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February 3, 2022

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Raise your hand: Schools seek volunteers in staffing crunch
By CAROLYN THOMPSON ic.Brian McKinney, a parent
With teacher absences with students in second and
mounting and substitutes 10th grade in Hays County,
in short supply, parents Texas, spent part of this
may be wondering: Who's week as a substitute, help-
teaching the kids? ing sixth graders through a
The answer around the social studies assignment
U.S. could be a local po- that had them writing es-
lice officer, National Guard says about the Soviet Un-
soldier, state budget ana- ion. A former teacher, he
lyst, parent or recent high decided he could help as
school graduate — near- he waited out a cold snap
ly anyone willing to help that has slowed business at
keep schools' doors open the World War II-themed
through the omicron-driv- miniature golf course he
en staffing crunch. and his wife now own.
States have been loosen- “There was no down time
ing teaching requirements today; I was heavily in-
to give schools more flex- volved with the kids,” he
ibility on hiring as corona- said after school Tuesday.
virus exposures, illness and The measures have kept
quarantines add to strains schools from having to
on schools that also have revert to the waves of re-
been tapping librarians, mote learning that disrupt- In this photo provided by the Hays Consolidated Independent School District, Brian McKinney,
custodians and support ed homes and left many right, who has children in the Hays Consolidated Independent School District, in Kyle, Texas,
staff to help cover class- students behind earlier in teaches a class at Johnson High School, in Buda, Texas, Thursday, Jan. 27, 2022. Associated Press
rooms during the pandem- the pandemic. Continued on next page