Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/969549
Versatile and hardworking educators Marianne Boll-See teaches 10th-grade En g li sh , 10th-grad e honors En g li sh , 12th-grad e En g li sh and yearb o o k at Golden Sierra High School in Garden Valley, El Dorado County. Teaching sev- eral different classes is not unusual, says Boll-See, president of the Black Oak Mine Teachers Association. For example, Larry Highberger teaches auto shop, welding, construction and woodworking, and runs a lumber mill at the school. "Rural t each ers wear a lot of hats," s ay s B o l l-S e e. " We are v er y v ers ati l e a n d w o r k h a r d . W i t h a s m a l l p o p u - l a t i o n , w e o f t e n h av e s e v e r a l g r a d e levels in one classroom ." Like many rural schools, enrollment has been declining, resulting in less ADA funding. e high school had 800 students in 2008 and now has fewer than 350. Employee health care costs are higher — and salaries are lower — than in sur- rounding districts, resulting in teacher turnover, says Boll-See, who rents a room in her home for additional income. Mi d d l e s c h o o l s t u d e n t s f r o m K- 8 schools were brought to the high school in th e cash-strapp ed di strict to save money. Despite concern about younger and older students mingling, there hav- en't been problems. The school district has a higher than avera ge p ercenta ge of stud ents w ith special needs, says Boll-See, which has further impacted the budget. Families of these students are attracted to the slow- er-paced lifestyle. Transportation costs also eat up much of the budget. Some students ride the bus for 45 minutes to and from school. Working in a rural school is not for wimps, she says. "We choose to live here. We work hard. We have a lot of pride. We are a family. We don't let children slip through the cracks. We have harsh weather and beautiful scenery that helps us create interesting lessons. And we love what we do." Larry Highberger teaches woodshop, welding and auto at Golden Sierra High. Making Professional Development Accessible Read how CTA's Instructional Leadership Corps is bringing professional development to remote rural areas on page 51. Mammoth Elementary School's Judy Burgenbauch. 32 cta.org Feature