From Deseret News archives:
Alpine distrcit considering year-round schedules
Called "productivity" or "efficiency" schedules, year-round and extended-day programs are usually intended for better use of school buildings, packing more students inside each year.
But now, "the underlying motivation here is different," Alpine Board of Education member Christine Hannemann said.
With Utah public schools facing a teacher shortage, the Alpine School District is searching for ways to boost salaries to be more competitive to those in surrounding states.
"We're able to compensate teachers at better levels," said Gary Seastrand, an assistant superintendent. "And that is one of the recommendations of the K-16 Alliance, it's saying (if) we're going to have people attracted to education, they're going to have to have a better salary."
The K-16 Alliance was a committee of education officials, including Alpine Superintendent Vern Henshaw, college deans and economists who studied Utah's teacher shortage.
The alliance noted that in the 2005-06 school year, there was a 1,400-teacher shortage and recommended five ideas to eliminating the shortage, including school districts adopting efficiency models.
Extended-day schedules require teachers to work beyond the 990 hours that's standard in Utah teaching contracts. They teach two classes in shifts during the same school day, combining the classes for subjects such as social studies but teaching the classes separately for subjects such as math and reading.
No Alpine schools are currently on year-round schedules.
"We have about two-thirds of elementary and all of our junior highs (on extended-day schedules)," Seastrand said. "And in the high school, when you talk productivity, we don't really have any specific model. What we have is we'll pay a teacher to give up one of their (preparatory hours) to teach another class. We call it an eighth (period)."
District administrators could mull other ideas for high schools, none of which participate in productivity schedules, such as year-round contracts offered to one or two teachers in each department.
"You could be looking at credit remediation," Seastrand said. "You could be looking at acceleration."
Recent comments
The Extended contracts are so few in Jordan and was something I...
Anonymous | Sept. 25, 2007 at 7:22 p.m.
I spent eight years teaching "extended contract" in Jordan District...
Retired Teacher | Sept. 25, 2007 at 3:52 p.m.
I'm all for paying teachers a livable wage. What I am getting sick...
Tricky D | Sept. 25, 2007 at 8:29 a.m.
- Photo: The Butler drilled it 12:37 a.m.
- Same old story for Jazz 12:35 a.m.
- Jazz game at a glance 12:32 a.m.
- NASA workers worried about future 12:31 a.m.
- Shuttle begins new mission Monday 12:31 a.m.
- Young Buck scores 55 in victory 12:30 a.m.
- Frogs shut down MWC's top rusher 12:29 a.m.
- Costly mistakes doomed Utes 12:28 a.m.
- Real Salt Lake: Game at a glance 12:27 a.m.
- Johnson fired up to burn old team 12:25 a.m.
- Apostle's wife felt comfort in attack
- Can BYU root for (ick) Utah Utes?
- Short-handed Jazz fly past Sixers
- D-Will home for daughter
- Utes excited for 'dream' game
- Bench proves fruitful for Y.
- Crash on snowy road kills woman
- Born of water and the spirit
- GameDay in Fort Worth
- BYU happy to escape with victory
- SLC council OKs gay rights policies
358 - Editorial: Mormons and gay rights
200 - BYU happy to escape with victory
194 - Senators want food tax restored
166 - Will state consider gay rights law?
148 - TCU plows past Utes, 55-28
134 - Can BYU root for (ick) Utah Utes?
130 - Letters: Strange breed in Utah
129 - Utes remain silent about BCS
120 - S.L. vote pending on gay protections
113
If you are looking for a bird on the cheap, the following specials from...
How do you handle kids and contests? Our oldest daughter, 7, is of the...
So Great!!! So Proud - Love RSL - Bring Home The CUP!!!!!
mr cannon's bold assertation that the purpose of the first ammendemnt as...
Great great great game!!!! Nicky Rimando is a god! We're the most complete...
I had the game on DVR and just watched it. That was the most exciting game...
financially cannot this year, but I will watch loyally, how great to hear...
This is hardly surprising. Bennett has a remarkable arrogance which is also...
I guess that is why "they play the game" as Herman Edwards would say.. ...
What was the score of the LSU vs LA tech game? Alot closer than you'd like to...
Has Fedor not said that THIS IS OUR YEAR all year long? Go back and...
This is just a small glimpse of the future with Obamacare: corruption, waste...
