian of records for the Boonville R-1
School District, please notify me of that upon receipt of this Sunshine
Law request and provide me with the name and contact information of
the current custodian, and I will be happy to redirect this request.

Sincerely,
Nate Birt

660-882-5335
nate@boonvilledailynews.com