Board approves one hour later starting time for Wellington High School for rest of academic year
by Tracy McCue, Sumner Newscow — The Wellington School board voted unanimously for the rest of the 2017-18 academic year to make Wednesday a later starting time at the high school so that teachers can attend staff meetings, which have been getting lost in the shuffle in previous months.
Since the first week of November, WHS has been testing an hour-late concept for Wednesdays only. Instead of starting school at the normal 8 a.m. start time, students arrive at 8:50 a.m. on Wednesdays. This way, teachers have time to attend staff meetings that previously were being held before and after school. Because so many on the staff have have had previous obligations during those times, meeting attendance have been abysmal.
So instead on Wednesdays, meetings are being scheduled at 8 a.m. and the classes would be adjusted accordingly the rest of the day — leaving out Cru-Con – a period in which students hold club meetings and there are individual teacher-student counseling.
Wellington High School Principal John Buckendorf told the board Monday night that the trial was an overwhelming success. According to polling, attendance is now up to 90 percent. Teachers are now much more well informed of the upcoming meetings, and collaboration amongst teachers have significantly improved.
“Best of all, I have received zero complaints from the parents,” Buckendorf said. “Everyone seems to like it.”
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In other business:
•Buckendorf and Kennedy Elementary Principal Stephanie Smith presented an update on the proposed Redesign classrooms which is a pilot program emphasizing individual learning in Kennedy and the high school. The program will not be initiated until 2018-19. A town hall meeting will be held Wednesday, Jan. 17 at the WHS auditorium to explain the project. Sumner Newscow will be doing a more detailed report in the coming weeks on the subject.
•The board approved American Fencing Co. in Wichita to replace fencing around the WHS Football field and around the new track.
•Assistant Superintendent Adam Hatfield said USD 353 has spent 30 percent of its overall budget which is where the school district needs to be at this time.
•Assistant Superintendent Special Programs Director Heath Peine informed the board that USD 353 is one of two schools chosen for a RSVP Grant by a Mental Health Association in Wichita. The grant would promote a link between elderly and the school district. The program is at no cost to the district, and would create a volunteer system at one of the buildings school district. Elderly would then apply to be part of the initiative.
•USD 353 is exploring academic coaching which is one-on-one mentoring program for teachers. Whitener, who was an academic coach in other school district, said the system will help assist teachers with lesson plans.
•Hatfield told the board that the USD 353 District office roof is going to need to be replaced. The board agreed to start the bidding process.
•The board was in executive session for five minutes. The consent agenda was approved thereafter.
