Massachusetts school district scrambles as 45 teachers take leave over 2 days

A Massachusetts school district had 45 teachers take personal time off May 29-30, relying on volunteers to fill vacancies with a few hours’ notice.

Stoneham Public Schools Superintendent David Ljungberg joined as one of the volunteer substitutes, the local NBC affiliate notes.

“Many of our staff have important reasons for being out, including family medical emergencies and significant life events such as graduations,” he wrote in a letter to parents.

“Many of these dedicated educators have saved their personal days throughout the year specifically for these meaningful occasions, having barely missed a day all year.” 

The district serves about 2,400 students in grades pre-K through 12 in an area 10 miles north of Boston. 

Some blamed the district for poor planning, while a local teachers’ union official claimed the school lacks resources for substitutes. 

“This unfortunate situation is the result of a lack of resources required to have an adequate number of both long and short-term substitutes,” Jason Eppskrier, president of the Stoneham Education Association, told the NBC affiliate. 

“The situation at this school was created by a combination of vacant positions that the district has not filled, as well as previously approved personal days and regular employee sick leave.” 

The Boys and Girls Club of Metro North volunteered to fill 13 of the volunteer positions. 

“We’ve had such a long positive history with the Stoneham school system,” said John Shaghoury, the club’s CEO, adding he received hours’ notice of the need. “We run their afterschool programs. We work very closely with them and our folks are really dedicated to the students in the community.” 

‘I feel bad for the children’ 

Parental reaction to the news varied. 

“The teachers are taking their paid time off when they want and how they want, and I thought that was fine,” said Sarah Marshall. 

However, Dave Harmon expressed frustrations over potential repercussions for student learning. 

“Nothing surprises me at this point,” he told the news outlet. “Unfortunately, I feel bad for the children.” 

Jocelyn Spinale also described the situation as less than ideal. 

“I thought it was unprofessional, to be honest with you. I just don’t think it was right,” she said. 

The district also received criticism from a Stoneham Central Middle School teacher, whom the news outlet cited anonymously. 

“This time must be put in for ahead of time and must be approved at both building and district level,” this teacher said. “That means that the district has known about … this personal time for months in some cases. Properly planning for staffing is outside the bailiwick of the classroom teachers and falls on both administration at the building and district level.”