
The Lowell School District is not the only Highway 58 employer seeking workers to fill jobs.
By DEAN REA/Correspondent/The Herald — Want to drive a bus or a van, work as a custodian or in the cafeteria for the Lowell School District?
Your application may be among the first received this year, reports Michelle Stephens, who has been the district’s human resources director for four years.
“We often get a lack of response for our classified positions,” she says, “but this is worse than I’ve seen.”
She believes that people aren’t applying for jobs because they can make more money by being unemployed.
Pleasant Hill hasn’t been seriously affected thus far, said Sheri Longobardo, business manager. The district has a relatively small custodial staff and contracts with First Student to supply bus service. The Oakridge School District also contracts with First Supply for its bus service.
Even so, a First Student representative said that it has been “tough recruiting drivers this past year.”
Previously, the Lowell district has received as many as four applications for a full-time bus-van driver position that qualifies for benefits, which requires that an employee work 6.25 hours or longer daily.
Thus far, no one has applied for that job.
Stephens said the district has worked with part-time employees by altering a work schedule and by providing time off.
Meanwhile, the district may have to pay someone else to perform work in the unfilled positions, and summer training for newcomers doesn’t take place, Stephens said.
Advertising the jobs last year on Craig’s list didn’t pan out, she said.
Meanwhile, the school district is working with the city to publicize “help wanted” needs.
“Lowell is a magnificent place to work,” said Stephens, who has been associated with the school district since 2013. “We support a family atmosphere out here.”