There is a teacher crisis in Oklahoma.
According to the University of Oklahoma a 2023 study of teacher-student ratios in each state Oklahoma ranked 13th for highest teacher shortages in the United States. Oklahoma’s teacher shortage led to a record-breaking 3,780 emergency teaching certifications issued in 2022, and from 2001-2018, Oklahoma’s enrollment in university education programs dropped by 80%.
However, Eufaula doesn’t seem to be suffering the fate of the rest of the state.
Principals at the three school campuses in Eufaula report they are almost fully staffed for the 2024-25 school year.
Middle School Principal Jeremy Gragg said he is short only two teachers – science and math.
“Some schools in the area report 40 teacher vacancies,” Gragg told the Eufaula School Board at its Monday monthly meeting.
He said he has a couple of leads on a science teacher, but not on a math teacher.
“If you know of anyone, send them my way,” he said. “They are an endangered species.”
High School Principal Heather Combs noted that she has only once vacancy.
“We need a physical science teacher and then we will be fully staffed,” she said.
Elementary Principal Shasti James said she only needs a full-time substitute/paraprofessional to complete her staff.
Superintendent Monty Guthrie praised the principals for their diligence in keeping staffing vacancies at minimum.
“I won’t to brag on our principals and assistant principals for being on the ball, trying to keep our current employees and finding quality people when needed. Our vacancies are very low, and this doesn’t happen very often,” Guthrie said.
The principals discussed the various activities taking place at their schools this summer, including a variety of maintenance programs.
“We are busy with summer maintenance, repairing all the things that break. Our big project is the air conditioning unit in the middle school gym which basically hasn’t worked since it was put in,” Gragg said.
He said for the next school year he hopes to have the high school performing arts teacher to come to the middle school an hour or two each day to give students a broader selection of electives, such as drama, speech and debate.
Combs noted that summer programs are in full swing.
“Band, football, cheerleading, basketball, softball, baseball – the activities don’t stop. It’s pretty much yearround. Kids are in summer workout programs. They are working hard,” she said.
Guthrie said all the summer programs are going on.
“For all those thinking we take the summer off, hang around here. A lot is going on,” he said.
James said the Summer Reading Academy has six students enrolled.
There are about 180 students enrolled in the BEACON program, which will end in two weeks.
The students have been engaged in a variety of activities, including field trips to Honor Heights Park in Muskogee, Fast Lanes Bowling Center in Checotah, Jasmine Moran Children’s Museum in Seminole and the Philbrook Museum of Art in Tulsa.
In other business, the School Board awarded a mowing contract to Chris Pendley of Pendley’s Pest Patrol and Lawn Care. Pendley was the low bidder at $2,250 every two weeks, which includes spraying and weeding.
The Board also agreed to paying slightly more than $365,000 for insurance through the Oklahoma Schools Insurance Group, which is an increase of 9 percent over last year’s $332,048.
It approved an agreement with Blake 102.5 FM radio to broadcast Eufaula sporting events during the 2024-25 school year.
Guthrie announced the school had been awarded a $205,000 annual grant for three years by school-based Preventive Services program that identifies at risk students.
“Only about five schools in the state received this,” he said.
A meeting will be held on June 18 to discuss finding a coordinator for the program.
Also, Guthrie said he just learned that the Child Nutrition Program has approved free lunches and breakfasts for all students, pre-K through 12th grade.
The program is good for four years.
