Putnam Schools Still Feeling Staffing Woes During Pandemic
While the number of students contracting COVID is higher than last school year, Director of Schools Corby King said staffing remains the main issue. King said certified teachers are in place, but getting substitute teachers to come in is causing problems. “When you look at the districts who have closed so far, it’s due to […]
DeKalb Schools To Increase Salaries Of Personnel
DeKalb County teachers, non-certified personnel, and bus drivers will see an increase in their next paycheck. Director of Schools Patrick Cripps said that the board of education has been working to better compensate employees. He said that the board wants to be able to compete for teachers with the bigger surrounding districts. “To be competitive […]
All Jackson County Teachers, Staff Getting Raises In School Budget
Jackson County teachers and staff are getting raises after the school system’s budget was approved by board members on Thursday night. Teachers will be getting a $1,200 raise, with staff receiving a 3 percent raise. Director of Schools Kristy Brown said this is the largest raise during her 17 years in the school system. “That’s […]
Putnam Curriculum Supervisor Says Early Literacy Training Intensive Successful
Some 140 Putnam County teachers underwent extensive training on improving elementary school reading skills. Curriculum Supervisor Jill Ramsey said teachers underwent three weeks of training to emphasizing a sounds-first approach in early literacy teaching. Ramsey said the state has been encouraging districts to move to that learning approach. “We’ve been doing that in Putnam County […]
Putnam Schools Substitute Teacher Availability Stabilizing
The need for substitute teachers has stabilized in Putnam County after shortages during last school year. Putnam County Schools HR Director Angie Knight said the substitute teacher pool currently sits at roughly 270. Knight said there will still be challenges keeping the pool at the ideal number with expected drop outs. “We sent them a […]
Dekalb School System Pushing For Employee Raises Across The Board
The Dekalb County School System is taking a budget that includes raises throughout the school system to the county commission. Director of Schools Patrick Cripps said he believes $5,000 raises for teachers and $3,000 for support staff is possible due to how the budget has been managed. Cripps said the competition for quality educators keeps […]
Dekalb School System Partners With Tech To Find Local Teachers
The Dekalb County School System is partnering with Tennessee Tech to train teachers for the classroom. Director of Schools Patrick Cripps said Tech reached out and the system was more than interested in participating in the Grow Your Own program. Cripps said this program is a huge benefit being in a rural area. “There’s a, […]
King: Putnam School Budget Needs Funding To Remain Competitive
Putnam County School System’s new fiscal year budget has a roughly $2 million budget shortfall as the county awaits final tax numbers. Director of Schools Corby King presented the budget to the County Commission’s Budget Sub-Committee at a meeting Thursday night. King said the system is positioned well but needs to keep up with growth in […]
PCSS Social Emotional Wellness Coordinator Reviews First Year
Friday concludes the Putnam County school year for its Social Emotional Wellness Coordinator. Shelia Barker said it was quite a year to start helping with the school staff. Barker said being in-person from the beginning was a big help. “I think teachers have done a great job trying to do their best with the curriculum […]
Rep. Weaver Pleased With Session But Wants Teacher Shortages Addressed
Representative Terri Lynn Weaver said she wants to bring back a state bill next General Assembly to address teacher shortages. Weaver said she is pleased with the education funding, but she wanted to make it easier for teachers to add other subject areas to an existing license. “Just to take a lot of the bumps […]
