A study by the Arizona Personnel Administrators Association show the state’s teacher vacancies remain high for the seventh year in a row.
But it’s not just teacher vacancies schools are looking to fill, especially as the academic year draws to a close. Districts around southern Arizona are getting ready for their end-of-the-year job fairs.
I decided to visit a school in one of those districts that’s currently hiringEsperero Canyon Middle School in the Catalina Foothills School Districtand try my hand as an education assistant.
My first task started in a classroom, collecting papers from students and making sure they’re paying attention in class.
Once class was dismissed, I took a walk with Principal Mary Setliff. And no, I wasn’t in trouble.
She took me to the lunch area where, at Esperero Canyon, they have ping pong and air hockey. It was part of my job to get those games going.
Last task? Lunch monitor duties, where there was plenty of tidying up to do. I did some of the sweeping, and made sure students cleaned up their lunch areas.
By the end of the day, Setliff must have seen enough attention to detail, because I got the job.
And I couldn’t leave campus without a celebratory game of ping pong.
If you’re interested in staff or teacher positions at a southern Arizona school, here are a few of the districts with vacancies:
Catalina Foothills School District Marana Unified School District Sunnyside Unified School District Tanque Verde Unified School District Tucson Unified School District Vail School District
If you have a job you want me to try, send me an email at hiringheidi@kgun9.com.