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Schools brace for substitute shortage
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By JASON SCHREIBER
Union Leader Correspondent
Thursday, Nov. 5, 2009
With flu spreading and absentee lists growing at many New Hampshire schools, some officials are beginning to worry that they could end up with a shortage of substitutes if too many classroom teachers get sick.
Because substitute teachers often work for more than one district, school officials say it could create a problem if several schools are calling on them.
"We're all pulling from the same group of subs," said Barbara Munsey, superintendent for the Epping School District.
Epping school staffers are discussing ways to cover classrooms if substitutes can't be found. One option would be to reorganize classrooms in order to pull from existing school faculty.
Epping Elementary School has been hit hard this week, with more than 80 of its 470 students out sick. Many are suffering from flu-like symptoms, stomach viruses and colds, Munsey said.
Mark Vallone, elementary school principal, said 20 percent of the school staff was absent on Tuesday. Many were either ill or had to stay home to take care of their own sick children.
"Staff absenteeism has been above average for the last few days," Vallone said.
Realizing the potential for trouble, the Bedford School District has started hiring more substitute teachers.
"Obviously we've been thinking a lot in advance. One thing we're doing is actively building our sub ranks by hiring more subs so that we have a large pool to draw from," said Carol Sideris, Bedford's director of human resources.
Bedford teachers are also developing two weeks of instructional packets to be placed online for students to access in the event that a student or teacher is out sick. Students could access the materials either in the classroom with a substitute present or at home if they're feeling well enough to do school work.
Newmarket Junior-Senior High School saw a spike in illness last week with about 15 teachers absent and as many as 150 of its 550 student population out sick with flu symptoms. That number of student absences has now dropped to about 30, according to Newmarket Superintendent Mark LaRoach.
So far Newmarket has been able to find substitutes, but LaRoach said he knows that could change if things worsen.
"What we do watch is what other school districts are experiencing and what that regional pull may be on subs" he said.
Hampstead Central School has seen about 9 percent of its students on the absent list, and over the last two weeks, the school has had only one day when all 25 classroom teachers were in school, Principal Dillard Collins said.
For the most part, Collins said, the school has been able to find enough substitutes to fill the gaps.
"We haven't run out completely," he said, "but we've had a couple of days where we had to get creative."
When illness struck students and teachers at Seabrook's elementary and middle schools last week, some classes with several students absent were combined, said Jim Gaylord, superintendent for School Administrative Unit 21. School aides also have stepped in to help cover classes.
Despite the concerns about finding substitutes during widespread absenteeism, some say the current job climate could help as the unemployed seek work.
John Linville, 41, of Fremont lost his job as a welder fabricator on Sept. 1. Unable to find a new job, Linville turned to subbing at the Ellis School in Fremont this week.
"It's nice because the commute is right down the street, and I'll get to be in the same building as my kids," he said.
Some schools have managed to escape widespread illness. Sanborn Regional School District has seen only a slight increase in absences.
"We don't have alarming numbers yet in any of the schools, either in faculty or kids," Superintendent Brian Blake said. "If and when it hits, our plan at this point is to keep the doors open as long as possible, depending on the rate of absenteeism for staff and students."
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YOUR COMMENTS
I would be willing to sub and I am a pro.fesional engineer. Why won't I? Because the pay is pathetic. $50 bucks a day is all most school districts will pay so no wonder they only get people with just barely high school educations, The lowest of the low full time teachers are earning more than triple that pay not counting benefits. A sub gets no benefits and taxes are taken out of the 50 bucks. The Unions don't give a F about subs since they don't belong and And the unions don't care about our kids educations.
Sorry SAU I am not submiting myself to a backround check, finger printing and for 50 bucks a day
- annie, henniiker
Emily W,
I'm not sure what you do for a living, but I am a Special Education teacher, and would like the pleasure of giving you a reality check...the reality is, is that I do get sick being that I am in close contact with less than hygenic children all day, I do get holidays off and I spend them writing reports and doing paperwork, things I do not have to do during work hours. Summers off are true, but please keep in mind that I do not get paid, and I need that time to take graduate classes, paid for with my own dime, to keep my four teaching certifications. The sad part is, is that despite working to help kids everyday I am blamed for their inability to achieve and told to suck it up by ignorant UL posters. Makes it all seem so worth it. May you be appreciated in whatever it is that you do to make a difference.
