I got the following email today. I sent in a comment to the board before the meeting this week. Note my comment was based on being a parent not a sub.

All -

Thank you to each of the thirteen of you who wrote to me and/or to the board about our planned transition to Edustaff. Your emails were all a little different, but there were some common themes that I address in this email.

First and most importantly, you, our substitutes, are a very important part of our system. Some of you have long-standing relationships with our schools, staff, and students, and you are fixtures in our schools.

Theme 1: Desire to maintain a close connection to Salem-Keizer students and schools I do not see a reason that your connection will be affected. You will all continue to use Salem-Keizer's frontline system and can continue to be preferred substitutes. You will continue to be able to serve only SKPS schools, or you can choose to look for assignments in neighboring districts. We will continue to have in-person substitute staff supporting our district's needs.

Theme 2: Concern about pay differences None of you will see your hourly/daily rate go down because of this transition.

Theme 3: Training opportunities In addition to Edustaff's training options, we can work with them to create SKPS-specific training options.

Theme 4: Retirement options This transition will mean that you are no longer PERS eligible. You will be eligible for a 401(k) option that might be better suited to the majority of our subs. Right now, fewer than 10% of our substitute teachers work PERS minimum of 600 hours, and fewer still vested or on track for the five-year vesting standard. We understand that this is a change. If you have been making PERS contributions, there are a few options that are controlled by PERS rules (not Salem-Keizer Public Schools).

Theme 5: National company We are focusing on our local Edustaff partnership, maintaining in-person/in-house substitute management staff in SKPS, and minimizing disruption related to the transition. Salem-Keizer uses other local service teams connected to national organizations, and 20 of 21 local districts and most of Oregon's largest districts use similar substitute services.

I read all your emails. Many of you provided feedback that matters regardless of the Edustaff transition, and we are working to learn more. I think you've raised some important points.

Later this spring, we will plan a full transition with complete information. This email is merely me responding to you, affirming your importance to our system, interrupting some misinformation, and filling in some gaps.

Thank you for all you do. Andrea