BCSD STRAP and Sub update

BONNERS FERRY — Boundary County School District has been able to fill several staff positions, thanks to the School to Registered Apprentice Program.

STRAP has allowed the district that they were unable to previously fill, said BCSD Superintendent Jan Bayer. Students have already joined the program and the Idaho Department of Labor is helping with parents and students through the application process.

The program is not just for students to work in the school district. It’s also open to outside business, with Bayer pointing to Idaho Forestry Group as an example of a business that has taken a student on as well. The superintendent encouraged all businesses to take part in the program.

She said that these types of programs could help mitigate the workforce issues by employing locals and getting students working out of high school. Bayer said the program may be expanded to kitchen staff and food service substitutes as well.

“We have enough people right now to sustain service,” said Bayer, “but it is always important to grow the subbing pool because that is also the training pool for departments.”

Currently, BCSD has had five new applicants. Bayer applauded the commitment of new substitutes and thanked them for their dedication.

She said she wanted to clear up any confusion of the idea of centralizing food services. Bayer said that to do so would be a worst case solution and said it would be difficult to get food to outlining schools in a timely manner.

Bayer commended all the kitchen staff of the district and said the food services issues had nothing to do with the competency or the abilities of the staff, but strictly the lack of extra staffing that is needed.