for The Rogue Observer

14 DECEMBER 2021 | ASHLAND, OR. — It’s 3pm and the streets around Walker Elementary are peppered by groups of school children walking home from school. The air is crisp and cool enough that you can see their warm breath mixing with the crisp winter air. But those kids’ classroom days will be reduced starting next year by about 5%, due to staffing shortages and to provide teachers more time for wellness and planning.

“…we are facing a significant staffing shortage in classroom staff, transportation, custodial and other critical areas,” writes Superintendent Samuel Bogdanove in an email to parents to announce the change, and went on to describe a lack in substitutes. “When someone calls in sick, there is often no one to fill in for them,” he writes.

The district is partnering with community organizations to help provide childcare, but it’s unclear if it will come at a cost. “Scholarships are available,” writes Bogdanove.

The school district’s website has a handful of vacancies posted under their employment section. Bus drivers start at $16.33 per hour, and education assistants start at $14.87, according to the district’s website.

View the email here. ###