Penmac adds Ozark to substitute teacher network

Springfield-based Penmac Staffing Services Inc.'s network of substitute teachers is expanding to Ozark.

The company's Penmac Education Staffing division penned an agreement with the Ozark School District to provide substitute teachers for the 2023-24 school year, according to a news release.

Steven Sparkman, director of education for Penmac, said via email that the company would be the sole provider of substitute teachers for the extent of the contract.

"We have contracts with all of our districts and can be extended each school year," Sparkman said, noting existing agreements in Rogersville and Springfield. "Districts are charged per absence that is filled by a substitute, so there's not a set value to provide as it depends on how many absences a district experiences each year."

Ozark will be the 20th district served by Penmac, according to the release. Penmac's education division was formed in 2014.

Through its program, substitutes are employees of Penmac and receive weekly pay, health care options, retirement benefits and other perks, officials say.

The Ozark School District has roughly 6,000 students and 450 certified teachers, according to the release.