Last Tuesday, Nov. 10, the Archuleta School District (ASD) held its regular meeting, during which the board discussed the district’s lack of substitute teachers.
According to Superintendent Linda Reed, the lack of substitute teachers has been a problem for the district for many years.
In brainstorming potential solutions, Pagosa Springs High School Principal Sean O’Donnell proposed a new teacher-for-teacher coverage plan to fill the need for substitutes.
Under this plan, teachers would cover other classes during their planning period at a rate of $12 per hour.
The ASD currently has a pool of 30 to 35 substitutes, yet it has remained difficult for ASD teachers to find adequate class coverage.
Last week, the district was unable to find both a substitute bus driver and substitute aid for the Special Talents bus. Reed agreed to serve as the aid for the bus because no help could be found.
At the high school, O’Donnell reported that classes have been forced to sit in the commons area to be supervised by the office staff due to a lack of substitutes, teachers and administrative staff available to cover classes.
In discussing this issue, and the potential teacher-for-teacher coverage plan, several important points were brought to the board.
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