The BASD Board voted unanimously during its meeting Jan.27 to table a vote on a contract for a company called Substitute Teacher Services (STS) that if approved would take over responsibility for the districts substitute teachers.

Director Angela Sinkler proposed the motion to table the vote on the contract stating that the subject warranted more discussion and that current district substitutes should also be able to comment on the proposed changes that would be implemented with the contract.

During the Jan.13 Human Resources Committee meeting, a STS representative outlined the services the company would offer the district and how the open positions in the district would be filled on a daily basis.

If approved, STS would take over the substitute labor pool and the substitutes would become employees of STS. STS will maintain an appropriate pool of substitutes with proper certifications as well as handle all advertising, recruiting, training and payroll. They will also assume exposure under the Affordable Care Act and the district would not have to pay into PSERS for this labor force.

After voting on a motion to table the vote on the contract for STS members of the board outlined areas of concern and areas that needed more clarification.

"My concern is are we saving money or are we shifting responsibility to another company?," said Director Eugene McKeon. "Does it make economic sense?"

Directer Michelle Can followed McKeon's point about economics savings saying that what the district really needs is a time savings, more so than economic savings.

Director Shannon Patrick said that she thought there were some positives for the substitutes and that she would like more information on that.

Superintendent Dr. Joseph Roy decided to have the information ready for the next Human Resources Committee meeting so the board would have ample time to discuss it, rather than try to do it at the Feb. 10 meeting which already has a packed agenda.

In other news BASD students will have school Feb.17 and April 17 to make up snow days. The board will also announce its decision on a new aerospace charter school during a special meeting after the finance committee meeting Feb. 10.