By Bobby Cherry

Published: Wednesday, October 3, 2012, 9:30 p.m.
Updated: Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Quaker Valley School Board's move to outsource its substitute custodial services was met with caution from one board member.

District officials will begin using Kelly Educational Staffing when fill-in janitors are needed following an 8-1 vote last week.

But board member Gianni Floro, who voted against the proposal, raised concerns about the move.

“You cannot privatize public education,” Floro said.

“The next thing we're going to be doing is outsourcing teachers.”

Board member David Pusateri said no other outsourcing of district staff has been discussed.

“There has been absolutely no discussion of outsourcing anything else besides (substitute) cleaning services,” he said.

On its website, Kelly Education Staffing says it is the “largest provider of substitute teachers nationwide.”

The company also offers “management and placement of … non-educational staff such as office clerical, administrative, food service, janitors (and) school nurses,” according to its website.

District administrators already use another third-party company for substitute teachers, Superintendent Joseph Clapper said.

Floro said athletics organizers and other district departments “often call on custodial services to open facilities” for sports and to provide cleanup from events.

“We are losing control over our staff,” Floro said.

Board member Debbie Miller said “it is extremely difficult to find pools of substitute housekeeping personnel.”

Bobby Cherry is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at 412-324-1408 or rcherry@tribweb.com.

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