Since Owensboro Public Schools first introduced incentive packages earlier this month, substitute teacher applications have increased by 30%, Superintendent Matthew Constant said Thursday.
“The efforts for creating more substitutes has already started to pay off,” he said during the OPS Board of Education meeting.
Two weeks ago, OPS announced they were implementing a referral bonus program for employees who help bring in substitute workers, along with offering stipends for subs who take on extra work.
The referral program could pay out up to $250 each for the employee making the recommendation and the new sub. OPS Personnel Director Carlie Brown previously said if the sub works one day, the current OPS employee would get $125. Once that applicant works 90 days, the OPS employee would get an additional $125. The applicant would also receive $250 after working 90 days.
Regarding stipends, subs who work two Mondays or Fridays in one pay period get an additional $35 stipend for those days. If a sub accepts an assignment for 10 consecutive days, they will receive an additional $35 per day for accepting a continuous assignment.
That isn’t limited to subs for teachers, so it would include subs for positions such as instructional assistants and bus monitors.
In other business, Constant said OPS is looking to hire another (English Learner) EL instructional assistant because of the additional EL students. He said they already qualify for another assistant, and that OPS expects even more students in the coming months because of the Afghan humanitarian parolees who will soon be residing in Owensboro.
OPS Chief Finance Officer John David Sandefur provided an update on the renovations at Cravens Elementary. He noted that about 50% of the block work was done on the new edition. He said some construction is slightly behind schedule due to labor and supply shortages.
During their comments, board members expressed their gratitude that schools have remained in session with no cancellations thus far this year. They also encouraged the community to get vaccinated if they have not already in order to help slow COVID-19 spread and keep students in school.
