The White County Board of Education will add an additional part-time custodial position to address staffing shortages at several schools.
Director of Schools Kurt Dronebarger said medical leaves and other employee absences have increased workloads and overtime expenses. The position will cost no more than $16,500, with some of that expense potentially offset by reduced overtime.
“Some of those folks have worked overtime to try and make up the difference, but it’s really becoming a burden on those, on those particular schools and their staff to keep up,” Dronebarger said.
Dronebarger said the district may be understaffed even when all positions are filled. The new employee could be assigned to different buildings as needs change, providing flexibility without committing the position to a single school.
Dronebarger said Woodland Park Elementary currently appears to have the most pressing need, although White County High School also faces a staffing shortage. Dronberger said maintenance supervisor Mr. Thorpe will determine where to assign the additional help as employees return from leave.
“It’ll be flexible in the sense Mr. Thorpe will determine where that need is most, because we have a few people that are out,” Dronebarger said. “So if, if say we put that need at Woodland Park right now, if that, if that position, um, if that person comes back off of leave and fills there, we may move it then to the high school where the need is most.”
The position could be divided into shorter shifts or assigned to multiple buildings rather than remaining at one location, Dronebarger said. Board member Jerry Kelsey said that flexibility was an important benefit of the proposal.
Dronebarger said anticipated retirements and other employee departures during the spring semester could allow the district to absorb the additional position into its existing staffing levels before the end of the school year.