Aldermen question Gillis on staffing shortages

MANCHESTER, N.H. – Following concerns about special needs students being sent home due to a lack of personnel able to provide services, Manchester School District Superintendent Dr. Jenn Gillis was on hand to provide information to the Manchester Board of Mayor and Aldermen (BMA) on Tuesday night.

Concerns on the BMA arose after Ward 5 Alderman Tony Sapienza shared insight from a recent meeting with a constituent about the issue.

Sapienza pressed Gillis on whether this was indeed happening in the Manchester School District, with Gillis indicating that it did happen due to staffing shortages or safety concerns, with students who can not receive services at regularly scheduled times receiving those services later when staff becomes available.

While Sapienza asked for a specific number of times where this has happened, Gillis would only reply that it occurred “less than a handful” of times and spoke cautiously regarding specifics related to this concern in the attempt to preserve student privacy.

Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig, who also chairs the Manchester Board of School Committee, stated that staffing shortages are a frequent topic at Board of School Committee meetings.

During the meeting, it was noted that members of the Manchester Fire Department have filled in as contracting nurses for schools with shortages in that area. Other initiatives to alleviate nursing shortages have included a new type of nurse that be hired with hands-on training in the place of bachelor’s degrees as well as supporting legislation that would help remove barriers for hiring qualified nurses.

Alderman At-Large Joseph Kelly Levasseur asked if providing additional pay could sway more nurses, occupational therapists or other service providers, but Gillis said that the district is facing the same staffing shortages that most other businesses are currently facing across the country.