New Classroom, Expanded Staff Usher in New Year at Omaha Home for Boys School

The Omaha Home for Boys School is seeing positive changes take place as 2017 gets underway. One enhancement is the expansion of the teaching staff.

James Springhower joined the school staff midway through this academic year, becoming the third teacher at the school. Springhower has ten years of teaching experience both on the high school and college level, including time spent working with youth at the Omaha Street School.

“I truly enjoy the challenge and reward of seeing a student overcome struggles and find success,” said Springhower. “While it sometimes seems like that success may never happen, when it does it is one of the most rewarding and fulfilling parts of being a teacher.”

Springhower shares teaching responsibilities with Jane Erdenberger and Ben Batley who, together, teach approximately 30 students at the on-campus high school.

Another recent improvement creating positive momentum at the school is the addition of a third classroom. The opening of the classroom allows for smaller class sizes and more individualized attention. It has a slightly different structure than the other two existing classrooms providing a “study hall” environment that allows students to work on either written work or computer-based curriculum at their own pace.

“The study hall environment gives students more freedom and teaches them to make choices that will have a positive impact on their path to graduating,” said Dr. Anthony Dancer, Education Manager of School Operations. “It provides a lesson in responsibility that will last far beyond their time in the classroom.”

The addition of Springhower and the expansion of a new classroom are both factors that have contributed to an increase in the number of credits being earned by students. As of mid-January, 160 school credits had been earned during the current school year. To put that into perspective, 174 school credits were earned the entire previous school year.

Ways to Help Support Students

If you would like to get involved in supporting the Omaha Home for Boys School, please make an online gift to the Home or click here to learn more about our scholarship program.