Graduate Degree Program

Graduate Degree Program for Joplin High School and Joplin middle school and elementary teachers through Northwest Missouri State University

Staff development can be delivered in many ways from workshops to action research. Teachers pursue advanced degrees for a variety of reasons including personal satisfaction, extended learning in the content area, advancement on the pay scale, or for career advancement.

In the fall of 2006, Joplin High School introduced the first masters degree program in Teacher Leadership in southwest Missouri exclusively for its teachers through Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville, MO. The program was dedicated to improving not only the professional practice of its participants but also the overall performance of Joplin High School. The master’s degree in Teacher Leadership is designed to train teachers to be leaders in their respective schools in the area of school improvement, instructional leadership, professional development, and overall teacher leadership.

Teacher leadership is a critical component for student achievement and no time in the history of education have teachers been asked to do more in the area of school improvement because of local, state, and federal accountability standards. The successful completion of the Teacher Leadership degree program by thirteen JHS teachers has been a major contributor in sustaining the professional learning communities (PLC) initiative that began at JHS in 2004.

The Joplin Shool District will begin its third cohort in the August 2008. In addition, 22 additional Joplin elementary, middle school, and high school teachers will earn their degrees in July 2009 as members of the second Joplin cohort that began in August 2007. The program is designed to enable more teachers to model the attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors necessary to improve teacher leadership and empowerment, utility in context and practical application, improved teacher retention, and student achievement gains.

The course of study has been designed by Northwest Missouri State University. However, many of the projects and activities assessed in each course are closely related to practical school issues and problems through the flexibility of the instructors. The graduate students examine state assessment data, classroom assessment data, school climate surveys as then they work through the PLC process to initiate successful changes to the school improvement plan.

For more information on the program contact Dr. Kerry Sachetta, JHS Principal or Dr. Debbie Fort, Irving Elementary Principal and project coordinator.

Above: Members of the first cohort who earned a masters degree in Teacher Leadership through Northwest Missouri State University in July 2008.