MSBSD Student Summer Worker Program featured at school board meeting

The first Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District (MSBSD) school board meeting ahead of the new school year kicked off with a presentation about the successful Student Summer Worker Program.

Tony Weese, the Capital Planning and Construction Manager for the MSBSD, also oversees the Student Summer Worker program for the district and he gave an update on the program that just concluded last month.

“It is really great program,” he says. “Every year, I’m just in awe on the amount of work and the collaboration we get done every summer. It’s pretty impressive.”

Weese, who is in his 10th year running the program, explained that the program kicks off in the spring when notices are sent out to the schools to get students to apply through March and April, followed by interviews, much like the real world, and for many, it is their first job interview.

Weese further explained that after the interviews, students receive notices in May and begin work in June, saying that the summer work program runs from the first workday in June through July.

He reported that usually the program can have between 40 and 60 students, and this year’s program had 41 students and 11 supervisors, helping him maintain a student to supervisor ratio at 4 to 1.

This year, the program had three grounds crews mirroring what the MSBSD maintenance crews do, with a grounds crew, trees crew, paint crew, and a construction crew.

The tree crew does some brush removal, works on trails, fence lines, and similar tasks. “It’s a job that never ends.” There were three paint crews this summer that handled indoor and outdoor painting and assisting with work order requests that come across the Maintenance Department. And the construction crew performed work on portables, leveled decks, and other tasks.

They not only get their first job experience and pay, but students also receive a half credit for their work.”

Karita Crow, a grounds supervisor for the Central Region, said it was her second year participating in the program and she loves the program. “Working with the summer program keeps me going, keeps me working with kids. I love it.”

During the school year, Crow works with the Special Education program at Cottonwood Creek Elementary, and working with the Students Summer Work Program offers a nice change of pace working outside, and she enjoys the opportunity teaching important job skills, such as workplace safety, how to use different tools, and watching the students grow has been rewarding. She also told the school board that despite the obstacles the kids are often dealt, they handle and overcome them.

“Sometimes it’s pouring down rain, sometimes it is so hot that they’re pouring water on themselves, sometimes the wind is blowing and the grass is hitting you in the face. There’s all kinds of different obstacles. It’s not an easy job, and it’s not always fun, but they show up every day. They show up on time, and they stick it out whether it’s raining or it’s too hot, or it’s a beautiful day and it’s just right. They’re there with a good attitude and they want to work.”

Of course, Crow said there is one complaint the students have-the pay.

One student, Aiden, said he returned for a second year for several reasons, first and foremost for him was that it was fun, but he also credits the program for some other valuable life skills.

“It’s a nice entry job experience.” He said that because the supervisors know that for most of the students, it’s their first foray into working, and they are willing to help. “They’ll teach you, they’ll guide you through it. But you still have some of your own independence. You learn time management, mature and grow, and learn how it is to be in an actual job environment.”

“That just shows how much this program is working and how much the kids love it,” said Crow.