Laurel schools are going online Friday.
Superintendent Sean Larrimore announced Tuesday that instruction will be asynchronous districtwide on Oct. 4, due to "a significant number of scheduled staff absences for Friday — over 70 at this time, with over 30 positions currently unfilled." The Sussex County system attributed the call to maintaining safety and consistency, "after careful review and discussion."
Larrimore noted the difficulty in the decision.
"It’s important to address why we are not simply denying staff absences," he wrote. "The district recognizes that our educators, like all of us, have personal and professional commitments. Furthermore, we are navigating a nationwide staffing shortage and maintaining positive relationships with our staff is vital."
He said the week's circumstances should be considered an exception, while asking the community to grant patience in light of systemic challenges. Overall, Delaware kicked off the school year with with hundreds of staff vacancies across public schools, including more than teacher roles, per the Delaware Schools Consortium website showing over 500 openings.
In Laurel, students will be given assignments to complete independently on Friday, per leadership, with support available via email.
Mixed reactions flared under the letter on district social media.
Frustrated parents lamented changing work schedules on short notice and taking their learners out of school. One commenter called the districtwide move "asinine." Some commenters even called attention to Ocean City's "Country Calling" music festival that opens Friday, claiming it caused many time-off requests, while many remarks noted a funeral pulling teachers from the classroom. Some just compared it to a snow day.
Others, didn't care the reason.
"Educators have a right to take personal and sick days just like any other worker, despite facing restrictions on when and how they can use those days. And just like any other employer, our public schools sometimes have to grapple with days when multiple employees are absent," said Delaware State Education Association President Stephanie Ingram, in a statement to Delaware Online/The News Journal.
The head of Delaware's largest teachers union noted systemic issues underneath the at-home-learning day, regardless of uproar on any side.
"Unfortunately, the ongoing educator shortage here in Delaware and across the country will continue to create staffing issues at some schools if left unaddressed," she said.
Her union already sees its own data.
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In a DSEA membership survey shared this summer, 75% of teachers surveyed said they are more likely to retire or leave education earlier than planned.
About 7 in 10 were dissatisfied with working conditions. Some 62% reported experiencing higher levels of stress/burnout than previous years, with 25% saying that their level of frustration/burnout is at the highest level ever. Shortages have persisted for years, with complex root causes .
Advocates like Ingram have pointed to compensation recommendations from the Public Education Compensation Committee, implementing a four-year plan to raise a teacher base salary to $60,000, among other supports to bolster teacher retention. DSEA also hopes to see continued boosts in mental health for students, as well as resources for those professionals. This joins efforts on the limiting of classroom distractions, like efforts budding across the state to lessen cellphone use .
"DSEA has worked with lawmakers to address those staffing shortages by raising the starting salary of educators, addressing school climate concerns, and advocating for the successful passage of legislation that both created full-time substitute teacher positions across Delaware and provided funding to districts to help them fill those positions," Ingram continued. She said more work is needed, statewide.
Just last school year, another Delaware school district saw such asynchronous measures.
Capital School District told parents at Kent County Community School – home of Autism Delaware and serving about 300 students with disabilities – their school would move to asynchronous learning in on a few days in May, due to "bus and teacher staffing problems," as reported by DelawareLive . Reports buzzed of Dover High and Dover Middle School Campus following suit the same year, but district leaders never confirmed.
Still, Larrimore wanted to stress this is rare.
"We want to assure parents that this week's unique circumstances are an exception and not something we anticipate occurring again," the Laurel leader wrote. "We appreciate your understanding and patience as we work through these temporary adjustments."
Got a story? Contact Kelly Powers at kepowers@gannett.com and follow her on Twitter @kpowers01.
(This story was updated to add a photo gallery)
This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: One Delaware school district will go virtual due to staffing challenges this week
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