By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
Hays USD 489 is trying to fill open staff positions, and the empty positions are putting a strain on the district's existing staff, Superintendent Ron Wilson said Tuesday.
The district had a job fair last week looking for substitute teachers, paraprofessionals, teachers' aides, bus drivers, cooks and custodians.
"We are bare-bones," Wilson said. "We are actually not full on custodians and cooks."
Most of the jobs the district needs to fill are part-time positions that do not have benefits.
When a para gets sick or has to be quarantined, the shortage of paras means children have to go without that support.
"It affects kids and what they are able to achieve," Wilson said.
A shortage of substitute teachers means staff members have to be pulled from planning periods and other positions or classrooms combined.
"We always figure out how to make it work," he said. "We continue as is with less. I think where the detrimental effect is that it drains people because we are asking people to take on more."
Wilson said the school district is facing the same worker shortage many other businesses in the region are facing. He said those shortages could be in part due to COVID, but he said there are also likely other contributing factors.
As restaurants increase pay to try to retain and hire employees, the district has struggled to hire and retain kitchen staff. The district increased classified staff wages last year, but Wilson said the district may have to look at wages again, especially for food workers.
Wilson said the district had a good turnout for its job fair last week and a good number of applicants.
However, substitute teachers have to go through several steps to qualify for a substitute license.
To qualify for an emergency substitute license, you must have completed 60 hours of college, pass a background check and have no felonies on your record.
The district's rate for substitute teachers is $110 per day.
Anyone interested in applying for a job with USD 489 can do so online or call the district office at 785-623-2400.