Jasper Schools seek input on schedule changes - KOAM TV 7

Jasper Schools seek input on schedule changes

The Jasper, Missouri school superintendent is seeking feedback on the possibility of changing the district's schedule.

Surveys are going to staff and community members on ways to create more time for professional development for teachers.

One option is a four day school week, leaving two Monday's each month for teacher training.  But even the superintendent says its disadvantage is loss of student contact.

Another option is extending each day eight minutes, eliminating seven early dismissal days.  That shortens the school calendar from 174 days to 166, giving more time for teacher work days.

"I tell people every decision we make should be based on what's best for kids," says Superintendent Rick Stark.  "If we have teachers more prepared for classroom or more collaboration among each other, do more data analysis on test scores, that kind of thing, you're only going to win in the end as far as basically approving instruction and in turn increasing student learning."

Stark says with increasing expectations from the state and federal government to improve scores and student performance, professional development for teachers is more important than ever.