SIDEBAR: Q&A from Nodaway-Holt forum

GEOFFREY WOEHLK/THE FORUM
Sixth grade teacher Erin Fent, left, and first grade teacher Katie Falconer, right, fielded questions from constituents during a public forum held last week to discuss a four-day school week aimed at increasing teacher recruitment and retention. Fent, who taught with a four-day school week previously in her career at Lathrop R-II, said students would be able to adjust to the new routines.

GRAHAM, Mo. — Although most of the questions and comments at last week’s Nodaway-Holt community forum were more focused on the district’s decision-making process, there were still some questions about what a four-day week would look like and how it would function.

Below are some of the questions from community members along with ones preemptively addressed during the presentation by district officials.

Q: What’s the root cause of losing teachers?
The prime reason for adopting a four-day school week is to increase teacher recruitment and retention. So, some questioners wondered, why are teachers leaving Nodaway-Holt?

Superintendent Jeff Blackford said that based on exit interviews, it’s almost always a combination of factors, usually having to do with a life change that makes moving to a different community an attractive option.

Q: What will happen with the extra time during school?
Elementary School Principal Shawn Emerson said that the elementary school will not change recess or specials times, and field trips would take place on school days, not Mondays.

“We know that kids need downtime, especially if we do extend their day like 26 minutes,” Emerson said. “We still understand that they may need those instructional breaks from their school day.”

Currently, the elementary uses 90-minute blocks for both reading and math instruction, and this year added a 30-minute block for math. None of that would change, either.

Instead, Emerson said the elementary would likely expand science and social studies times, which they alternate each quarter.

“With the additional almost 30 minutes, we would be able to teach science and social studies concurrently throughout the year,” Emerson said. “(Teachers) are excited for that because they feel there are some standards that they don’t really get to teach as strongly just because of the time constraints.”

Q: Will there be enough time in a four-day week to learn what’s needed?
Blackford pointed out that the proposed four-day calendar would only be three hours less than a typical five-day schedule, so the adjustment wouldn’t have to be too earth-shattering.

“I think it’s just gonna be, if we’re professional educators and that’s what we’re asked to do, we’ll have to figure it out,” said English teacher Loren Messer. “And we’ll do that.”

Q: Will kids, especially younger ones, be able to adjust to a longer day?
Emerson said that they would be on the lookout for adjustments that might be needed to help younger children get through another 26 minutes, including adding a snack.

“I think that as a teacher you have to … set up your expectations at the beginning of the year, and if you have that good rapport with the students, they’re going to meet you where your expectations are,” said sixth grade teacher Erin Fent, who taught at Lathrop R-II during a transition to a four-day schedule. “And I think that they will.”

Q: How will students get to practices and games on Mondays?
High school Principal Michael Hollingsworth said buses will run to designated pickup locations at the Skidmore ballfield, the elementary school in Maitland and the high school in Graham for practices and games on Mondays. For practices, students will be dropped off at those locations as well. For away games they will be dropped off at the same locations and for home games they will be responsible for their own transportation home, as usual.

Q: Why Mondays?
Mondays were selected as the day off for the week because most federal holidays are observed on Mondays. At West Nodaway’s forum two weeks ago, Superintendent Mitch Barnes said his district was out of school on Mondays nearly a quarter of the time over the past three years.

Q: Why does the school board want to approve the calendar by the end of the February? What’s the rush?
Blackford said that the district would like to have the calendar approved in February because teacher contract offers are typically made in March. Making the decision one way or the other in February means that teachers, both those at Nodaway-Holt and elsewhere, would know what to expect when considering a contract offer.

Q: Will Nodaway-Holt increase support staff pay or hours to compensate for time lost?
Blackford said board members have not made any decisions about this yet, and it will likely be handled on a case-by-case basis.