April 2021 Board Meeting Follow up

Public Comment Response: 

April 12, 2021 Board Meeting

 

The Braymer C4 School District has made the School Board Meeting Agendas and Board Minutes more easily accessible at (click here). 

 

The Braymer C4 School District provides entering teachers support/mentoring services for the first two years of service. Each new employee is assigned a mentor to provide guidance and assistance as needed. The mentor and certified teacher mentee are scheduled to meet on a regular basis and have designated topics to discuss. The mentee with a college degree and completed certification will also attend first year teacher training provided by the regional RPDC of Regional Professional Development Center. The mentoring program is provided for the first two years to beginning certified teachers. The mentor/mentee program as well as the first year teacher training are part of ongoing certification, allowing certified teachers to move from an initial professional certificate to a career continuous professional certificate. Non-certified first year teachers are assigned a mentor to work with, but do not begin the official mentor/mentee program until becoming a certified teacher. Veteran teachers that come to the district from another district are provided a mentor for one year. 

 

Teacher certification can be obtained in several ways. Obtaining and maintaining certification is the responsibility of the individual staff member. The certification belongs to the teacher, the school district administration does not have the authority to make changes to the certification of a staff member. 

 

FAQ’s

 

What does it take to be a certified teacher in the State of Missouri?

 

Traditional Way:

The State of Missouri requires that teachers have a bachelor’s degree in education, pass a background check and then pass a test in the area of study in which they wish to teach (Missouri Educator Gateway Assessments, previously The Praxis). Until a teacher passes the area of study exam the teacher would operate under a “Provisional Certificate” or a “Substitute Certificate”.

 

Alternative Way:

A person could have a bachelor’s degree in an area other than education. They could then proceed to take Master’s coursework to achieve a Master’s degree in Education. There are other options available as well, once a person has an original bachelor’s degree. There is a National Teaching Certification program called ABCTE that can lead a person towards certification. It is recommended that a person talk with an area college if you would like to see what options may be available. When course work is completed a person would still need to pass the area of study exam (Missouri Educator Gateway Assessments) to become certified in a particular area, and as always, pass a background check. 

 

What does it take to get a “Substitute Certificate”?

A person must have at least 60 college credit hours, must fill out the Substitute Application with the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Pay the application fee, provide an official College Transcript, and have passed a background check. 

 

What happens when teaching certificates or substitute certificates expires?

When a certified staff member gets close to reaching a time where their certification could expire the school is contacted by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and the School District contacts the staff member to make sure that the staff member takes care of the requirements to update and or maintain certification. 

 

What happens if the staff member does not update or maintain proper certification?

Should a staff member neglect to get or keep their certification up to date, the school district can be penalized. A school district that employees an uncertified staff member risks losing credit, from the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, for those students that were under the supervision of the uncertified staff member.

 

What are the requirements for being a coach in Missouri (MSHSAA)?
Athletic Coaching Levels and Minimum Requirements:

• Head Coach – Minimum Requirements: As per By-Law 3.1.1, each interscholastic team must have a head coach who meets the following requirements and who, then, may fill the duties and obligations of a head coach for the team, both under the sport rule code and in regard to the by-laws.
1. A Four-Year College Degree OR Serving as an Approved Assistant Coach (3.1.4.b) (non-Hardship Coach) for a minimum of TWO school years.
2. A Professional Teacher’s Certificate OR NFHS Fundamentals of Coaching Course (online) passed prior to coaching. This course is not sport-specific. This is a one-time requirement.
3. Successful completion of a Sports First Aid course prior to coaching and renewed every two years.
4. Successful completion of CPR/AED training prior to coaching and renewed every two years.
5. Background Check including Sex-Offender’s Registry Clearance prior to coaching.
6. Board of Education or Board of Governance Approval prior to coaching.
7. Successful completion of a Concussion in Sports Course, and review of current concussion information yearly.
8. Successful completion of the MSHSAA Sport-Specific Online Rules Review each season.
• Assistant Coach – Minimum Requirements:
1. Completion of 60 or more college credit hours prior to coaching.
2. A Professional Teacher’s Certificate OR NFHS Fundamentals of Coaching Course (online) passed prior to second year of coaching. This course is not sport-specific. This is a one-time requirement.
3. Successful completion of a Sports First Aid course prior to second year of coaching and renewed every two years.
4. Successful completion of CPR/AED training prior to second year of coaching and renewed every two years. 
5. Background Check including Sex-Offender’s Registry Clearance prior to coaching.
6. Board of Education or Board of Governance Approval prior to coaching.
7. Successful completion of a Concussion in Sports Course, and review of current concussion information yearly.
8. Successful completion of the MSHSAA Sport-Specific Online Rules Review each season. 

 

The Braymer C4 School District appreciates the continued community support of the School District. Thank you to those that shared their thoughts at the April 2021 board meeting.