LTHS Sub Shortage Takes Toll This Week

LA GRANGE, IL — Some Lyons Township High School students were moved into larger spaces Monday because of a shortage of substitutes filling in for absent teachers.

"Since the onset of the pandemic, LTHS, like most school districts, has been dealing with a very shallow pool of substitutes for both paraeducators and certified teachers," the school's spokeswoman, Jennifer Bialobok, said in an email to Patch. "In the rare and unexpected event of a last-minute, unplanned teacher absence and no available substitute, classes may be temporarily moved into a larger space where supervision can be provided until substitutes can be secured."

Bialobok said she did not have an exact number of teachers who were absent Monday. Wednesday is the last day of school before winter break.

In general, Bialobok said a shortage has a bigger effect on the first classes of the day as the school is trying to secure substitutes.

Lyons Township High School employs 250 teachers, with an average salary of $115,000, according to the Illinois Report Card.