“As we say in the teaching position, it takes a village,” said Patricia Chapa, an art teacher at Blanton Elementary School. “Well, it takes a village also in the schools.”
The board amended an item that would have allowed teachers and some staff two days off, Feb. 11 and March 4, in recognition of the challenging year so far. After a unanimous vote from the board, custodians and all nonexempt employees, including cafeteria and clerical staff, will also receive the two paid days off.
“They work extremely hard, and they deserve that time as well,” said James Rider, a special education teacher at Casis Elementary School, during a call to the board Jan. 27.
AISD collected survey results from more than 20,000 students, parents, teachers and staff related to the paid days off and early releases, according to a news release from AISD.
The majority of respondents asked for more frequent, shorter releases rather than less frequent early release days with a longer early release period. Nearly 1 in 5 parents responded against any early release at all, the release said.
Concerns early releases would cut into teachers’ planning time at the end of the day led the district to propose two full paid days off instead, according to the release.
Superintendent Stephanie Elizalde said stress levels for teachers and staff have been very high after almost two years of a pandemic. She said she recognized the burden it will create for some parents. She asked them to empathize with tired staff.
“We did hear, ‘We need relief; we need it now, and it needs to be meaningful,’” Elizalde said.
Elizalde added the free days did not create an added cost as the district had already budgeted for employees to be paid on those two days.
“They’re in the trenches; they’re doing the work,” Elizalde said. “So we agree with all those comments. ... We recognize it’s still not enough, but just because it’s not enough doesn’t mean we shouldn't do something."
