Retiree answers the call to return to the classroom

<p>Across the state, school districts have found it harder and harder to fill some positions as many educators leave the profession and fewer educators join the workforce in their place. After Manchester City Schools in Adams County could not get candidates to apply for a high school science teaching job, the superintendent asked Jeff Crask - who was working at Wal-Mart after retiring from teaching nearly a decade ago - to come back to his old classroom. Crask tells us why he agreed to fill the need, and why he's decided to stay on for another year.</p><p><strong>DIVE DEEPER |</strong> To learn more about recommendations from OEA members about solutions to address the growing teacher recruitment and retention crisis, <a href="https://www.ohea.org/press-releases/2022/oea-members-offer-solution-to-states-growing-teacher-recruitment-and-retention-crisis/"><strong>click here</strong></a>. </p><p><br></p><p><strong>Featured Education Matters guest: </strong></p><ul><li>Jeff Crask, Manchester Ohio River Educators member<ul> <li>Jeff Crask returned to teaching at Manchester High School in Adams County for the 2022-2023 school year, after retiring from teaching in 2014. He has agreed to return to Manchester High School for the 2023-2024 school year, too.</li> <li>Crask served three years in the US Army, 1975-1978, as a Medical Specialist, Stationed at Fort Leonard Wood, MO. After the Army, Crask earned his BS in Biology at Campbellsville University, Campbellsville, Kentucky, in 1984. Cabpbellsville University had about 600 students at the time. In 1986, he received an MS in Botany from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. </li> <li>Before taking his first teaching job as a chemistry teacher at Knott County Central High School in Hindman, Kentucky, Crask was the overnight DJ at rock station WKQQ in Lexington, Kentucky, which he described as his dream job at the time. Crask described his first year of teaching at Knott County Central High School as a nightmare, saying "I didn't know much about Chemistry and I sure di