Neoga Board Approves Shorter School Day for Students

The Neoga Board of Education has approved a shorter school day for students.

Under the plan, students will be dismissed at 2pm during the coming school year.

Neoga Interim Superintendent Beth Pressler explained that the move will save $113,000 since substitutes won't have to be called in to help during planning periods. That's because all teachers will use the last hour of their work day as their planning time.

Pressler also said the district needs to give teachers more opportunities for growth and for group planning, something everyone taking their planning period at the same time will allow.

Pressler said the Board also endorsed the idea of a complete review of the district curriculum. She said the Math program is a case in point. Pressler said primary grades use one textbook, middle grades another, and higher grades still another.

Another consideration is that due to staff reductions, teachers who are certified for certain courses, but not necessarily currently familiar with what's being taught in that course, will have the opportunity to bone up. 

Pressler said a review of the curriculum will also get the district ready when they're financially situated to return some electives to know what should be offered.

The Neoga board also voted to recall a Special Education teacher, a first grade teacher, and three classroom assistants. Pressler said she feels fairly certain that Title I funds will be made available to finance the Special Education teacher and the assistants. As for first grade teacher Sarah Groves, Pressler said enrollment is driving her recall. Otherwise, there would have been 38 first graders in a class, a situation Pressler said wouldn't work.

Neoga board members formally seated newly-appointed member Shawn Finney to fill a vacancy, set registration for the coming school year for August 4, and rescinded an earlier motion to cut all assistant coaches. The Neoga Booster Club, after already committing to cover $44,000 in other sports expenses for the coming year, has now pledged to cover the cost of the assistant coaches.