Wednesday night saw a special meeting for the Manhattan Ogden school board as they continue to examine the options before them on the school schedules.
The board has already held the public hearing for the high school schedule and has decided more discussion is needed for that item. Wednesday was the time for concern for the elementary schedule.
In December three options were presented. Option A, which was deemed “the best” by the working group, “increases individual planning time within the school day to 330 minutes per week, provides for one 60 minute period each week for grade level collaboration within the school day, provides for four days of building professional development, three days of district professional development, and includes eight early releases for collaboration”. Option B, which was deemed “a better option”, “increases planning time within the school day to 330 minutes per week, provides for four days of building professional development, three days of district professional development, and includes eight early releases for collaboration”. Option C, which is “a good” option, “increases planning time within the school day to 330 minutes per week, provides for three days of building professional development, three and one-half days of district professional development, and includes seven early releases or half-days for collaboration”.
Administrators, teachers and community members were in the audience for the meeting and a few even stepped forward to talk with the board.
Carolyn Scott, Clinical Instructor and Assistant Principal at Northview Elementary school, pleaded with the board to consider Option A.
Michella Jackson, a 3rd grade teacher at Woodrow Wilson, walked the board through a normal planning time she had, which included taking her students to music, checking her mail, making copies, talking with another teacher concerning a student, emailing the parents, going through emails, and then when all was said and done set up for a science experiement and read over the lesson plan.
Jackson concluded stating, “I didn’t have enough time during that kind of planning time.”
Doug Messer, Director of Transportation, also brought before the board how some of the changes would impact his department.
Messer explained that the majority of his staff is part time and with some of the changes there would need a bigger fleet and/or more staff.
After listening to comments, Dave Colburn, board president, adjurned the meeting and mentioned that the next opportunity to discuss these items will be on February 6 during a work session.
