Schools get creative while battling sub staff shortage

Alexis Barker
NLJ News Editor
 
With a shortage of substitute teachers across the state and country, according to Newcastle Middle School Principal Tyler Bartlett, schools in Weston County School District No. 1 have had to get creative to help fill those holes. 
“We have had a growing sub shortage for several years. As staff have become more diligent about not coming to school when they are ill, we have had an increasing number of days where we are having to get creative to get things covered,” said Brandy Holmes, Newcastle Elementary School principal. “Fortunately, we have a dedicated team who are willing to be flexible and work together to make sure student needs are met,” Holmes said. 
She noted that the shortages seen in Newcastle go beyond just the realm of teachers and extend into custodial and kitchen staff. 
“To get things covered, we have to prioritize and find the best coverage we can in the least disruptive way,” Holmes said. “Staff have been great about rearranging schedules, covering in other areas or taking on new roles. Unfortunately, this adds to already full workloads and can mean no breaks.” 
The high school and the middle school are also feeling the pressure when it comes to covering when subs may not be available. 
“We have some great subs in our district, and many of them are used on nearly a daily basis. There are days, though, where due to multiple events combined with teachers being ill that we run out of individuals to pull in as subs,” said Bryce Hoffman, the high school principal. “In those cases, our building secretaries do a great job of jigsawing together plans which work to provide coverage for teachers that minimize the impact on students.” 
One of these solutions is a teacher forfeiting open or planning class periods to cover another classroom. Since Oct. 1, at the high school alone, Hoffman reported, there have been 10 instances where teachers covered for others during their prep period. 

“Our staff members are great team players in these instances and graciously cover to help out. The downside to this is we know that time is valuable and it unfortunately causes more prep to fall outside of the school day at home,” Hoffman said. 
And teachers aren’t the only school district employees stepping up to the plate. 
“Last year, we had several of our paraprofessionals certify to sub for classroom teachers. This gives us some flexibility with other positions,” Holmes said. 
All three principals said that covering the staffing gaps at the schools is done in the least disruptive way for students. 
While the teachers are provided minimal payment for their time currently, according to Bartlett, trustee Dana Mann-Tavegia and Chairman Tina Chick said the district could consider providing sub pay for teachers who are giving up their planning periods. 
“There are a whole lot of teachers losing planning periods. Do we want to give them sub pay for that?” Mann-Tavegia said. “That is something that will get old really fast when they don’t have planning periods.” 
Bartlett echoed those thoughts, stating that the current payment to teachers is minimal and paid in one lump sum at the end of the school year. 
“That does get old; it doesn’t seem worthwhile. They do it to help out,” Bartlett said. 
Mann-Tavegia also suggested that the district look at the rate they pay substitute teachers in the district. 
Superintendent Brad LaCroix said that the district might want to consider quantity versus quality before adding money to substitute pay. He stated that the district could look at the teacher’s rate of pay and reimburse them accordingly for their sacrificed time. 
“No. 1, we are putting quality trained people in the classroom. I’m not stepping on sub’s toes. They do a great job, but a lot of the time we have teachers that know the system,” LaCroix said. “The quality is good, and the reward would be a rate of pay that they are compensated hourly. That has more merit the more I think about it.” 
Chick suggested that the administration put together any numbers associated with the topic, as well as ideas to address the issue, for board members to have and use as they dive into working on the budget.