Lafayette County Retired School Personnel (LCRSP) met on Thursday, March 12, 2026, at 2:30 P.M., at the FCS Office in Higginsville, MO. A general meeting was held with Dr. Brad Briscoe, Superintendent of the Wellington-Napoleon School District, as the guest speaker. Reports on Missouri Retired Teachers and Education Employees Association’s (MRTA) first-ever combined Legislative Day and Leadership Summit were also given.

Dr. Briscoe, a 20-year veteran of education, with his last four years as superintendent at Wellington-Napoleon, gave a very interesting and informative talk on the Four Day School Week the district follows.

About 200 Missouri mostly small, rural districts follow a four-day week schedule. Independence is the largest district in the state to do so. When Crestridge, Orrick, and Sweet Springs went to such a schedule, Wellington-Napoleon decided it was worth checking into.

The main reason most schools adopt such a schedule is due to staff shortages and retention of quality staff. The district adopted the program for the 2023-24 school year. That year the district had 15 openings, but only 23 applicants. In 2024-25 the district had five openings, only 2 choosing to leave, but had 40 applicants. In 2025-26, they had only four openings, all retirees, and 10 applicants – and all positions are already filled. Going to a fourday week has bolstered the keeping of qualified teachers, as well as increasing the applicants for openings, and has attracted a higher quality staff. In an age where many districts are relying on non-certified staff, Wellington-Napoleon has a 100% fully-certified staff.

The biggest con against a shortened school week is what it might do to student academic achievement. Data for Wellington-Napoleon is limited due to this only being the 3rd year. Data shows there has been a small dip in a couple of areas – and an increase in others.

The district is watching closely. The number of hours of attendance did not change, it just got rearranged. Thirty minutes of instruction time was added to each of the four days to make up the time.

Child care was an issue of concern. With the help of the Community Christian Center, the district offers a Monday “Tiger Day Camp” program, with funds coming either from grants or the district budget. Dr. Briscoe worries with the current “storms a-coming” regarding school finance issues, the district may have to start charging tuition.

Ninety-four percent of the staff support continuing the program. They cite a more positive work-family balance, which helps them cope with school stress. School Board member, David Twente, was in attendance, and he said there has been no negative comments from anyone since the inception of the change.

Dr. Briscoe went on to discuss concerns about the legislation in the MIssouri Legislature this year that could negatively impact Missouri public schools and their communities. He is worried the income tax elimination and property tax reductions – with no real revenue replacement plan beyond raising sales taxes – could be quite harmful. He is troubled about legislation that could impact how local communities can run their elections and the ballot language that must be used.

He is bothered about how legislators talk of local control and yet keep removing local control.

He is against open enrollment and worries about the transportation costs and liabilities of such a program. Open enrollment could lead to over or under staffing at schools. He is anti-voucher because taking money from public schools to give to private or parochial schools is just senseless. He is also against the proposed new A-F grade card. He fears it is just another way to disrespect schools. He realizes that there can be inefficiency in school funding and application, but does not like the idea of closure or consolidation and its impact on the local community. If consolidation becomes necessary, he hopes local communities will have the final say in how that process would take place.

He is concerned about the lack of teachers and suggested scholarship incentives to encourage people to go into education. He reported that the educators he knows realize how wonderful the PSRS/PEERS retirement system is and do not want it to be changed! The retirement system is often what keeps teachers in the classroom.

In the general meeting, the LCRSP officers John Morgan, Carol Struchtemeyer, Gail Lilleman, and Amy C. Thieman reported on MRTA’s Legislative Day on March 10th.

They attended the Rally in the Rotunda and met with Representatives Mark Nolte and Terry Thompson. They also visited the offices of Senators Kurtis Gregory and Lincoln Hough, but were unable to speak directly to them.

Morgan also attended MRTA’s Leadership Summit later that afternoon and the next day.

MRTA is the largest and only education association whose main purpose is to protect the PSRS/PEERS retirement system while also advocating for legislation that supports MIssouri public schools. LCRSP is the local educational unit of MRTA. Membership in either group is open to all educators – retired and active – certified or support – as well as the general public.

LCRSP’s next meeting will be Thursday, April 9th, 2026, at 2:30 P.M., at the FCS Financial office, 4100 MO- 13 BUS Hwy, Higginsville, MO.