By KARI BLURTON
Hays Post

Superintendent Dean Katt hopes a recently formed calendar committee will help Hays USD 489 go beyond the “bare minimum” when it comes to teacher/student contact time and teacher contract hours.

At this week’s board of education meeting, Katt presented graphs comparing USD 489’s student contact time and teacher contract hours with 32 other school in Kansas.

Katt said the data suggests USD 489 is aiming for the “bare minimum,” something he would like to see change.

“When we do the calendar — and this is in the agreement — we shoot for the very minimum, we shoot for 1,116 (hours) and that is it,” Katt said. “The negotiated agreement … to me it doesn’t make sense that we  shoot for the bare minimum contact time. I have never been in a district that has done that, but that is the way the agreement is and that is what we have done. I think we need to look at that.”

Board member Sarah Rankin said understanding the goal of the calendar committee is important.

“We need more collaboration time to talk about technology or talk about whatever the issue is and to do that we need to be negotiating this piece of (the contract) and here is where we compare to other districts so you can see we are not completely out of line in asking for this,” Rankin said.

Katt said USD 489 continues to score high in state tests, a tribute to the district’s teachers.

“Increasing contact time partially counts toward professional development hours for USD 489 staff,” he added.

Katt said added contact time will help prepare teachers for technology updates and the new educational guidelines set to begin next year due to the state’s No Child Left Behind waiver.

The graphs presented at the BOE meeting Monday can be accessed within USD 489’s BOE agenda  HERE.