EAST HELENA — The countdown to the first day of school is on, but district leaders say one major challenge remains — finding enough employees to keep schools running smoothly.
With the first day of school just two weeks away, East Helena Public Schools is still trying to fill several open positions — from high school math, science, and foreign language teachers to kitchen staff and bus drivers.
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“I wouldn't hesitate to use the word ‘crisis’,” said East Helena superintendent Dan Rispens. “It's kind of all hands on deck for us to try to get the school year off to a good start.”
Rispens has worked in education for 25 years, and says this is one of the most difficult hiring seasons he’s seen, and singles out the open math position as the biggest hurdle.
“This year in particular, we saw a pretty steep drop off in the number of people interested in taking teaching jobs,” he said. “We haven't received one application since we opened the position in May."
Rispens believes some of the hiring challenges are from a lack of interest in younger people to enter the education field, with cost of living and lower teacher pay being factors.
He says this isn’t just an East Helena issue, either.
“I think across school districts, across the state of Montana, conversations that I've had with other superintendents and principals, it's very similar to what we're dealing with.”
As far as impacts go, staff shortages are already affecting planning for the upcoming school year.
With fewer teachers available, the district may have to reduce elective and advanced course options while prioritizing credits required for graduation.
“Now when we have limited staff, we have to prioritize which classes we offer,” Rispens said. “Some of our kids who really want to accelerate and advance their learning may not get those opportunities.”
The district also expects larger class sizes this year, with some classes climbing into the high twenties and fewer sections available.
For anyone interested, more information about the positions and how to apply can be found here.
