SILOAM SPRINGS -- The Siloam Springs School District has been affected by a staff shortage for almost a full semester, specifically with substitute teachers and bus drivers.
Now, the district is calling on the community to help fill the gaps as the school year reaches a halfway point.
"We are at the point of desperation for bus drivers and substitutes," said Superintendent Jody Wiggins at November's School Board meeting.
The bus driver shortage has been a persistent issue across Northwest Arkansas, and Siloam Springs specifically has been dealing with it for months, according to the district.
"We currently have two morning route openings and six afternoon route openings. We would hire as many substitute drivers as possible," Assistant Superintendent Shane Patrick said.
Wiggins said current staff are being overextended due to the shortage.
"There are people in the district with other full-time jobs that are daily driving buses because we don't have enough," Wiggins said. "We have coaches in our district that we are pulling out of school because we don't have enough."
The district provides paid training for potential drivers. The district will also reimburse the cost of a CDL license for new drivers. Starting pay for bus drivers is $16.76 per hour.
"If you are interested, we are interested in you," Patrick said. "We will take somebody one day a week. If you can drive one day a week, we will take it."
Patrick said he has been driving routes to help with the shortage. However, he said the longer the issue goes on, the worse it can become.
"I am concerned because flu season is coming around. If people get sick they can't drive. We are pleading with the community to step up and help our kids," Patrick said.
Patrick said the substitute shortage is another issue facing the district.
"The district is also in need of as many substitute teachers as we can get to sign up. In the month of October we needed 772 subs and only 534 of those were filled by a substitute," Patrick said.
He continued, saying, "The district currently has over 150 substitutes registered, but only about 15 of those who work more than one day per week. The district sub pay is $97.50 per day for noncertified subs and $112.50 per day for certified subs."
Patrick said the district is working tirelessly to fix these issues.
"We continue to need substitute teachers in our district," Patrick said. "We are falling short on covering those positions when our teachers need to be out. Our principals and staff at those schools are working double time to make sure that our kids are getting instruction on a daily basis."
To apply for a position people can go online to the district website or contact the district at 479-524-3191.
Spencer Bailey can be reached by email at sbailey@nwaonline.com.