Nixa, Missouri State partner to trade teachers

Nixa Public Schools and Missouri State University have formed a partnership to offer experience for MSU students and a steady stream of substitute teachers for the Nixa school district.

The program, which runs Jan. 11-May 14 allows Nixa teachers to teach undergraduate education classes at the university, while MSU students who have completed t least 60 college credit hours offer substitute services for those classrooms.

The semester-long program will offer a more consistent substitution system in Nixa classrooms, according to a district news release, while offering on-the-job training for college students who could potentially be hired by the Nixa district after graduation.

"We feel the benefits are great for both the university and the district," said Debby Lawson, Nixa executive director of elementary education, in the release. "We look forward to this opportunity and many more in the future."

The program also helps the university in that it offers instructors for more classes in the school's rapidly growing eduction program.

"We had a need for daytime instructors in our methods classes and Nixa Public Schools was quick to get on board," said David Brown, associate dean of the MSU College of Education, in the release. "I love working with them because of their open-mindedness and ability to think outside the box."