Jeanie Buschjost is looking forward to her vacation this year - or rather the four days in a row she has off in July.

Gerik Parmele photo

Literacy Coach Susan Kohl and another staff member organize books on Thursday in the Book Room at Parkade Elementary School. Kohl and other faculty plan to spend most of the summer enhancing professional skills. The effort can translate into higher pay, but Kohl said money isn’t the driving factor. “I think teachers just do it because their hearts are there,” she said.

The Parkade Elementary School media specialist has filled the rest of her summer with professional development classes and other work-related meetings and projects. Buschjost and other teachers laugh at the notion that they, like students, have a three-month break.

"I think people believe we just go home and do nothing all summer," Susan Kohl, a Parkade writing coach, said. "Summer is the one time you can get better at your profession. Teachers spend a lot of time trying to be better at what we do."

Although not required, most Columbia Public Schools teachers have volunteered to take some sort of professional development course this summer, said Leslie Trogdon, director of school improvement. Historically, summer in-services have attracted more than 1,500 participants. Over the past three years, Columbia teachers have logged 15,000 hours of professional development.

This summer, the school district is offering more than 100 sessions starting Monday and continuing through mid-August. In addition, Trogdon said, individual school buildings offer professional development courses. Teachers aren’t paid to attend but can accumulate hours to advance on the school district’s salary schedule.

Some said a potential boost in pay is just an added bonus.

"I don’t think money is the driving factor," Kohl said. "I think teachers just do it because their hearts are there. K-5 teachers have to be good at every subject, and it’s hard to be good at everything."

In addition to professional development, Columbia teachers are teaching summer school, pursuing advanced degrees and studying abroad over the next few months, Trogdon said.

Kohl is teaming up with Julie Williamson, a Title 1 reading specialist at Parkade, to develop a new buildingwide writing curriculum. They will study a professional writing program before meeting with teachers to develop and teach new techniques and lesson plans.

"Just like our students are continuous, ongoing learners, our teachers have a summer program," Trogdon said.

Buschjost wants students to have the chance to continue learning in the summer months, as well. That’s why, for the first time, she will open the Parkade library on Tuesdays. She will be there between 4 and 8 p.m. every Tuesday except July 3.

"Kids lose two to three months of what they learned over the summer if all they’re doing is playing video games," Buschjost said. "Kids can come in and check out a book. We will also have story times and literature activities."

Buschjost has some homework of her own to do. She plans to read all 20 Mark Twain Award nominees in her free time this summer.

"I don’t have to, but I love these kids," Buschjost said. "Somebody has got to love them, and that’s me."