OBSERVER Photo by Braden Carmen Fredonia Superintendent Brad Zilliox spoke to the district’s need for substitute teachers at a recent Board of Education meeting.

Substitute teachers have been hard to come by across New York State in recent years, especially at Fredonia Central School District.

The district highlighted the need for substitute teachers at the most recent Fredonia Board of Education meeting.

“We recognize that the substitute issue in New York State and in the nation is real. We are struggling in moments to cover classes,” said Fredonia Superintendent Brad Zilliox.

Fredonia recently held a job fair in search of substitute teachers. “We’re doing everything we can … to address the need so we have personnel in the building to take care of all of our students,” Zilliox said.

“I want to give a huge shoutout and credit to the principals and assistant principals who pitch in every single day to not just make sure the children are safe and everything goes smoothly, but they also are covering classes, they are covering all kinds of duties, and they always do it with a smile,” said Dr. Margie Wright, Chief Officer for Curriculum and Human Resources at Fredonia.

Also at the most recent Board of Eduction meeting, Frances Catalano was appointed as a Teacher Aide and Elizabeth DeFries was appointed as a Teacher Assistant.