Due to coronavirus cautions, the Old Rochester Regional School District lost some of its substitute teachers for the 2020-2021 school year. To help fill the positions, the district’s Joint School Committee voted at a Sept. 24 meeting to increase the pay rates for the coming year to attract more subs to use in the schools.

Superintendent Michael Nelson said there are many good retired and new teachers looking for work and he “would hate to lose out on them in a competitive market.”

On the district’s site, there are currently eight positions open between per-diem and long-term substitute positions. 

For both per-diem and long-term substitute teachers, pay rates have gone up by $20 across the board. For substitute nurses, pay increased from $120/day to $200/day. For cafeteria, clerical and custodian workers, pay is up from $11 to $12.25/hour.

Assistant Superintendent of Finance and Operations Howie Barber said that in his research, he found that surrounding districts such as Fairhaven pay higher salaries.

The district hasn’t increased substitute wages since September 2018. 

But the move will potentially be temporary. Barber said the increase will only be for the 2020-2021 school year, which gives the district flexibility to readdress the wages. 

Although Nelson said the district is pretty close to being fully staffed with standby educators, he said the move will help the district be “more aggressive in looking for subs.”