HERMANN — The Gasconade County R-1 School District moved to the head of the class among surrounding districts Thursday night in boosting its pay for substitute teachers — a move aimed at attracting more classroom fill-ins and keeping those already signed up.

R-1 is the latest district in the region to increase pay during a time of dwindling numbers of substitute teachers — a position made more important during the coronavirus pandemic.

The daily pay rate for a substitute teacher with 60 hours of college credit goes from $85 to $95. A substitute with a 4-year degree other than a teaching degree will be paid $110 a day. For a certified teacher, the daily pay is $120.

Meeting in its regular monthly session, R-1 directors also agreed to make the pay increases retroactive to Aug. 24, the first day of the school year.

School districts nationwide are dealing with a teacher shortage and now they are dealing with a shortage of substitute teachers. That’s largely because of the coronavirus. Because many substitute teachers historically have been retired teachers with many of them in their 70s, the fear of exposure to the virus in a classroom setting has prompted a considerable number of substitutes to opt out of being available this year.

“We are short on subs and not many are wanting to sub,” said Superintendent Scott Smith, who said the pay raise will add an estimated $8,000 to $12,000 to this year’s teacher-pay budget.

As it turns out, substitute teachers aren’t the only people in short supply this year. Substitute bus drivers are in great demand, also. So much so, it seems, that districts are calling neighboring districts to see if they could tap into their neighbor’s list of substitute drivers. The substitute drivers are needed primarily for sporting events, school officials said.

Building principals often are called on to fill in for a suddenly-absent classroom teacher. But at R-1, building administrators are more and more finding themselves behind the steering wheel of a bus. Hermann High School Principal Chip Stutzmann said he often drives a bus, as does Assistant Principal and Activities Director Todd Anderson.

“And I’m their backup,” quipped Smith.

In other matters, the R-1 board heard that the district will be recouping money spent to protect against the coronavirus by tapping into the pool of money that was allocated to Gasconade County government as part of the $2.2-trillion virus relief package passed by Congress in March.

Gasconade County received $1.725 million as its share of the CARES Act money to disperse to local government agencies, non-profit organizations and small businesses that have incurred expenses or lost money because of the virus.

Indeed, earlier Thursday, the Gasconade County Commission approved R-1’s request for $63,245.

“We have spent a tremendous amount on COVID,” said Smith, adding that the district will be applying for additional funds being administered by the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

A district Facilities Committee is expected to begin work soon as R-1 administrators expect to tackle some large, expensive capitol projects next year. On the schedule is a new roof on the middle school and an upgrade to the turf at Bearcat Memorial Stadium. As much as $1.5 million could be spent on projects on the campus, Smith said.

The Facilities Committee will examine all the buildings and take a long-range look at what will be needed. “They will come up with a comprehensive list” for the next five years, Smith said. The work of the Facilities Committee will aid administrators in crafting operating budgets during those years, he added.