The countdown until school starts is on and the Humboldt County School District (HCSD) Board of Trustees met for their regular meeting on Aug. 8 and discussed the remaining teaching vacancies for the 2023-2024 school year. Trustees Abe Swensen, Jenna Owen, and Nicole Bengochea were absent from the meeting.
The last two vacancies both remain at the McDermitt Combined School in core subjects English and Science.
According to HCSD Superintendent Dr. Dave Jensen, there is a potential candidate for the English position but still no candidates for the Science position. The social worker position that was also vacant as of their last meeting was filled the morning of Aug. 8.
“We have filled the social worker position and we believe we have a candidate for English. We will know more in the next day or two” explained Jensen.
The Trustees discussed the staffing issues in great depth at their last meeting at the end of July and have since met with the Fort McDermitt Tribe and the Indian Education Committee to see how the community and the HCSD can work together to get students the teachers they need.
According to the Jensen and Trustee Sabrina Uhlmann, who also met with members of the McDermitt community to discuss the vacancies, it is perceived that students at the McDermitt school are not on the same level as the students at Lowry High School because of the chronic lack of staff and the previous possible staffing solution—to have McDermitt students tune in virtually the English and Science classes at Lowry High School—would not be the best for students.
“One thing we heard very clearly from our meeting with the Tribe is there’s concern about where present levels are and how that would work with trying to come in with the present levels differentiated and supporting our students that may need some additional support,” said Jensen.
“Following those conversations we ruled out [having McDermitt students tune in with Lowry students]. We felt that would do a disservice to our students in McDermitt.”
Jensen and Uhlmann also explained that it is the desire for many parents and other members of the McDermitt community, as well as students, to continue using the virtual learning resource that the school currently uses, Elevate K12.
“Some of the students actually enjoy [Elevate K12] because it is very much so personalized to students,” explained Uhlmann.
Uhlmann said that one of the biggest concerns for the continued use of Elevate K12 is the internet connectivity dead spots on the reservation that prevent some students from connecting to the internet from home.
“A number one concern with Elevate K12 is connectivity issues that kids [experience] working from home. That’s an ongoing conversation and we are looking into it,” explained Uhlmann.
Trustee Lonnie Hammargren was adamant that the HCSD has to do something to address issues regarding the gap between the education that McDermitt and Lowry students are receiving because of the lack of staffing.
“I think it’s important to get live teachers [to McDermitt] and I know that’s the goal…We want all [students] graduating with the same opportunities. Obviously if they are at a lower level they are not leaving with the same opportunities… What is our plan to get to that level?” asked Hammergren.
Uhlmann also said that fostering more of a “grow your own” mentality for students in McDermitt in order to encourage students who chose to stay after graduation to work at the school could be another possible and acceptable solution.
“So many of our students out there want to stay there [after graduation] because they have ties to family and traditions… That would be a very viable solution [for finding teachers]. They already live out there and they are already connected to the community” said Uhlmann and explained that the Tribe was also excited about this idea for the future.