Story provided by Stillwater Public Schools
“Anyone can look at the business marquees in town and see that there’s a shortage of workers in our community,” says SPS Communications Coordinator Barry Fuxa. “Beyond restaurants and retails, school districts across the nation are facing shortages of substitutes, bus drivers, custodians, teacher assistants, and more. SPS is no different in this regard.”
To address this employee shortage, Stillwater Public Schools is hosting a Job Fair on October 21 from 4:30-7:00pm at Will Rogers Elementary School.
“Whether you prefer to work face to face with children or behind the scenes, our wide variety of positions mean there’s something for nearly everyone. Full time, part time, even just some time, you name it,” says Fuxa. This particular event will focus on filling positions in several SPS areas including Transportation, Nutrition Services, and Facilities to name a few.
“We’re hoping to hire four drivers to help staff the Transportation department,” says Director Matt Parsel, who hopes to find some interested candidates at the job fair. With the district offering paid training, no experience is necessary. “We are just looking for people with a good driving record that enjoy interacting with children of all ages,” says Parsel, “This is a great opportunity to be a positive influence in a child’s life and help them start each school day with a good attitude.”
SPS Nutrition Services has served more than 220,000 meals to the children of Stillwater so far this year and is looking to add staff to support these efforts. “We’re looking for reliable people who like kids and want to be part of a team,” says Director Krista Neal. “While we do have some traditional cook roles, no kitchen experience is necessary. Whether it’s in the back of the kitchen with your coworkers or making sure a child has a balanced healthy plate, we have a good time and help feed kids.” Neal would like to find at least seven additional kitchen or warehouse staff.
Interim Director of Facilities Rob Lamecker is also in need of employees. “Recently, we’ve had a few staff move on to their retirement and this leaves us with open positions. We could really use the help of some skilled workers here,” he says. In addition to the custodial staff seen in schools, SPS employs several tradespersons, mechanics, maintenance personnel, carpenters, and painters. “These are mostly behind the scenes roles, but they have a great impact on the lives of children by helping to maintain the condition of the places and spaces in which they learn,” Lamecker says. In addition to a few trade positions, he’s seeking three evening custodians and one head custodian.
Other positions represented at the fair include teachers assistants, substitutes, and after-school assistants.
“I appreciate these directors’ efforts to put together this recruiting event,” says Superintendent Marc Moore. “We are committed to serving the academic needs of our students and ensuring they have a positive student experience. I hope there are those in town, or interested in coming to our amazing community, that consider applying to help us do just that.”
To make things as easy as possible for job seekers, staff will be available to walk applicants through the online application process, a Spanish translator will be in attendance, and, while child care won’t be available, applicants are welcome to bring their children with them while they visit about opportunities. More information about the Job Fair, including available positions, is available at www.stillwaterschools.com.