- Anna, New Boston, NH
I must be nice to have a job that pays full time wages not work forty hours a week, or a full year...and still have sick days, personel days and vacation time (summer, Thanksgiving weekend, Christmas week, Feb. vacation, Spring Vacation, and every other state and Federal holiday. Suck it up and go to work like the rest of us!!!
- emily w, machester nh
I used to sub on breaks when i was in college. To be a sub you need to fill out an application, get fingerprinted in that district and then give them your cell phone number so they can call you. Most districts are 65-90$ per day. The only requirement in most districts are that you have graduated high school. Hope this helps!
- Joanne, Merrimack
teachers don't get sick? really?
- J Paige, Manchester
The only ones that are getting sick are the kids, so why is there a substitute shortage? Besides the pool of substitutes is replenshied through the addition of retired educators making the average Joe Blow of the street not needed.
- Jack Alex, Manchester
There certainly isn't a shortage in Manchester what with all the retired teachers and new, unemployed graduates. I have been subbing for 5 years and am rarely called now when 4 years ago I was turning down jobs I was so busy. And yes, John S., subbing is a great place to get experience, but it is certainly no guarantee of a job. I'm still hoping to get a full time teaching job. As for the inexperienced people subbing, I have been hit, kicked, bitten, spit on, and occasionally hugged. All this for $45-60 per day. It is not babysitting. You are required to teach.
- KC, Manchester NH
Oh this strikes me as funny. I have applied for a subbing position in Manchester,began this process in September, had an interview on October 6th, yet none of my references have been contacted, after making several attempts to find out the "status" of my application. I am more than qualified to substitute teach, yet nobody is following up on this process. It is so frustrating. And yes, there are no benefits, and you, as the applicant must pay a fee of $55.25 for your own background criminal check, and you are not able to use this
check for any other school districts.
- Carole, Hooksett
Yes, $10 seems a little low. Pulling from my pervious statement, I don’t think it should be more than $15 for a sub though. How much does a typical daycare employee make? I don’t hear parents suggesting that they pay their daycare provider more money because they are helping to shape kids and have a great deal of responsibility.
- John S, Manchester
Getting $60 dollars a day to watch/educate these children, seems a rather low wage for such a great responsibility. I believe backround checks are also required and paid for by the potential sub. On an average day, that works out to under $10/hr...No wonder there is a shortage. Again, education takes a backseat.
- G, Manchester
I always though subbing was the first step to becoming a full-time teacher. You have to put in the time to prove your worthy of shaping the future, right? It's like paid training.
- John S, Manchester
Being a sub is meant to be a part-time job, not full-time with benefits.
- John, Dover
I sub for Nashua and Hudson and am being called every morning. I got sick myself and wasn't able to work for a week. I'm looking for a different job now because there are no benefits for subs. It's hitting me hard this week because I have no check coming in due to being sick. I do think subs need to get paid more and get some kind of sick pay/benefits. We only get $60.00 a day gross. Then I have to pay after school care for my own children because I don't reach them in time to pick them up. I'm paying for 15 minutes of childcare. After taxes and childcare, I'm left with $45 per day. I won't even go into the way kids mistreat and disrespect subs. It's just not worth it. Sorry!
- Sick and Tired (literally), Nashua, NH
I disagree they should not need to explain in an article what the qualifications are. Those who are unemployed should read this and reach out if they are interested. The schools who were suffering and worried about a shortage were listed. Be pro- active!
- Whitney, NH
Well here you go folks who are unemployed and looking for a job. Send your resume to the Manchester school district....
- Amy T, Manchester, NH
So tell us the requirements of becoming substitutes. There are enough people unemployed that I am sure some would fit right in rather well. Does anyone that has an Associates degree qualify? If there is a shortage, than someone needs to at least explain what the qualifications need to be
- Keith, Raymond
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