Heather Yunker asked the board to add extra custodial staff and aides and hire someone to fill the district business manager position that was vacated with a retirement in July.
“All of these extra responsibilities on teachers is taking time away from teaching,” she said. “We cannot sustain that routine very long.”
Despite their concerns and fatigue, teachers do not want to convert to all remote learning, Yunker said. She said a rumor the teachers would gather before the board meeting last week to petition a switch from a combination of remote and in-school learning was not true.
“We do not want to go remote,” she said. “Your teachers want to be in school. There is no petition. We want to be at work.”
Board member Joellen Heatherly said this school year is unique. With four weeks of school behind it, she suggested it’s time for the district to assess where it is at in the learning process and what areas should be addressed.
Heatherly pointed to earlier comments from Superintendent Mark Stefanik about a possible need to add contract cleaning for the schools and looking at staffing needs for tasks such as accompanying students to recess, restrooms and other destinations, a task now being assumed by teachers.
“We hear you,” board President Theresa Dunaway told Yunker, suggesting school leaders reach out to other districts to see how they are handling similar concerns.
Where funding would come from has not been determined. District Treasurer Dave Stevens said federal CARES COVID relief money was used for technology equipment for teachers and students.
Contact this contributing writer at nancykburr@aol.com
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