Substitute teacher shortage affects students and teachers alike

On Sept. 18, five teachers in the math department were absent, but there were only two substitute teachers available to fill in. Due to the shortage, it became the responsibility of other teachers in the department to cover their colleague’s classes. For math instructor Kristen Hogan, this meant having no open mods to meet with students throughout the day.

“It makes you flustered because if you have kids arranged to come in to you during your open times and you’re not there, it ends up affecting the students too,” Hogan said.

With over 90 teachers absent in the district today, the responsibility has once again fallen on the teachers in each department to cover the classes that they were unable to find guest teachers for. Junior Jenna Irwin is one of many students that has seen the repercussions of the guest teacher shortage. Her math instructor, Nick Joslin, has covered for multiple classes, making it hard for her to find time to get help.

“It’s frustrating for me because I’m not able to come and get help,” Irwin said. “When Joslin has to cover a whole bunch of classes it’s hurt me, hurts him, and just hurts all of his other students.”

Principal Maryanne Ricketts has attributed the shortfall to too many events occurring at the same time. There have been more illnesses than expected for this time of year and when combined with everything else happening around the school, there are just not enough substitute teachers available.

“It hasn’t been just one thing,” Ricketts said. “It’s been a combination of athletics, illnesses, new babies coming on board, and professional development that has caused the shortage.”

In addition to the increase in teacher absences, there have also been fewer guest teachers available throughout the city. Since most districts in Omaha, including Westside, pull from the same pool of substitute teachers, it’s on a first-come, first-serve basis for all the schools. If a guest teacher isn’t requested early enough, there may not be any teachers left that are available for a particular day. However, with the winter and flu season quickly approaching, Ricketts hopes that more substitute teachers will be available.

“If there’s an illness there’s not a lot you can do about it,” Ricketts said, “but hopefully we’ll get more guest teachers soon so that the teachers in each department won’t have to cover.”