Rockingham County Schools increases substitute pay and adds three days off to school calendar

ROCKINGHAM COUNTY, Va. (WHSV) - During Monday night’s Rockingham County School Board meeting, Division Superintendent Dr. Oskar Scheikl addressed how they plan to continue to provide relief to teachers during the pandemic.

One way to help to fill the gap of the substitute shortage will be increasing the wage substitutes get paid, from $105 for retired teachers to $120 a day and $130 for long-term substitutes.

Scheikl says the Central Office staff will also be stepping up to make sure schools are staffed in the classroom.

“Of course everyone has a full time job but we all agreed to take one day every week and free our calendars to spend that day at a school,” Scheikl said.

Ten newly approved unscheduled remote learning days will also help teachers and students have an extra break by providing three additional days off this school year.

These remote learning days can be used for things like snow days, which those three days were banked away for.

Now the school division will be going to schools 180 days instead of 183.

“We don’t really have to build in the extra three days because again if we run low, unlike in the past we don’t have to have the bank days there. If we really get that close we can use the remote learning days,” Scheikl said.

Those additional days off will begin next week on Fri. Oct. 8, Oct. 18, and Nov. 12.

Scheikl also reminded the community Monday night that Critical Race Theory is not and will not be taught in the classrooms of Rockingham County.

Scheikl says teachers need to stop being harassed online for what they are teaching in the classroom.

“Teachers have enough on their plate, you know trying to do school in this pandemic environment and with all the limitations and with everything going on and then being attacked online,” Scheikl said. “People being afraid for their personal safety that’s not right.”

Scheikl asks if anyone has an issue with what’s being taught, they should address him.

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