Copyright © 2003 NLThomas
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TAHLEQUAH, Oklahoma - Cherokee Nation employees are heading back to the classroom, not as students, but as teachers. As part of the Cherokee Nation’s commitment to support education, they are donating their employees’ time to substitute teach in area schools to help ease the financial burden that many public schools are facing this year.

"We’re trying to help with the school budget crisis by providing volunteer substitute teachers", said Dr. Dusty Delso, executive director of education for the Cherokee Nation. "It will help the schools to save money by not having to dish out the $50 or $60 they would normally have to pay a substitute."

All Cherokee Nation employees who volunteer to substitute teach will receive their usual compensation for a day’s work and will be thoroughly prepared for the teaching experience by a mandatory teaching seminar taught by Delso.

"We’re going to give them the basics on substitute teaching, classroom etiquette, and even back-up lesson plans on Cherokee history and culture", Delso said. "We want them to be ready when they hit the classroom."

Each employee can select the school district, which they would like to substitute in, but substitute positions at Sequoyah High School, operated by the Cherokee Nation, will be filled first.

"My first career was teaching, so I thought it wouldn’t be bad to go back and teach a day or two", said John Parris who has volunteered to teach in the Tahlequah district.

Parris now spends his days as a staff attorney for the Cherokee Nation and says a day in the classroom will be a welcome break.

"I miss the interacting and the actual teaching", Parris said. "I’ve moved on to a different career, but I enjoy teaching groups. A jury trial is like teaching, but it’s just not the same as working with kids."

Parris also feels that the Cherokee Nation is doing the school district a great service by sending business professionals to substitute.

"I think it’s great to expose the kids to professional people", Parris added. "It’s not everyday that they get to talk to accountants, lawyers, and medical personnel about their jobs. We have all of that at Cherokee Nation and our people have a lot to share."

The Cherokee Nation will conduct substitute teacher training this week and the substitutes are expected to be placed in classrooms by next week and will be available on an as needed basis.

Mike Miller, Cherokee Nation Director of Communications Phone: 918-456-0671 (ext.2210) Fax: 918-458-5580 E-mail: Communications@cherokee.org Larry Daugherty, Advertising Manager Cherokee Nation - Public Affairs Phone 918-456-0671 (Ex.2324) E-mail: ldaugherty@cherokee.org

Bradley D. Peak, Cherokee Nation Natural Resources Specialist Phone: 918-456-0671 (ex.2843) E-mail: bpeak@cherokee.org Cherokee Nation, Oklahoma Attn: (Department Name) P.O. Box 948, Tahlequah, OK 74465 Telephone: 918-456-0671 (Toll Free OK) 1-800-256-0671