Normally the halls at Pratt and Skyline schools would be full of students the last week in August but with both school districts starting the year later to save money, only the occasionally teacher and custodian are in the buildings now.
With the extra time teachers at USD 382 have been doing professional development and book study.
As school time draws closer teachers are doing some cleaning and sorting in their classrooms. They are feeling the tug to get ready to go back to school, said Suzan Patton, USD 382 assistant superintendent.
“I think the teachers are ready to go,” Patton said.
Teachers are also preparing to deal with 10 fewer days during the year and 20 additional minutes added to the school day. To compensate for the shorter year, one staff development day was eliminated in the fall and some conferences were rearranged.
The new format will be under evaluation and observation as teachers make sure they get the same content taught and students ready for state evaluation.
A group of 51 students participated in a jumpstart session at Southwest to get them focused and up to speed. It’s a nice way to get them ready for the school year, Patton said.
“I feel very positive about the start of school. Hopefully we’ll get the kids up to speed and ready to go,” Patton said. “I’m very confident about our teachers. They are professionals and I know they will handle it well.”
Students will have to get used to a new day that now starts at 8:10 a.m. and ends at 3:30 p.m.
The district has worked hard to deal with budget cuts and at the same time preserve student learning time as well as field trips. They have made an effort to protect class size and teachers.
Meleah Schrepel, fourth grade teacher at Southwest Elementary has enjoyed the extra time for summer break and then to get her classroom ready for school.
She worries a little about how the young students, especially those in Kindergarten, first grade and second grade will handle the change to a long structured day after spending so many summer days doing very little.
Some grade school students will have to adjust to only two recesses during the day. Some students will miss morning recess because of physical education class in the morning, Schrepel said.
“I think they will notice that big time,” Schrepel said.
Classroom space has already become an issue. Since Haskins is closing its doors at the end of the 2010-2011 school year some parents decided to bring their students to Southwest this year and the district hasn’t constructed the new classroom facilities yet so there was not enough room for some students. Some special education teachers are feeling the space pinch with GATE, speech and ESL all sharing the same room. In another room, four staff members share the same space.
