Trending
WINTERSVILLE -- A shortage of substitute staff has Indian Creek Local School District officials seeking help to fill the vacancies.
Assistant Superintendent John Belt said the district was in need of all roles from bus drivers and custodians to paraprofessionals and cooks/cashiers.
"We need all categories," he said. "Anyone interested may come to the district office [at the former Wintersville Elementary School on Park Drive] for an application. They must also pass a background check and drug screening."
The background check is at the applicant's expense and results are completed in less than a week. In addition, bus drivers and paraprofessionals must have a special license which the district will help them obtain. The district will cover costs for bus drivers and assist with part of the paraprofessional's licensure.
Belt said the bus driver shortfall is a national issue but there are a plethora of positives for all roles by signing on, such as a chance to work full-time at Indian Creek and receiving great fringe benefits such as health coverage for the workers and their families.
"We hire our contracted employees from the sub list. It lets us see how they work with us and how they fit," he explained. "If you want to break into school district jobs, it's through the substitute process that it occurs."
For now, the shortage has meant combining bus routes and principals filling in with the classrooms.
"In some cases, building principals are teaching classes and some kids are moved to study halls. Lunch lines were longer to go through because we were short-staffed. Kids were also moved onto other buses," Belt said.
Schoolteachers need to apply through the Frontline website, which provides subs for multiple districts, and contact the district office or building secretary if they require assistance. For information, contact the district office at (740) 264-3502.