SJSD superintendent says ‘We’re in this together’ as Plan 4BR moves forward  

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (KQTV) -- After months of waiting for a final decision on Plan 4BR, the plan that keeps Benton and Central as the district’s two high schools, the school district is now preparing for some major changes. 

Superintendent Ashly McGinnis said the district’s current feeder patterns help students move smoothly from elementary to middle to high school. With the new Plan 4BR model, she admits the transitions can be bigger and more challenging for both families and staff.  

Even so, McGinnis said no one will be going through this alone.  

“Our message to them is that we are in this with them. We want to take care of our staff, and we want to take care of our students,” McGinnis said.  

One of the district’s biggest priorities right now is having a staffing plan to make sure teachers and staff are placed where they’re needed most to best support kids and families.  

“So right now our staff wants to know, for example, if they were at Lafayette, where are they going to be next year?” McGinnis added. 

She explained, the district will follow clear criteria as they make those decisions, and they’ll try to accommodate staff preferences whenever possible.  

“I think there's been a lot of uncertainty for several months. I have a sense of relief knowing that we have a direction,” McGinnis said.  

With the board’s vote now behind them, McGinnis hopes the district can focus on moving forward and helping families and staff adjust — even though the transition may be tougher for some than others.