WEST FRANKFORT (WSIL) -- Some local schools are struggling with staffing issues amid the pandemic, and while in-person instruction is preferred, COVID-19 quarantine measures are limiting their options.
Administrators at Frankfort CUSD 168 were watching the numbers this week, maintaining safety protocols and looking at how they could keep kids in the classroom; however, by Tuesday evening the school announced it would return to full-remote learning starting Wednesday.
"As the day went along, we ended up with over a dozen faculty and staff members who were being quarantine," explains Superintendent of Frankfort Schools, Matt Donkin. Quarantine led to a staffing shortage Donkin says, they could not easily overcome.
"Then we looked to start hiring substitutes, and we couldn't find anybody, and that's been a struggle already," says Donkin, adding it is a shared struggle in the time of COVID-19.
Superintendent and High School Principal of Carrier Mills--Stonefort Community Schools Bryce Jerrell explains, after contact tracing led to seven of their teachers in quarantine last week, the school was limited in their options and chose to go fully remote for two weeks.
"In the past, we've typically relied on a lot of our retired teachers," says Jerrell. "The only problem is, when you start talking about age and pre-existing conditions, I think a lot of them are choosing to stay home; you can't blame them for that."
West Frankfort experienced much the same in their pursuit to find suitable substitutes. Donkin says in the past, "If you can't get enough subs, you might combine classes, but we can't do that right now either because then you're putting too many kids together."
And while staffing shortages are being addressed, both districts say they were prepared for Fully Remote Learning. West Frankfort began the year in full remote, and Carrier Mills delayed school an additional week for training as they prepared to conduct in-person morning classes and afternoon online classes.
"If we can get back to where we can staff this as we look in, (in) a couple of weeks, we hope to come back," says Donkin. "That was our goal from the start of the year--to try and get in-person, that's still our goal and we'll keep pushing towards that."
Carrier Mills expects students to return to the classroom at the end of next week. West Frankfort hopes to return November 16th, depending on health conditions at that time.
