Keeping Our Teachers

By:  Ernie Wren

  With an increasing number of Mid-Missouri schools switching to a 4-day school week, and surrounding districts paying higher salaries, Southern Boone may rapidly find itself struggling to recruit new teachers and retain those currently employed.  Sturgeon public schools went to the shortened week format during the 2020/2021 school year, while the Hallsville school district board voted to move to a 4-day school week for the 2022/2023 school year.  Harrisburg has operated on a 4-day school week since 2012 with administrators, teachers and parents strongly in support of the new format.  Meanwhile, starting teacher pay in Columbia Public Schools has been increased to $40,250 for the 2022/2023 academic year.

Southern Boone is viewed as highly desired school district in which there is a high level of safety and a very positive learning environment.  There is a great level of support shown to teachers by school administrators, parents and the public in general. This past year, there were some challenging leadership issues facing the school board, but following the April 2022 school board election, that seems to have mostly been resolved.  In previous interviews, new school district superintendent Dr. Tim Roth emphasized that while the 4-day week would likely come before the school board for consideration, it would ultimately involve considerable research and patron/parent input before any decisions are made.

See more in this weeks Boone County Journal