Teachers urge board to protect planning time, expand collaboration and rethink CTE schedules

Several teachers used the public comment period to ask the board to protect dedicated planning time and expand collaboration opportunities, and to reconsider schedules that constrain career and technical education (CTE) instruction.

Heather Waters, the high school journalism teacher, described a planning load that she said left her grading and preparing “a dozen hours outside of school every week.” She told the board, “This year I have taught up to 150 students every day. My planning period is meant to plan instruction, grade student work, give meaningful feedback, reach out to families, track concerns, and meet the diverse needs of students.” Waters urged the board to “protect dedicated planning time” and to “prioritize collaboration among educators.”

Liz Anstine, a high‑school business teacher, echoed those points and recommended a mentoring model for new teachers that includes in‑day coaching time. She also said CTE courses are often confined to 47‑minute periods that do not fit hands‑on, project‑based learning: “CTE is built on hands on project based learning, and we're trying to deliver it in 47 minute class periods. It doesn't work.”

Both speakers asked the board to consider structural changes that would allow teachers time to prepare, co‑plan and support students' varied needs. Trustees received those comments during the scheduled public-input portion of the meeting; administrators noted they will continue conversations on scheduling and program alignment when developing next year’s master schedule and when adding new programs such as JAGK.