In June of 2022, roughly 40 positions for math teachers alone were open in the Francis Howell District, according to Algebra ll teacher Rebecca Renken. On the list of online vacancies, there were 82 openings for jobs in the district, not just for teachers but staff as well. 

The increase in open, full-time faculty, according to Renken, is partly due to the outbreak of COVID-19 and the pandemic that followed. 

“There are so many teachers that got frustrated because of COVID,” Mrs. Renken said. “A lot of teachers that had like ten to twenty years of experience and quit.”

Teaching staff have greatly suffered because of the stress of having to change the entire organization of class activities and assignments into virtual, accessible ones that students could complete within their homes. This stress leading into teachers just leaving suddenly by the handful, a statement which Science substitute teacher Stephen Kelly shared his opinion on.

“I think every school is struggling to find teachers. They are also struggling to keep teachers. Some are leaving after just a few years,” Mr. Kelly said.

Several teachers that apply for jobs don’t stick around for long, yet when asking Mrs. Renken why she thought this was, a key reason was pointed out.

“I feel like teachers don’t get the respect that they deserve from students,” Mrs. Renken said. “Phones are also an issue in teaching. Teachers get tired of telling kids to put their phones away all the time and it wears on people.”

Phones have always been a big issue in classrooms and have most likely been getting on teachers’ nerves ever since they were brought to school in the first place. In fact, strategies such as phone pockets or “no phone zones” have even been implemented in several classrooms to combat this problem.

As for final thoughts regarding the issue as well as looking forward, Algebra ll teacher Danna Tedder, who actually shares half the day in the same class Renken teaches in, commented on the staff shortage.

“Most schools are struggling to find new staff,”  Mrs. Tedder said. “It’s a current reality that will hopefully change soon.”