Superintendent Johnsrud spearheads new SOS Pilot Program
Kristen Jones
Farmer Staff Writer
The new McKenzie County Systems of Support (SOS) Program, started by Superintendent of McKenzie County Schools, Nikki Johnsrud, is aimed at addressing the growing workforce problems facing childcare institutions across the area.
According to Johnsrud, “There is a worker shortage nationally and in our own county, specifically in the areas that work with children such as daycares, preschools and after school programs. This also exacerbates the gap in services that are available to these agencies to help support their staff and the children they care for.”
To combat this issue, Johnsrud has started a county-wide pilot program that aims to provide additional skills training for daycare, preschool, and after school program workers. The program focuses on providing training to workers on helping young children with behavioral challenges.
The first objective of the SOS Program is to “help mitigate the [employee] shortage by providing employees with skills to help them be successful in their job and have greater job satisfaction. Therefore, decreasing employee turnover and enticing others to come on-board.”