KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Hickman Mills School District is trying something new to boost student performance at one of its elementary schools.
"We looked at instructional time, needs to be improved," said Hickman Mills School Superintendent Yaw Obeng. "Quality instruction equates to student success."
Obeng hopes adding 32 days of school will raise historically low performance at Ingels Elementary School.
The school year will be extended this year, starting June 12th through August 3rd and will include a break in the middle of the session.
After another break in August, the rest of the school year begins.
Parents and teachers have responded well to the new plan.
"It actually gives teachers who want to extend their work throughout the summer, increases their salary significantly," Obeng said. "And it gives them an opportunity to stay with students for a longer period of time in terms of continuing their growth.
"I'm hoping that all parents kind of see the need in terms of their own specific student" Obeng said. "I mean as a parent, I would want increased instructional time and childcare over the summer, sign me up."
The school board made the decision in February to extend the school year and the change starts soon, going into effect for the 2023-2024 school year.
"We came up with this model for Ingels," Obeng said. "For a different school, we might look at something different, but this is a good model for us to start. And then, who knows where it will go from there once we learn some more."
