MT. JULIET, Tenn. (WTVF) — From teachers leaving the classroom, to bus driver shortages, schools across Middle Tennessee are stretched thin.
During a visit to Mt. Juliet Elementary, NewsChannel 5’s Carrie Sharp saw the personal toll that takes.
Stroll down the hallway with 10-year-old Leo Etheridge and you’ll quickly realize he’s never met a stranger as he doles out a joy-filled greeting to everyone who passes.
“It's very exciting to be Leo's teacher, he has a smile that charms everyone,” says Tori Theriot, exceptional education teacher.
Adopted from Liberia one year ago, Leo has some catching up to do. While Leo and Ms. Theriot work on the fundamentals, there are times during the school day where he could join his peers — for classes like art and music along with lunch and recess. But right now, that only happens if a substitute answers the call for help each day. That's because Wilson County Schools has 10 open positions for exceptional education teacher's aides and virtually no applicants.
“There are a lot of moving parts in exceptional education — having those education assistants is super important to making sure all those needs are met and right now we need them in the worst way,” says Bart Barker with Wilson County Schools.
The job duties vary, and Barker says don't count yourself out before you've inquired about the position.
“At the end of the day, it's about caring.”
When Leo does join is his peers in 4th-grade teacher Emily Partin’s class, she sees the payoff for Leo and his classmates.
“Leo is a kid. He's a little boy, and for him to be with his peers is pretty awesome. And for everyone to appreciate each other's differences — he can laugh and joke and make us smile, just like we can make him smile.”
If you are interested in answering the call to help Leo or fill any of the open positions reach out to Wilson County Schools or click on the job posting for more details: https://wcschools.tedk12.com/hire/Index.aspx
