June 2022 – Staff shortages in TUSD meant teachers often took on combined classes
When the only other sixth-grade social studies teacher left Alice Vail Middle School in the middle of the school year, Ms. Anna Timney took those students into her own classes.
“I did it because I felt it was what was right for the kids. They’ve already had two years of crazy schooling, definitely two years of trauma,” Timney said. “They needed some continuity and stability.”
But, like Timney, other teachers across the Tucson Unified School District took on combined classes during the 2021-2022 school year amid critical teacher and substitute shortages in their schools.
February 2022 – Tucson-area school districts amp up retention efforts as teachers feel burned out
As teachers felt the emotional toll of helping their students process pandemic-related trauma, they also dealt with added responsibilities that came as a result of staffing shortages.
“I put myself, as all the other teachers that I know, on the back burner, and we’re really reaping the ricocheting repercussions from that because we’re really burned out,” teacher Sjana Summons said.
Some school districts responded by distributing retention stipends to current teachers and stepping up their recruitment efforts. Their goal was to make current teachers feel appreciated and valued, while also attracting new hires to ease the deep workload that some were taking on.
January 2022 – Schools see rise in behavioral issues as students readjust to in-person classes
After about two years of students engaging in distance learning amid the COVID-19 pandemic, some school districts said they saw an increase in behavioral issues during the first year returning to fully in-person classes.
“We’re seeing that students are struggling to get reacclimated to the socialization of being back on campus… and being able to focus and attend classrooms because they’ve been so used to just being online,” said Julie Shivanonda, the social-emotional learning director for TUSD.
As a result, school administrators implemented or strengthened their social-emotional learning programs to help students process their trauma and emotions in healthier ways.
Genesis Lara | Journalist 