Table of Contents
More than 400 Henrico teachers were absent on Thursday, the first day back to school after an extended winter break.
The 404 teacher absences equal about 9% of HCPS’ 4,502 teachers, and neighboring school divisions reported similar rates. Staffing shortages were expected due to the surge of the Omicron variant of COVID-19.
Henrico County Public Schools’ bank of available substitute teachers filled in for as many absent teachers as possible. Some full-time teachers covered their colleagues’ shifts during planning blocks (on Oct. 18 teachers began to receive compensation for covering classes during planning periods). Additionally, some central office staff were able to fill in more spaces.
But at Glen Allen High School, that still wasn’t enough.
Due to 20 teacher absences, around six classes of students at a time had to sit in the auditorium for class blocks.
"It's not ideal and we recognize that," said HCPS spokeswoman Eileen Cox. "We are working to make sure that doesn't happen again tomorrow."
The students were supervised and working on assignments that had been left by their teachers, according to Cox, and social distancing was practiced.
But teacher absences varied by school. At Deep Run High, about half as many teachers were out and things ran smoothly, Principal Brian Fellows told the Citizen.
“It was just like another school day, which is great because you don't always get that coming in off of a two and a half week break,” Fellows said. “I stand out in the student parking lot each morning as the kids are coming in saying ‘good morning,’ and they seemed as eager as they always do at 8:45 in the morning.”
Among all staff members including teachers, about 8% were absent, according to data provided by HCPS spokeswoman Eileen Cox.
In the transportation department, 18% of bus drivers were absent Thursday, according to the data. Parents reported delays of up to an hour.
With a high COVID-19 transmission level statewide and a 31% positivity rate in Central Virginia, the staffing shortage is not a problem unique to Henrico — virtually all Va. school divisions are feeling the effect of the Omicron surge.
Chanda Choker, who has two students at Godwin High, said that Thursday was just another typical day and her daughters were surprised there weren’t more absences — but they are feeling anxious about the looming surge of COVID-19.
“Mental health is definitely shaky right now,” Choker told the Citizen.
The principal of Godwin High, Leigh Dunavant, said the school had prepared by asking families starting Dec. 31 to report any COVID-19 cases or exposures, so school leaders had knowledge of most of the student absences on Thursday.
There were enough teachers and substitutes in the building to have every class covered all day long, she said.
* * *
Anna Bryson is the Henrico Citizen's education reporter and a Report for America corps member. Make a tax-deductible donation to support her work, and RFA will match it dollar for dollar.
