From the superintendent’s desk

Stockbridge schools dealing with low staff numbers

Hello Stockbridge Families,

Last month we shut down school for a day because we did not have enough staff to cover all of the positions in the district. This is the first time in my 28 years that I have experienced a shutdown in a district because we did not have enough staff to cover the needs of our programs.

The Stockbridge staff is doing a tremendous job of filling their roles and sliding into other roles and vacancies as needed. In mid-November, on a daily basis the administrative team was monitoring our staffing very closely to see if we would have enough staff available to hold classes in person. Although COVID isolation and quarantine are a large part of the issue, the staffing shortage was not just COVID related. When you add COVID onto other obstacles, such as having unfilled positions, non-COVID illness, caring for others who are sick, loss in the family, doctors’ appointments and so on, it becomes very challenging to have enough staff to get the job done.

I am so happy that we are not bouncing back and forth between face-to-face and virtual instruction this year. We did learn a tremendous amount last year from our virtual instruction experience that has made us better students and educators. We just don’t believe that virtual instruction is the best way for most students to learn. Seeing students learning in the classrooms, at recess, competing in athletics and performing in fine arts makes me thankful for face-to-face instruction. I know that everything is not as we would like it yet, but we are getting there. Your child’s safety is our No.1 priority, but our mission is to provide them with a great education and that is what we work to do every day. That is why we have put an emphasis on face-to-face instruction.

Thank you for your continued support as we navigate this difficult year. After we closed because of staffing, we had a few people express interest in working in the district and they have since joined the team. We still have multiple openings for food service, custodial, paraprofessionals and substitute teachers. Please call your child’s building administrator if you are interested in working in the district. We would love to talk with you about which position may be a good fit for you. We will provide training if it is needed to help you transition into the role.

Happy Holidays! Go Panthers!

Brian Friddle
Superintendent of Schools