EXCELSIOR SPRINGS – The school district is developing a program that might help avoid future personnel shortages.

Assistant Superintendent Melissa Miller announced the development during the Board of Education’s meeting Dec. 13 at the Support Services Center.

Miller said the district had applied with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to add a teacher training program at the Career Center.

“I’m always excited to bring an opportunity for kids to get a new career,” Miller said. “Great opportunity for them. I am super-excited about this because this really pairs well with … a grow-your-own program for teaching amongst our kids.”

A student who completes the program may be certified for such positions as paraprofessional, youth development associate and childhood development associate, Miller said.

The district is exploring dual-credit options for program participants with multiple universities, including Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph and the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg.

“(The idea is) to kind of jump-start their career in teaching and try to recruit them, so that they’re already well on their way to becoming a teacher,” Miller said.

Dual-credit would make the program more beneficial for students, she said.

“I’m excited to explore opportunities, like, for scholarships for these kids as well – not just to help them through college, but to kind of help … bring them back into Excelsior Springs,” Miller said.

The program is inexpensive, she said.

“It’s really just one adult and you set up a classroom,” Miller said. “And then you just partner with other districts and give kids opportunities. It’s just a home run all the way around.”