USD 480 Addresses Teacher Shortage

Like many school districts, Liberal’s USD 480 is facing a teacher shortage days away from the start of school.  The teacher shortage is primarily affecting elementary schools.  The district has raised classroom size by several students for each class.  They also will be using about five student teachers as classroom teachers in the elementary schools.  Each student teacher will have a mentor who is a retired teacher from the area to help once or twice a week.  This is only a temporary fix as the district continues to look for teachers.  Two of the teachers are from Newman University in Wichita.  Newman allows student teachers to be paid so they will receive $7,250 for the semester.  Other universities don’t allow their teachers to be paid to student teach.  At the end of the semester in December, they will graduate from their universities and could be offered jobs.

The district gave the transportation department the OK to pursue the purchase of two activity buses to bolster an aging fleet.   One of the two big reds that need to be replaced has been in the fleet since 1988.

There are two open houses for new schools in Liberal this week.  Prairie View Elementary had an open house Monday with Eisenhower Middle School’s open house coming Tuesday at 4:30.

The district also renewed their license with Microsoft Office for $46,371.