Thunderstorms - some may contain locally heavy rain, especially this evening. Low 74F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near an inch. Locally heavy rainfall possible..
Thunderstorms - some may contain locally heavy rain, especially this evening. Low 74F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near an inch. Locally heavy rainfall possible.
This sign in front of Broad Creek Middle School on Aug. 18 reflects the need for bus drivers and teacher assistants in public schools across the county. School officials are encouraging those interested to apply on the district’s website. (Cheryl Burke photo)
A bus driver pulls out of the county school system’s bus garage in Beaufort during a previous school year. County school officials face a teacher assistant and bus driver shortage and are encouraging residents to apply. (Cheryl Burke photo)
Beaufort Elementary School teacher assistant/bus driver Matilda Stewart prepares a classroom Aug. 16 in preparation for the return of students on Aug. 29. She is among many TA/bus drivers in the county, but the district is still in need of more to fill TA/bus driver vacancies by the start of the new academic year. (Cheryl Burke photo)
This sign in front of Broad Creek Middle School on Aug. 18 reflects the need for bus drivers and teacher assistants in public schools across the county. School officials are encouraging those interested to apply on the district’s website. (Cheryl Burke photo)
A bus driver pulls out of the county school system’s bus garage in Beaufort during a previous school year. County school officials face a teacher assistant and bus driver shortage and are encouraging residents to apply. (Cheryl Burke photo)
Beaufort Elementary School teacher assistant/bus driver Matilda Stewart prepares a classroom Aug. 16 in preparation for the return of students on Aug. 29. She is among many TA/bus drivers in the county, but the district is still in need of more to fill TA/bus driver vacancies by the start of the new academic year. (Cheryl Burke photo)
BEAUFORT — As county public school students prepare to report Aug. 29 for the 2022-23 academic year, school officials are scrambling to hire bus drivers and teacher assistants.
As of Aug. 18, the school system had about 25 teacher assistant or bus driver vacancies listed on the district’s website. In Carteret County, most teacher assistants are required to drive buses.
“We continue to hire bus drivers daily,” Harry Brooks, director of transportation for the county school system, said Aug. 16. “We do have current needs for drivers at several schools, including Broad Creek Middle School, East Carteret High School and MaST (Marine Science and Technologies Early College High School).”
As of Aug. 18, however, Mr. Brooks said there was only one route that still needed a driver. The school system operates 96 buses.
Superintendent Dr. Rob Jackson also said the system was seeking teacher assistants.
“Currently, we are seeking teacher assistants at several schools. We will be pursuing direct marketing such as banners and yard signs in front of particular schools who are in need of these positions,” Dr. Jackson said.
Some schools, like Broad Creek Middle School, are posting bus driver and teacher assistant vacancies on their signs.
Carteret County is not the only district in eastern North Carolina struggling to fill driver and teacher assistant positions. Craven County Schools listed 34 openings for teacher assistant/bus driver positions on Aug. 18. Onslow County has about 50 openings for bus drivers, according to Onslow County Public Information Officer Brent Anderson.
While school districts across the nation have struggled for years with bus driver shortages, the problem escalated during the COVID-19 pandemic. The problem became so severe last school year that the U.S. Department of Education provided temporary waivers in January 2022 from some of the skills required to obtain a commercial driver’s license (CDL) to drive buses. Those waivers expired March 31, 2022.
In an effort to attract more teacher assistants, bus drivers and cafeteria workers in North Carolina, legislators this year approved increasing the minimum wage for school employees to $15 per hour. Some districts are also offering signing bonuses and local stipends.
The Carteret County Board of Education, at its August meeting, approved a revised salary schedule to comply with the N.C. Department of Public Instruction’s minimum/maximum pay guidelines. The revised schedule includes salary increases based on pay grades and steps, with $15 per hour the minimum.
If driver positions aren’t filled by the beginning of the new school year, Carteret County Schools Chief Communications Officer Jennifer Johnson said the district has plans in place to ensure students will be safely transported to schools.
“In the case of temporary bus driver shortages, CCPS traditionally employs substitute drivers, schedules double routes only when necessary or utilizes CCPS employees with bus licenses who don’t regularly drive a bus for the system,” she said. “We continue to hire bus drivers daily and are providing appropriate training. Parents can rest assured that we will do whatever it takes to transport our students safely and efficiently to and from school each day.”
Those who work as teacher assistant/bus drivers, like Matilda Stewart, a TA/bus driver at Beaufort Elementary School, said it’s a rewarding job. Stewart, a retired social worker, said she started serving as a TA/bus driver three years ago after serving as a substitute teacher.
“I love it,” she said. “It’s what I want to do. I want to work with kids. When I started out subbing, I fell in love with the kids.”
She especially encouraged retirees who enjoy working with children to consider applying.
“If they have a love for children, maybe just start out as a substitute to get your feet wet,” she said. “But for me, I really enjoy it.”
Brooks said those interested in applying as a bus driver can fill out an application online for bus driver at carteretcountyschools.org. Once an application is filled out, the transportation department will set up the applicant in either a virtual or in-person bus class.
People can also apply for teacher assistant positions as well.
Contact Cheryl Burke at 252-726-7081, ext. 255; email Cheryl@thenewstimes.com; or follow on Twitter @cherylccnt.
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