District Administration - October 2006 - (Page 65)

RURAL SUCCESS Professional devel- opment and a nearby city are draws for Newtown Kan. Public Schools teachers. lity We try to make the environment as positive as possible. John Morton, superintendent, Newtown Kan. Public Schools USD 373 because there is not always a recipro- ers had submitted under the wrong and other perks, such as facilitating ca l agreement between states when it category and others were reassigned home loans. But Morton says health comes to licensing teachers. He sug- to an area in which they would be insurance is an issue and they have gest s it would help everyone if there highly qualified. Not a lot of people lost some candidates because if it. were a common metric in place for all are teaching out of subject, he says. He hopes it will be addressed in the states when it came to licensing. The district also sponsored profes- next budget. Once they fi nd highly qualified siona l development opportunities and Tech nolog y is a key to change, teachers, they work hard to keep paid for ELL endorsements. They Morton says. The district is looking them. The district has a mentoring also take more care in reviewing an into online learning options, and program in place where a mas- applicant's qualifications during the he says all the districts are going to ter teacher is teamed with a new hiring process. have to be more involved in sharing teacher. We recognized the need Mor ton attributes at least part of resources. to provide as much support for new their ability to attract HQTs to the employees as possible, Morton says, district's location 30 miles north of adding that research shows most Wichita. The proximity to the high- NEW TOWN PUBLIC teachers leave during the fi rst five way gives teachers mobility, with SCHOOLS USD 373 years. The district also provides two-thirds living in the district and www.newton.k12.ks.us /home ongoing professional development, one-third outside. 12 schools covering has a full-time grant writer, instruc- T he district has put more money three communities with t iona l coaches for reading and math, and time into recruiting efforts. a population of 20,000 wireless labs in every building and Representatives attend job fairs, post 3,700 preK-12 students a computer for every teacher. We positions online and maintain good try to make the environment as relations with the local colleges and 325 teachers positive as possible, he explains. He universities. Everybody wins when 55% free & reduced lunch describes salaries as middle of the universities host recruitment fairs for All schools have made AYP range compared to other districts the school districts, he points out. for the last 3 years the same size. The board has dis- Although the district consid- 98% HQT c ussed incentive pay for hard-to-fi ll ers applicants from out of state, it positions, such as special education, does not actively recruit out of state October 2006 65 www.DistrictAdministration.com rural.indd 65 9/15/06 1:52:08 PM http://www.newton.k12.ks.us/home http://www.DistrictAdministration.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of District Administration - October 2006

Table of Contents
Editor's Letter
Snapshots
Update
Inside the Law
Curriculum Update
Administration Profile
District Profile
Disaster Recovery
Tech Trends
COVER STORY: The Chicago Team
Out Is In
Algebra's At-Risk Solution
Rural Quality
Struggling Readers
The Online Edge
Speaking Out
Principal Opinion
Problem/Solution
Research Corner
Leadership Books
New Products
By the Numbers

District Administration - October 2006