The start of the school year is just around the corner, making it three years since educators across the nation first began to adjust to COVID-19 and guidelines given by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Last week, the CDC announced new guidelines loosening previous decisions and leaving safety measures up to schools and their county and state public health officials.
鈥淲e are very appreciative as local school districts to be provided with a little more authority,鈥� said Ryan Carpenter, superintendent of Estacada School District.
Carpenter said the goal for his district is to support individual choices. While masking will be up to the individual, schools can take action where they see fit.
Steve Cook is the superintendent for the Bend La-Pine School District. He said that in the past the district has made masking required for certain classrooms and grade levels to manage increasing cases of COVID-19 and that this mindset will continue.
鈥淭here will be times when we have issues in classrooms where we鈥檒l have to intervene,鈥� he said.
Beyond COVID-19, across the nation schools are dealing with staff shortages for teachers, substitutes and general faculty.
Ukiah School District Superintendent Laura Orr says there are no local substitutes in her rural area, with the nearest being 50 miles away.
This often means she has to step away from her other roles as a teacher, principal and superintendent to fill the gaps when someone is out. And that includes working in the cafeteria.
鈥淭here鈥檚 only so many people to do the job, " she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 the reality of rural school districts. You cover each other鈥檚 backs.鈥�
Bend La-Pine schools are also in a similar position. Cook says he has had trouble recruiting people for positions in custodial and nutritional services.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think it鈥檚 limited to rural districts anymore. I think it鈥檚 a public education issue,鈥� he said.
In addition to a shortage of teachers, substitutes and cafeteria workers, schools are also seeing a shortage of psychological services to address the mental health needs of their students.
Ryan Carpenter of Estacada School District said while he has been able to hire some staff to fit the social and emotional needs of students, it鈥檚 been difficult to find qualified staff and keep them.
鈥淲e鈥檙e constantly seeing turnover,鈥� he said.
In rural Oregon, Laura Orr says that because of the size of her district she cannot hire a counselor and shares one regionally that she gets from the state. She says her community and students need the services but just can鈥檛 access them.
鈥淵ou cannot have the kids working on those educational gaps and making their needed academic progress if their mindset is not in the right place,鈥� Orr said.
Ryan Carpenter, Laura Orr and Steve Cook all joined OPB's Think Out Loud to discuss the upcoming school year.
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