Columbia teachers filling substitute void to earn extra pay amid 'unbelievable' shortage

The Columbia Board of Education on Thursday took action on several fronts to confront the surge of the omicron variant that is devastating schools.

Thursday's votes came after the school board in December voted to repeal the mask requirement in schools at the start of the semester and there was no COVID-19 discussion at its Jan. 10 meeting.

The decisions also follow student walkouts protesting the removal of the mask requirement.

Combating 'a huge crisis' of substitute teacher shortages

Substitute teachers have not been able to fill all the absences created by teacher illnesses, leaving other teachers, administrators and school personnel to fill those positions.

"We're in the middle of a huge crisis right now in terms of unfilled subs," said Chief Financial Officer Heather McArthur.

At the elementary level, students are distributed to the classrooms of other teachers, who remain with no additional pay, McArthur said.

More: How Columbia Public Schools teachers feel about the district's COVID-19 omicron response

Middle school and high school teachers have used planning time to fill in for absent teachers, at a rate of $12 per hour.

The board approved a measure allowing elementary teachers with extra students to be paid $24 per half-day or $48 per day, for potentially $240 additional per week.

The measure increases the rate for secondary teachers to $24 an hour, also a potential $240 per week.

The additional pay for 10 weeks would last until spring break, McArthur said.

"Our teachers are working really, really hard and taking on extra duties," McArthur said.

Teacher work days to function as 'relief valve'

The board voted to formalize Superintendent Brian Yearwood's designation of days off for students this Friday and Monday and Tuesday next week.

Teachers are to use the days as planning days.

"The sub issue is real," said Jen Rukstad, assistant superintendent for human resources. "Last week was unbelievable."

Elementary classrooms were doubled- or tripled-up, she said.

"The impact on our staffing is a simple way to talk about it, but the impact on our people is acute," she said.

A nurse told her a good day is a day when a parent doesn't curse at her, Rukstad said.

The days off will function as a relief valve, she said.

"We really were thoughtful about how we could provide release to our system, which was nearly breaking," Rukstad said.

The plan also includes early release days on Feb. 9 and March 9.

More: Resource officers are returning to Columbia Public Schools for the first time since 2020

Masks requirement returns to schools

The school board approved Yearwood's decision to require masks in schools since the beginning of this week until Feb. 4, adding that Yearwood would have the discretion to extend the mask requirement to Feb. 18, if needed.

"We're probably looking at the beginning of February before we hit a true peak" of the omicron surge, Yearwood said during a presentation.

Mitigation measures, including masks, are effective, he said.

The school district is trying to keep students in person to the greatest degree possible, while keeping them safe and healthy, said school board President Helen Wade.

"These mitigation strategies support that objective," Wade said.

More: 'All hands on deck' in Columbia Public Schools to fill for absent teachers

Three students — Katherine Cox-Littrell, Leo Aber and Vincenzo Magetta — spoke in favor of the mask requirement during public comment, with at least two of them saying it should be extended until the end of the school year.

State Rep. Cheri Reisch, R-Hallsville, spoke in opposition to the mask requirement.

"I guess you didn't get the memo that a Cole County judge issued a ruling prohibiting mask mandates," Reisch said.

She also mentioned the lawsuit filed by Attorney Gen. Eric Schmitt against the school district for its mask requirement. He dropped the lawsuit when the district dropped its mask requirement.

"I'm sure Attorney Gen. Schmitt will be seeing you all in court again soon," Reisch said.

rmckinney@columbiatribune.com

573-815-1719

This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: School board takes actions to confront omicron, teacher shortages