Post by title1parent on Apr 11, 2009 6:36:14 GMT -5
www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=284561&src=76
District 203 seeks options for art, music, P.E. teachers
By Melissa Jenco | Daily Herald 4/7/2009
Naperville Unit District 203 is exploring three options for making the best use of elementary art, music and physical education teachers who no longer have a full day of classes to teach.
What they choose could ultimately affect how the district staffs its enrichment program for gifted students.
Because of declining enrollment, some elementary schools have fewer sections and are therefore overstaffed with art, music and physical education teachers, according to Superintendent Alan Leis. Because of budget constraints, he said the district is looking to staff as tightly as possible.
The district recently notified four elementary music, art and physical education teachers along with seven assistants in the enrichment program that they might not have jobs next year.
Meanwhile, a committee of administrators and educators came up with three staffing options.
One option is to reduce the number of full-time-equivalent art, music and physical education teachers at schools with significantly declining enrollment and keep the enrichment assistants. This move would save about $120,000 but could cause some scheduling issues and lost instructional time with teachers having to travel between schools.
Another option is to keep the current staff of art, music and physical education teachers and assign them to work with enrichment programs and other small groups that fall into their subject area.
Enrichment assistants would be reduced by 50 percent, which would reduce staffing costs and allow teachers to remain in one building. But extra training would be necessary for the art, music and physical education teachers.
The third option is to maintain current staffing levels and assign the art, music and physical education teachers to classrooms where perhaps once a month they would relieve the regular classroom teacher to give that teacher extra time for planning, problem-solving and curriculum discussions. Leis said while this option would not provide much help to the budget, it may be a good instructional move.
He will continue to discuss the matter with teachers and make a recommendation to the school board in May.
District 203 seeks options for art, music, P.E. teachers
By Melissa Jenco | Daily Herald 4/7/2009
Naperville Unit District 203 is exploring three options for making the best use of elementary art, music and physical education teachers who no longer have a full day of classes to teach.
What they choose could ultimately affect how the district staffs its enrichment program for gifted students.
Because of declining enrollment, some elementary schools have fewer sections and are therefore overstaffed with art, music and physical education teachers, according to Superintendent Alan Leis. Because of budget constraints, he said the district is looking to staff as tightly as possible.
The district recently notified four elementary music, art and physical education teachers along with seven assistants in the enrichment program that they might not have jobs next year.
Meanwhile, a committee of administrators and educators came up with three staffing options.
One option is to reduce the number of full-time-equivalent art, music and physical education teachers at schools with significantly declining enrollment and keep the enrichment assistants. This move would save about $120,000 but could cause some scheduling issues and lost instructional time with teachers having to travel between schools.
Another option is to keep the current staff of art, music and physical education teachers and assign them to work with enrichment programs and other small groups that fall into their subject area.
Enrichment assistants would be reduced by 50 percent, which would reduce staffing costs and allow teachers to remain in one building. But extra training would be necessary for the art, music and physical education teachers.
The third option is to maintain current staffing levels and assign the art, music and physical education teachers to classrooms where perhaps once a month they would relieve the regular classroom teacher to give that teacher extra time for planning, problem-solving and curriculum discussions. Leis said while this option would not provide much help to the budget, it may be a good instructional move.
He will continue to discuss the matter with teachers and make a recommendation to the school board in May.