Staff photo / R. Michael Semple Substitute teacher Jim Hildebrand teaches a class at Boardman High School on Thursday. He has been a substitute in the district and in Poland for the past five years and teaches whatever is needed, whether it be math or social studies. There is a shortage of substitute teachers in both Mahoning and Trumbull counties, which mirrors a statewide trend.

When Jim Hildebrand walks in to Boardman High School, the retired salesman usually only has a vague idea what he will be teaching that day.

A building substitute for the last five years, Hildebrand teaches whatever is needed that day — math, science, social studies or anything else.

“I love what I’m doing,” Hildebrand said. “I’ve been doing this for five years in Boardman and in Poland high schools. I’ve seen these kids as they’ve gone from the ninth to the 12th grades.”

In many ways, Hildebrand is the exception rather than the rule among substitutes, because he only teaches at two schools.

Hildebrand often only knows he is working when he wakes up in the morning to the ringing of his phone. “I will decide whether I want the day’s job when I answer it.”

Lakeview schools Superintendent Velina Jo Taylor, who worked as a substitute teacher for a year, said some see the job as thankless.

“Often substitutes go blindly into classrooms, hoping the regular teacher left lesson plans for them to follow,” Taylor said. “They sometimes are not welcomed by other teachers in the buildings.”

There is a shortage of substitute teachers and aides across the Mahoning Valley and statewide.

Because of the shortage, the Warren City School District — for the first time in a decade — increased substitutes’ pay to attract more to work in the district.

OUTSIDE HELP

Districts in Mahoning and Trumbull counties are working with outside organizations to attract and screen potential substitutes when full-time teachers are not able to make it to their classes because of illnesses, required training or other reasons.

Girard Superintendent Bryan O’Hara said the district searches for and has its own file of available substitutes when there is a need.

School districts determine how much substitutes earn per day. Girard recently increased what it pays substitutes to $100 per day.

“Hopefully, this will attract additional people we can have on our list,” O’Hara said. “It is a matter of supply and demand. Raising the amount that is paid to substitutes is a trend happening across the state.”

CONSISTENCY

O’Hara said it is critically important to have consistent and effective substitutes available.

“You have to have a certain demeanor and skill to walk into a classroom, maintain control and follow lesson plans,” he said.

O’Hara said the district has filled some positions with substitutes when its full-time teachers have gone on extended leaves.

FINDING SUBS

Youngstown City Schools, as well as the majority of the other Mahoning county school districts, use the firm Rachel Wixey & Associates to locate, screen and provide substitute teachers.

Rachel Wixey has contracted with the Mahoning Valley Council of Governments since 2014. There are 288 active substitute teachers working in the nine districts that are part of the partnership. The districts are Austintown, Boardman, Campbell, Canfield, Mahoning County ESC, Mahoning Career and Technical Center, Poland, Struthers and Youngstown City.

The temporary services company, formed in 2010, provides employees for more than 100 school districts throughout Ohio, Indiana and Wisconsin.

“We have seen a steady increase in the need for qualified and reliable substitutes for all position types that are required in schools,” said Nekiesha Taylor, a spokeswoman with Rachel Wixey. “We see the good economy affecting our candidate pool — meaning more job opportunities and competitive wages.”

Youngstown schools spokeswoman Denise Dick said the district encourages its regular full-time teachers not to miss any days with an attendance incentive built into the union contract.

An individual teacher who logs perfect attendance for an academic semester earns a $150 attendance incentive. Those who miss one day in an academic semester earn a $100 incentive.

“When the annual attendance of a school building meets or exceeds the state average for teacher attendance for the prior year, as reported by (the Ohio Department of Education) on the district report card, each teacher assigned to that building gets an annual attendance stipend of $300,” Dick said.

Pete Pirone, superintendent of Struthers schools, works to reduce the cost of using substitutes by encouraging its employees to take only a partial day, instead of a full day, off to take care of issues.

“It has helped,” Pirone said.

Pirone recognizes, however, the district has quite a few younger teachers who have families of their own, with children who get sick and they have to take off.

“We used to have an incentive program to encourage teachers not to miss any days, but found the only employees that took advantage of it were those who would not have missed days anyway,” Pirone said.

rsmith@tribtoday.com