Bixby Public Schools sent out a letter to Bixby students and their families Monday to inform them about missing days due to the teacher walkout.
In the letter, Interim Superintendent Lydia Wilson stated starting Tuesday, April 10, every day that is missed will need to be made up at the end of the current school calendar.
"Tomorrow means we will have to come back for Tuesday, May 29, which is after Memorial Day," Wilson said. "Since I cannot currently predict or calculate that option fully until we return, we will have to plan for added days at this time. If we can develop a plan that we can implement, and it shortens the calendar back to May 24 as planned, we will utilize that plan."
"We have considered the possibility of adding time to our days, but that option creates some logistical issues that we may not be able to overcome (we’ll see if we can find a way). It also does not give us too much “bang for our buck” on make-up time. Adding approx. 40 mins per day, it would take 9 days to make up a single day of 360 minutes of instruction. "
- Bixby Interim Superintendent Lydia Wilson
In recent years, Wilson stated that Bixby has lost the following positions:
-3 instructional coaches
- 1 full time crisis response coordinator & prevention programming teacher
- 1 full time counselor for district-wide services
- 9 maintenance workers
- 7 media center aides
- 11 kindergarten aides
- 2 assistant superintendents
- 1 secondary test coordinator
- 1 full team virtual coordinator
- Half of our custodial staff
- 1 secretary for curriculum and instruction
- Night crew cleans 3 nights each week instead of 5 nights
- Lost the elective positions for German, Chinese, and French
- Short at least 1 “specials” teacher (PE, Art, Music) at an elementary site
- Unable to hire additional teachers in several grades and subjects, including Gifted & Talented and English Language learning
The district considered adding time to the days, but logistical issues may not be easy to overcome, Wilson said.
Wilson said if the district added approximately 40 minutes per day, it would take nine days to make up a single day.
"Our community has been overwhelmingly encouraging and supportive to teachers, even though I understand that we do not all agree on this walkout strategy," Wilson said. "Nonetheless, I appreciate the supports offered for children and families (available at Bixby Community Alliance Facebook page) and those who make it happen. I also appreciate those who do not support the walkout, and have respectfully contacted me to voice their concerns. We are addressing them as we work together to get results and return to class."
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