Educators don't just teach, but they're constantly learning something new.
"Teachers are life-long learners," said Patti Ferguson, the Vice President of the Tulsa Classroom Teachers Association.
It's what was behind a voluntary Saturday afternoon training session that was put on by the Tulsa Classroom Teachers Association, but for those who work at the training academy on a regular basis, the superintendent says their jobs could be affected by the budget.
He says he's looking at cuts that don't immediately impact the classroom.
"We must be very cautious. We must be very conservative. We must be very careful with public dollars," said Dr. Keith Ballard, the Tulsa Public Schools' Superintendent.
Dr Ballard says likely cuts include furloughing 12 month a year employees, which would not include teachers, and cutting back on substitutes.
Which means you could see Dr Ballard at the chalkboard.
"If we utilize ESC (Education Service Center) personnel to substitute, I absolutely will take my turn to substitute. It's a good thing for the superintendent to be out in the buildings," said Dr. Ballard.
Still the teachers association says cutting subs would affect the teachers and thus, affect the students.
"When a teacher has to be out, teachers will be covering. They already have very limited planning time and this is going to be another sacrifice on their part," said Ferguson.
Still, she says Dr. Ballard is doing all he can, "I really appreciate Dr. Ballards efforts in trying to preserve jobs, but the classroom will be impacted there's no way you can avoid it."
Dr. Ballard says there's about $9 million in the district's reserves right now. He says the district will likely have to tap into that.
