Dysart fills staffff gaps as school starts

Students are gearing up to start the 2023-24 school year Thursday and various positions on campus remain open in the Dysart Unified School District.

The typical assumption is schools only need certified teachers, but also included on campus are classified staff, and administrative roles.

This includes, substitute teachers, bus drivers and aides, preschool aides, paraprofessionals, office staff, administrative secretaries, plant managers and maintenance staff, mechanics, information technology staff, accountants, child care facilitators, coaches, painters, electrician and crossing guards.

Dysart Schools director of communications Renee Ryon said benefits including Arizona State Retirement, medical, dental and vision coverage.

As well as district paid life insurance and district matched Health Savings Account contributions of either $500 or $740 per school year.

Voluntary short term disability, accident insurance and supplemental life is available. There is a sick leave bank flexible spending accounts, employee assistance program and health coaching and wellness activities.

Incentives includes a physical exam and points program, Ottawa University-Arizona scholarship opportunities and an employee referral incentive.

Ryon said the employee referral program began in the 2021-22 school year and current employees can earn up to $500 for referring someone, and that individual gets hired and stays on with the district for six months.

"In 2021-2022, there were 62 referrals and the program grew in its second year, and we had 123 referrals in 2022-23," she said.

In a typical year, Ryon said district officials host two-to-three job fairs, in the fall, spring and summer. Forty-two new staff members were hired during the most recent job fair last month.

Dysart Schools officials said the district wants and need all of its positions to be filled in order to ensure there are no gaps in service to anyone. In addition to the professional development offered through the district, the Arizona Department of Education offers development opportunities for staff.

A recent posting on the ADE website, Achieving Academic Success through Collaborative Strategies, is offered as a way to develop strategies that promote and create a positive, motivating and engaging classroom that will initiate positive academic achieving outcomes.

Teachers gain a deeper understanding through active participation of the tools and strategies that create a culture where all students want to learn, participate and be successful.

The opportunities to learn and grow are available to new and veteran staff members.

"I truly believe that education is the best working environment to build your career. Working in a school or district allows every employee the opportunity to positively impact the future of our community, and make a difference in the lives of individual students." Dysart Schools Superintendent John Croteau said.

District officials work hard to fill each position across the district, Ryon said. When there are shortages, sometimes contract are made with companies to fill the highest need areas.

Staff often step up to assist where needed while the work is done to fill an opening, but is not a long term solution, Ryon said.

Looking back, historically, Ryon said many of the licensed and specialized roles are often hard to fill, as well as paraprofessionals, preschool aides, bus drivers and bus aides.

We'd like to invite our readers to submit their civil comments, pro or con, on this issue. Email [email protected].

Jennifer Jimenez can be reached at [email protected], or on Twitter@scw independent.

UNIQUE BENEFITS FOR DYSART EMPLOYEES

· Evenings, weekends and holidays off

· Same schedule as your children

· Close to home, short commute