In its Monday, May 16, meeting, the Pequot Lakes School Board unanimously agreed to support a Teachers On Call agreement, provided other nearby school districts do the same.
The Pine River-Backus School Board will vote on the measure at its Monday, May 23, meeting.
Teachers On Call is a program allowing potential substitute teachers to see all openings within their area on a given day. Superintendent Chris Lindholm said the program only makes financial sense if other nearby districts like Pine River-Backus and Pillager use it as well. If they do not, Lindholm simply will not sign the agreement.
"The shortage of subs is very real," Lindholm said. "From September to April, we have had 90 incidents where a para position has not been filled and over 40 teacher positions - which means our staff are scrambling to cover, and frankly we are not getting students the services they deserve, so we need to do something."
The board also agreed to hire Richard Spiczka as the district's new community education director, effective July 1. Spiczka, coming from the Sauk Rapids-Rice School District, will succeed the retiring Julie Despot, and will also serve as the high school boys basketball coach.
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Board members also conducted their second reading of the proposed changes to the district memorial policy, and will vote on the measure at the June meeting.
In addition, the board agreed to accept 33 donations, three-fourths of which will go either to the baseball program of the robotics program.
Council member Kim Bolz-Andolshek attended the meeting remotely from Houston via conference call.
