New Springfield school year starts Monday. Here are 8 changes to know
The new Springfield school year starts Monday.
Here is a quick look at some big changes — and new supports — in place for the 2022-23 year.
There are also some exciting events planned for the fall.
Here is a quick roundup of information aimed at helping families prepare for success.
Need free or reduced price school meals? You must apply.
School meals have been free to all students since the start of the pandemic but that has changed for this year.
The federal waiver has expired.
Families will once again have to fill out the short application and provide income details to find out if they are eligible for reduced price or free meals.
Those without an updated application on file will pay full price.
Busing, staffing issues continue
The district is still working to fill all of its classroom and support positions, which is not unexpected given the national teacher shortage and the competitive labor market, which has made it tougher to hire and keep support positions.
One area that continues to be a challenge: Finding enough bus drivers.
Planned routes to and from traditional schools — and some magnet schools — are safe but busing for three magnet programs will not be provided, at least for the first weeks of the school year.
Those include: AgAcademy, the Academy of Exploration and the WOLF programs.
Also, the Academy of Exploration — which started and spent the past eight years at the Discovery Center of Springfield — has moved to the Geek Foundation this fall.
More: Greene County district, unable to find a science teacher, shifts to online classroom
Bond projects, school construction wrapping up
The final projects funded by the $168 million bond issue approved by voters in 2019 are wrapping up. They include:
Rebuilding and renovating Hillcrest High School on its original campus
Constructing a new York Elementary on its original campus
Constructing a new Jarrett Middle School on a different campus
New gyms, that double as storm shelters, at Field and Twain elementary schools
In July, the school board reconvened the Community Task Force on Facilities to review building needs and determine if a future bond is needed and, if so, what projects ought to be included.
The original task force met in 2018, which resulted in the successful 2019 bond issue.
More: Proposal: SPS wants to name two high school gyms, one high school football field
New magnet school opens
The district will open the new AgAcademy on Aug. 22 on the campus of Missouri State University's Darr Agricultural Center.
The project, largely funded by the Darr Family Foundation, is the next step in a planned expansion of choice.
The district will explore other magnet options in computer science, language immersion, health and physical education, middle school fine and performing arts, at STEAM — or science, technology, engineering, arts and math.
The district also wants to increase access to the International Baccalaureate program and gifted education.
More: SPS contract with Student African American Brotherhood narrowly survives school board vote
New academic, career tools
This fall, the district will implement a new universal screener known as Galileo, which will give teachers a detailed look at how students are doing at the beginning, middle and end of the school year.
Students will have access to a new tool called Naviance to assess college and career interests and develop a plan to track their progress.
2023 SPS graduation changes
To help families and increase attendance, the district revamped the 2023 high school graduations.
They'll all be in the same day — a Saturday, for a change.
For years, the five ceremonies have been split over two days, a Thursday and a Friday, in early May in the arena on the Missouri State University campus.
More: Springfield Public Schools' high school graduations moving to single day — a Saturday — in 2023
New SPS strategic plan in the works
In the next four months, the superintendent and school board will be crafting a new plan for the future.
The strategic plan for the district, developed by the former superintendent and one of the existing board members — Denise Fredrick, the president.
The rest of the school board has been elected in the years since.
The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is requiring all districts to revise strategic plans to comply with the latest version of the Missouri School Improvement Plan, called MSIP6.
The state is asking Springfield to submit a revised plan by Dec. 15.
All-school open houses planned
On Tuesday, Sept. 13, every Springfield school will host an SPS University event.
The two-hour event is designed for families.
During the two-hour event, parents will be able to access resources, meet with school leaders, and tour the schools.
This is also a time for community members to visit newly renovated and constructed school buildings.
Claudette Riley is the education reporter for the News-Leader. Email news tips to criley@news-leader.com.
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: SPS schools starts Monday. 8 changes from transportation to graduation
