By BRENT MARTIN
St. Joseph Post
As the first day of school approaches, St. Joseph school officials hope to fill vacancies.
School board member Whiney Lanning says about 20 teachers were hired this week with more teachers needed. Lanning, though, is quick to point out the St. Joseph School District needs more than just teachers.
“I think it’s important to keep in mind that not all those are classroom positions and the classroom positions are really taking priority right now,” Lanning tells host Barry Birr on the KFEQ Hotline. “The priority will be classrooms and then some of those positions on that long list of open positions are extracurricular positions, those types of things.”
Lanning says administrators feel the pressure, not just to fill vacancies before school starts this year, but to also address the long-term needs of the district.
“It’s no secret that there’re a lot of things in our district that need to be addressed and improved upon,” Lanning says. “So, they’re really tasked with getting ready for the school year and providing great education and support to our staff, like they would any other year. But then also coming up with strategies to improve the district long term.”
The school board also is asking district residents to get involved in the five committees that suggest policy to the board.
School board member Rick Gehring is a member of the Facilities Committee, which he calls a fiery committee, because of the emotions attached to all the various St. Joseph schools. Gehring says district patrons can have a voice in any decisions on the future of schools.
“I just think it’s imperative that, because they’re all going to be tough decisions coming down the road, and I think it’s imperative that we have a vision put out there for the community that here’s a tough decision that’s coming, but please look beyond it, because this is why we’re doing what we’re doing.” Gehring says during his appearance on the Hotline.
Board member Whitney Lanning foresees some tough decisions ahead.
“It is no secret that our district and the facilities that we are in have been largely neglected,” Lanning says. “Our feeder patterns don’t make a lot of sense. Our boundaries don’t make a lot of sense. I think that’s why you see the inequity between the enrollment of the high schools, specifically”
Lanning says the school board has kicked the issue down the road for too long and must deal with it.
Two school board members and three members of the public sit on each of the five committees: Culture Committee, Retention and Recruitment Committee, Academics Committee, Facilities Committee, and Finance Committee.
Click HERE for the St. Joseph School District website.
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