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Friday the 13th strikes at Sunnyvale schools
School district had to scramble to handle eight teacher absences
By Gretchen Knaup
Friday, April 13th was especially unlucky for the Sunnyvale School District. Spring break started a day early for a large number of teachers, leaving eight classrooms without someone at the head of the class.
The day started like a normal Friday morning before a vacation. Students couldn't wait to start their week off, and teachers were growing even more impatient. It was business as usual in the office of Shelly James, the district's director of human resources, who generally deals with a large number of substitute teachers. The ever-ready James says she must fill about 15 to 30 positions with substitute teachers per day. Of those 15 to 30, five positions on average go unfilled, she acknowledges.
The morning of the 13th, however, her job was especially difficult because of the increased number of sick calls she received. Because of the upcoming holiday, there was an overflow of vacancies. As a result, a total of eight classrooms were left without teachers. As a last resort, the district decided to disperse the students without teachers into various classrooms for the day.
James says normally the five or so positions that don't get filled daily are taken over by other teachers on their off periods at the middle school level. At the elementary level they are taken over by administration. On April 13, they had to move the students into other classrooms because they didn't have enough staff to go around.
"This is a last resort and it rarely happens," James said. When asked about the April 13 crisis, she responds, "Every day is a crisis."
Currently there is an online pool of close to 40 substitute teachers that the district of Sunnyvale works with. James says the problem is that most of these floaters are tied up in long term assignments, and also are shared with other districts. She adds the district is doing everything they can to fill the vacancies.
Of the 30 school districts in Santa Clara County, Sunnyvale pays the most for substitute teaching, James says. The regular pay for subs can range anywhere from approximately $80 to $120 per day, with Sunnyvale paying $120.
James says the district is in desperate need of substitute teachers. Because of the shortage, many retired teachers are working full time to fill the gap.
To become a substitute teacher, the state of California only requires that candidates passes the CBEST, a standardized test that potential teachers and substitute teachers must pass for eligibility, and get fingerprinted. Tests are given six times a year, with a $40 fee.
There is also a waiver in effect for full-time teachers saying they can begin to teach as long as they're attending school to obtain their credentials. This allows students to get started right away. A bachelor's degree is also required.
For more information on how to become a substitute teacher or a full-time teacher, call the Human Resources Department at 408.522.8200 x212.
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Sunnyvale, California Since 1994
