SAN ANTONIO — Some schools in San Antonio are going into the new academic year short on critical staff. There are bus driver, custodian and even teacher positions that still need to be filled.
“As we’re looking for teachers, as we’re looking for staff, as we’re trying to make parents and kids feel really comfortable about coming back. We are excited about the opportunity to work with our students again,” said Jackie Horras, directory of secondary human resources for Northside ISD.
A simple search for “teacher” on the hiring pages for some of San Antonio’s largest school districts shows 74 openings at NISD, 48 openings for North East ISD and 99 for San Antonio ISD.
“I don’t think ever looking, at least in the San Antonio area, at a school district’s website with jobs will give you a true picture with openings,” Horras said. “Because most districts don’t post every teaching job.”
It is a bit more complicated than that, according to Horras. She says some of those listings are up year-round to give them a pool to hire from quickly. But she also says the real numbers are a bit higher.
“At the secondary, middle and high school (level), we have a hundred openings” she said. “And at the elementary level, we have about 40 openings.”
Some of those openings are additional teaching staff through Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Funds from the American Rescue Plan Act.
“We’ve created some of our own vacancies,” Horras said. “But we think it’s important when those are staffed to be able to close the learning gap that kids have experienced after having been out of school, some for 18-plus months.”
Schools are also facing a need for other staff like food service, bus drivers and custodians.
SAISD told KENS 5 in a statement: “We do have some critical needs in certain areas, including for teachers, substitutes, food service, bus drivers, and custodians,” and directed potential applicants to saisdcareers.com, email joinus@saisd.net, or to call 210-554-2240
Horras says at NISD, the focus is on getting those teacher positions, but wants to assure parents they have plans to ensure a smooth start to the school year.
“We’re processing substitute teachers, retired teachers as substitutes every day and getting them in the classroom,” she said. “We’ve got a lot of things in place so that all the classes will be covered come Monday.”
Anyone interested in applying for work at NISD can visit nisd.net/hr