Sub shortage leads BR to look at outsourcing to fill need

BY STACI WILSON

In an effort to increase the pool of available substitutes, Blue Ridge is considering signing on with Kelly Services.

At the Monday, Oct. 27 Blue Ridge School Board workshop meeting, Superintendent Matthew Button said the district’s pool of subs is limited.

Button said that since 2010, fewer people are going into the field of education and districts are seeing those effects now. “It’s a challenge all districts are facing,” he said.

The superintendent told the board that the use of Kelly Services is growing and is the most imbedded company in the area providing substitutes to school districts.

Existing, approved Blue Ridge substitutes would be rolled into the Kelly system and the district’s substitutes would navigate the same software they do now to find daily openings.

Board member Chris Whitney said utilizing the service would eliminate the expense to the district of advertising and the vetting of substitutes. “That’s all on them to do,” she said.

The contract to use Kelly Services is expected to be acted on by the board at the Monday, Nov. 2 business meeting.

A few board members expressed an interest in hearing a presentation from Kelly Services prior to voting.
Others felt comfortable handling questions that come up prior to the board meeting by email.

According to Button, the proposed contract would run until the end of the school year. There is, however, an “out” if the district is not satisfied with the services provided.

The board also discussed beginning transportation planning for the next school year.

Button said the district could move to a “bidding” process to gauge interest in bus runs from current, as well as potential providers.

Currently, there are five transportation contractors operating in the district.

Button said the district could start a conversation with those interested to say, “Here’s what we need. What can you provide?”

For budgeting purposes, the board would like to have the process in motion by January or February.

A number of policies are up for review, with only minor changes to meet current Pennsylvania School Board Association regulations.

Board president Laurie Brown-Bonner reported that the state attempted to divert gaming funds meant for property tax relief from school districts to charter schools but that effort was thwarted by a lawsuit filed by PSBA.

Currently, Blue Ridge is among the districts withholding payments to charter schools.

The board also plans to hold a budget meeting prior to the Nov. 23 workshop to look at options available to the district if a state budget is not passed.

Business manager Christopher Dolan said that would also be a good time for the board to begin working on a three-year budget plan.

The Blue Ridge Board of Education will hold a business meeting on Monday, Nov. 2 in the elementary school cafeteria at 7 p.m.