Thousands of educators, including ones who are a part of the New Hanover County Association of Educators, are descending upon Raleigh on Friday, May 1, to decry the lack of a state budget, dropping in the rankings for teacher pay and per-pupil spending, and the millions diverted each year to private schools through the Opportunity Scholarship program.
According to district spokesperson Anita Baggie, as of Tuesday, April 28, “A total of 325 substitute positions were requested, with 194 filled and 131 still needing coverage. Personal leave requests were accepted until 5:00 p.m. on Friday, April 24. Central Office staff will be utilized to support schools in filling remaining vacancies as needed.”
According to budget documents, there are 1,658 classroom teachers, which means roughly 20% of them will be out. WHQR asked the district to clarify whether teacher assistants could also have their positions filled by subs, or only teachers. The district hasn’t yet responded.
New Hanover County Schools Superintendent Dr. Christopher Barnes wrote to families about staff coverage for Friday, May 1.
He said that Friday, "will look a little different in some classrooms. As with any day when staff members are out, we are working diligently to ensure all classes are covered. With the help of our support staff and central office staff, we have approved all personal leave requests submitted within the designated window and have taken additional steps to support our schools."
Barnes added, "Our educators and staff are the heart of our schools, and it takes every one of them working together to create the environment our students deserve. As always, student safety, supervision, and learning are our top priorities. We also recognize that for many students, school provides important consistency and support, and we remain committed to ensuring those needs are met without interruption."
See a closure map for Friday, May 1, from NC Local
WHQR coverage on NHCS decision to keep schools open for Friday, May 1
