ANDERSON — A group of Anderson Community School administrators and members of the Anderson Teachers Federation recently met to discuss the ongoing staffing shortages across the district.

This meeting was held at a time when ACS continues to experience challenges in filling full-time teacher vacancies and substituting in several areas, including support staff. The district’s website currently lists a total of 10 open full-time teaching positions, 7 of which are for special education teachers.

“These are in-demand positions,” said ACS Superintendent Dr. Joe Cronk. “Changes in state licensing have created shortages statewide, with school districts competing for available teachers.”

Randy Harrison, president of AFT Local 519, does not believe that “the number of crises has increased.”

“I think I was exhausted, catching up with educators and support staff trying to fill the gap,” he said.

Ideas discussed included improving coordination with the district’s community partners to increase volunteers to cover classes.

Harrison said those partnerships, including those with the Anderson Education Foundation, Community Hospital Anderson and others, were discussed at a recent roundtable meeting involving AFT Treasurer Fedric Ingram.

“Volunteers may not be able to give us a day, but if you can give us a couple of hours, it’s better than nothing,” Harrison said. .

The school district will soon be incorporated into the Ball State University Student Volunteer Services system. This gives educated students the opportunity to meet course requirements through alternative education and more.

Harrison also said the school district is exploring ideas for hiring permanent substitute teachers, with the goal of having at least one in each building. In addition, the role of specialists who teach art, music, physical education, etc. is being reconsidered.

“These are two things we can do right now internally, and we are committed to doing them,” Harrison said.

Cronk said the meeting generated several ideas that have not yet been fully explored.

“As with any brainstorming session, no ideas are discarded or accepted until they have been thoroughly vetted.”

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