DE PERE, Wis. (NBC 26) — Due to a combination of staff illnesses and a lack of substitute teachers, the Goodman-Armstrong Creek School District in Marinette County was closed Tuesday.
And though they've stayed open, Kirby Kulas and the Unified School District of De Pere are facing a similar battle.
"In October, we averaged 3.5 unfilled jobs per day where we had teacher absences and we didn't have subs to fill those jobs," Kulas said.
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Across the country, schools are seeing a lack of substitute teachers, and Northeast Wisconsin is no exception. Kulas, a human resources director, says his De Pere district averaged three unfilled teaching jobs a day in November.
"We'll have days where we don't have any unfilled jobs but we've had days where we've had eight unfilled jobs," he said.
Kulas says a long-term sub in one of De Pere's classrooms usually makes over $210 per day.
"We might have an administrator covering a class, an assistant principal or principal covering a class," he said. "You'll have teachers during what would normally be their prep time jumping out of their prep period and going in and filling in a classroom."
Manitowoc School Board President Dave Nickels says coronavirus health concerns could be playing a part.
"There's not been a shortage to this degree of substitute teachers," he said. "The teaching profession has really taken a hit."
To fight for more help, a Manitowoc schools personnel committee will discuss substitute recruitment and retainment efforts this week.
"Student performance has not been as strong as it's been in the past and that's a result of that," Nickels said. "The situation we're in has caused that to occur and it's been very difficult for our staff members."
While the crisis continues, officials hope an end to the pandemic can alleviate stress on local schools.
"The only way to make our community better is to really get behind the educational process and we need everybody to buy into that," Nickels said.
