By John Dobberstein, Editor
A mutual aid agreement setting ground rules for City of Broken Arrow employees to temporarily fill staff vacancies at the Broken Arrow Public Schools is slated to be discussed by the Broken Arrow City Council Tuesday.
The proposed agreement was put together as staff absences have skyrocketed at the school district due to COVID infections.
City leaders said they are trying to facilitate a return to in-person learning for students at the request of school district.
The agreement formally allows city employees to participate in the school district’s volunteer staffing plan during the the city employee’s regularly scheduled work schedule.
City workers would be subject to all state and federal laws and regulations, board policies, and practices applicable to the school district
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The pact would expire on June 30 unless extended in writing by the parties or terminated by either party.
The agreement stipulates there will be no joint employment created and the city will continue to provide salaries, insurance and other benefits to its employees while volunteering.
The City Council passed a resolution Jan. 18 recognizing the staffing challenge in Broken Arrow schools and authoring City Manager Michael Spurgeon to enter into the agreement.
“If we can offer our employees to substitute teach, drive a bus, manage a cash register in the cafeteria, whatever the district needs, without comprising the high-quality customer services we provide to our citizens, we’re going to do it. My hope is that folks in our community also recognize the district’s needs and feel compelled to serve and lend a helping hand,” said Spurgeon.
The staffing plan hasn’t been without some controversy, as some parents have questioned the qualifications of city workers to work in classrooms. The statements upset many other parents in Broken Arrow, as well as city employees and council members.
The Broken Arrow Chamber said it is supporting the plan and asking local business to step in as well where needed.
“The shutdown of our schools does not only impact our students, but it also puts a continued strain on our businesses, as they struggle to keep their doors open and strive to provide excellent service and products with limited employees,” said Broken Arrow Chamber president and CEO Jennifer Conway. “Businesses are experiencing the same strain as our schools, staffing shortages due to illness, limited childcare resources with sick children, and a change to a virtual learning environment.
“We encourage Broken Arrow businesses that have sufficient resources to evaluate how they can aid in this crisis as well. Many of our businesses have done their part by allowing their employees to work remotely, accommodating their employees in covering their own childcare challenges exacerbated by the continuing pandemic.”
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