REYNOLDSBURG, Ohio (WSYX) \u2014 Reynoldsburg City Schools is the latest Central Ohio district using summer break to recruit new staff, despite facing significant budget cuts.<\/p>\n
The district held an open house job fair on Tuesday, offering on-the-spot hiring opportunities for a wide range of roles, including teachers, intervention specialists, bus drivers, and kitchen staff. <\/p>\n
Reynoldsburg City Schools<\/a> is continuing to recover from an $8 million shortfall following a failed levy in November. In April, the district laid off 51 <\/a>educators after the 6.5 mil levy was shot down by Reynoldsburg taxpayers. <\/p>\n “Many of the people that were laid off are now back, working in different positions but still teaching in the district,” Assistant Superintendent Andre Rudolph told ABC 6.<\/p>\n Rudolph said resignations and retirements have also opened up new opportunities, allowing the district to reallocate resources and rehire staff.<\/p>\n “We’ve got about 50 positions across the entire district, including teaching, transportation, food service, and career professionals,” Rudolph added.<\/p>\n ABC 6 caught up with Susanna Banche, who spent nearly 30 years with Columbus City Schools before accepting a new role as an intervention specialist at Slate Ridge Elementary on Tuesday.<\/p>\n “I put my name in to apply, and here we are,” Banche said to ABC 6 minutes after being offered the job. She\u2019s drawn to Reynoldsburg\u2019s commitment to smaller classroom sizes and direct student support.<\/p>\n “You need to have more time with students with individualized needs,” Banche said. “If I had a class of 30 kids with cognitive delays, it’s just not going to work. By keeping the classroom small and with the assistance of intervention specialists, you could actually give the students what they need.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Despite ongoing financial constraints, district leaders are focused on meeting the needs of all students, especially those in special education.<\/p>\n “We want to make sure kids feel secure and happy coming to school,” said Amanda Bernowski, Director of Special Education. “Especially our special education kids. They\u2019re often the ones on the fringes the most.”<\/p>\n Bernowski explained the urgent demand for aides in multiple disability-served classrooms, which require a high staff-to-student ratio to function effectively.<\/p>\n Asst. Superintendent Rudolph told ABC 6 that resignations and retirements freed up additional positions in the district.<\/p>\n “Why wouldn’t you give a diabetic their insulin?” Bernowski asked. “So why would we not give a student the tools they need\u2014like extra time, hearing aids, or specialized worksheets? It\u2019s the same thing.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n “We have a need for intervention specialists here in Reynoldsburg,” Rudolph added. “Seemingly, there are less candidates going through traditional post-secondary education schools to become intervention specialists. So, the need becomes much greater because all of the districts are clamoring for the same candidates.”<\/p>\n Pickerington Local Schools is expanding its team of intervention specialists<\/a> due to the rising demand for students on Individualized Education Plans (IEPs). Out of the 14,000 students in the district, roughly 15% have IEPs. <\/p>\n