PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — Palm Beach County's superintendent is pitching in as a substitute teacher to help the tenth-largest school district in America overcome its staffing shortages.
Superintendent Mike Burke recently subbed at Forest Hill Elementary School near West Palm Beach, teaching students some important math lessons.
Burke — who has a background in finance — told WPTV last week there are more than 300 teacher vacancies in the School District of Palm Beach County and substitute teachers are hard to come by because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Because of those teacher shortages, the school district's leadership team and non-instructional staff members are pitching in as substitute teachers.
Burke told WPTV he'll likely help out in classrooms about one day a month.
"We want to show that we are committed to this. And if I'm going to ask other people to do it, I need to pitch in as much as I can," Burke said.
If you're interested in becoming a substitute teacher in Palm Beach County public schools, click here.