Classes started this week at Wrangell Public Schools, but there’s still time — and still a need — for people to apply for work as an education aide, and also for adult volunteers to help with a wide range of activities at all three schools.
Volunteers could help during the lunch hour, with tutoring or providing one-on-one help with students who need additional assistance at the middle and high schools.
It could be an hour a day, or a few hours one day a week, whatever time someone might have available, said Bob Davis, assistant principal at the high school and middle school.
“Evergreen Elementary would love to have volunteers sign up,” said Jenn Miller-Yancey, assistant principal at the school. “Our younger students will need assistance in their learning groups, and all students would benefit from being able to read with volunteers.”
Volunteers don’t necessarily have to work directly with students. “There are also ways volunteers can assist like making copies, putting learning materials together, assisting with cleaning and sanitizing, helping organize supplies, and more,” Miller-Yancey said.
Davis said he is particularly concerned about students’ emotional health as they start a second year amid a surge in COVID-19 cases in Wrangell. The town is going through its largest outbreak of cases since the pandemic started a year and a half ago.
He worries that more students will suffer depression as they try to cope with the COVID-induced limitations in their lives. “It cuts into sports, it cuts into activities,” he said, creating “emotional distance” that is hard on many students.
Managing COVID-mitigation measures, such as keeping students a safe distance apart, adds another level of need for more staff time and help from volunteers, Davis said.
In addition to needing volunteers, the middle and high schools are short two assistants for the special education program. The district has more special ed students than in past years, adding to the workload on staff, Davis said.
The jobs are 5.75 hours a day, five days a week. More information is available on the Wrangell School District website.
The elementary school also is short-staffed in that area, Miller-Yancey said. There are two paraprofessional positions open at the elementary. Staff will fill in as needed, “covering the duties until we have applicants and can hopefully hire,” the assistant principal said.
“The paraprofessionals work with special education students, as well as assist with playground, lunch and other supervision duties.”
The district also needs more people to sign up as substitute teachers. “If someone is even looking for short term work, they are encouraged to speak to Kim Powell in the district office,” Miller-Yancey said.
The school district also was advertising last week to fill a custodian job.
For more information on any of the jobs, stop by the district office or call 874-2347.
For information about volunteering at the middle or high schools, call 874-3995; for the elementary school, call 874-2321.
“We are a community school,” Davis said. Which means the school needs to be out in the community, just as community members who have time should consider helping at the school, he said.
And for those with baking skills, the elementary school has a special request. “We would love volunteers to bake mini muffins for Muffin Monday,” Miller-Yancey said. “As students enter on Mondays, we offer mini muffins as a welcome back from the weekend.”
Mini muffins can be dropped off at the school office any day of the week between 7:30 a.m. and 3:30 pm. The district will freeze the muffins for use on a Monday.
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