ACPS seeking more subs, teachers for school year
ALBEMARLE COUNTY, Va. (WVIR) - Facing teacher and substitute vacancies, Albemarle County Public Schools says it has some new strategies to alleviate the shortage this school year.
ACPS raised the substitute daily pay from $97 to $140 a day back in the spring, which will continue into this year. There will also be a full time sub at every school this year.
The problem is, the school year begins on August 24, less than a month away.
Staff members with ACPS say filling those substitute teacher roles is more important than ever this year. Subs are supposed to fill in for those teacher vacancies, but right now, there aren’t enough to do so.
“Last year, we had almost 12,000 absences across all the schools and over 300 subs working, but it’s still just wasn’t quite enough to fill our need,” said Eva McGhee, the new substitute coordinator with ACPS. “I will help you with onboarding questions and with anything about scheduling. I also support office administrators in the schools or assistant principals.”
“The pool of candidates is definitely smaller than it has been in years past,” said Woodbrook Elementary Principal Kristen Williams. “We’re all sort of interviewing the same people and trying to fill very similar positions across the division.”
Williams is only looking for two more teachers. A spokesperson for ACPS says that’s better than the national average.
“We still need an art teacher and a special education teacher, but otherwise we’re fully staffed,” said Williams. “I have ideas for some subs that I do know that I can bring in to perhaps sub for us until we do end up finding the right fit for these for these vacancies.”
Williams says that substitute role is going to be necessary this year. In Albemarle County schools, teacher and sub shortages have a bit of a cyclical effect: When there’s not enough teachers, subs fill in, and where there aren’t enough subs, teachers will fill in during their planning period.
“We really need substitutes, who can come in, take over that classroom and make sure that everybody else in the school can focus on their own jobs,” said McGhee.
McGhee and Williams both encourage people to apply for a substitute teacher role. They say there is great flexibility to it and can fit many people’s lifestyle. The application is online here
McGhee says ACPS is taking as many subs as it can get. Williams is hoping to have a list of five, consistent subs she can call for her school. She is still looking for her list of who those people were here.
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