JENKS, Okla. — Summer is over, and students at Jenks headed back to the classroom for the first time this year.
“This is excitement and with the energy that’s building with having students back on campus,” said Superintendent Dr. Stacey Butterfield.
2 News Anchor Naomi Keitt talked with Dr. Butterfield about a variety of issues heading into the new school year
WHAT’S NEW:
Thousands of students will soon walk through the doors for the first time this school year but the time they get to school will be a bit different.
“We are lengthening our school day and shortening the length of the school year,” said Dr. Butterfield.
Starting 10 minutes earlier and ending 5 minutes later will make the summer break a bit longer. It’s a change for students at every school site. New School Start/End Times for 24/25 | Jenks Public Schools (jenksps.org)
High school students will see another change. A new entrance is coming to Jenks High School. Dr. Butterfield says a generous community donor is making it a reality.
Upgrades at the Freshman Academy are also around the corner.
“We’re in the design phase of this next phase of the Freshman Academy, and we will kick off construction this next summer, and that will be the final phase of the freshman academy,” said Dr. Butterfield.
SAFETY/SECURITY:
While students will see some new features, some things will stay the same like the district’s commitment to safety.
“Safety is our number one priority because we know it’s critical for our students and our families and for our staff members,” said Dr. Butterfield.
She said its “See Something. Hear Something. Say Something.” motto is vital.
“If they don’t feel safe, they’re not able to achieve at their highest potential,” said Dr. Butterfield. “We want our students reporting anything that they see that’s concerning or hear, and we say that about our families, community members, and of course, our employees.”
STAFF SHORTAGES:
Reaching students' potential is a district-wide effort. It starts with teachers in the classroom. Dr. Butterfield said they do have a few special education and specialty teaching positions open.
“Unfortunately, the teacher shortage is real,” said Dr. Butterfield. “We do have teachers in the state of Oklahoma that hold certifications that, for personal reasons, are choosing not to come back into the classroom.”
She said regional universities are working to build a pipeline to local districts.
“They’re trying to answer the call for more educators, so we will continue to collaborate together and build that pipeline,” she said.
They’re also looking for child nutrition workers and paraprofessionals.
Getting students to and from school shouldn’t be an issue.
“We are fortunate right now,” said Dr. Butterfield. “We are not feeling that bus driver shortage like we did.”
BIBLES IN CLASSROOM:
The summer was busy, with a new mandate from State Superintendent Ryan Walters: Every classroom needs a Bible, and educators need to teach from it.
Jenks Schools has no plans to change its curriculum.
“We will continue to follow the Oklahoma academic standards and utilize the resources we already have adopted,” said Dr. Butterfield.
SOCIAL STUDIES CURRICULUM:
Superintendent Walters also announced a “complete overhaul of the state social studies standards. Districts, like Jenks, say they haven’t gotten specifics.
“We have not received any guidance yet,” said Dr. Butterfield. “We will continue to monitor that process.”
She said the goal is to do what’s best for students as they head into the new school year.
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