Mix and match: Evan Rutherford’s web-based tool eases early morning ‘ring around’ for relief teachers. Picture: Yanni

ROSEBUD Primary School teacher Evan Rutherford has come up with a handy resource for teachers and schools called EzStaff.

The IT teacher put his technological knowledge to good use by designing an app to easily and efficiently connect schools with available casual relief teachers.

“I designed EzStaff to assist both teachers and schools,” Mr Rutherford said, who lives at Tootgarook. “Teachers get to choose where they work while dictating their own availability and how far they want to travel from home.

“Schools can browse each teacher’s profile, match their skills and experience to the school’s needs, and then book them quickly, without fuss and, importantly, at no cost.”

As a relief teacher manager, Mr Rutherford saw the need for the app after becoming frustrated with the early morning “ring around” to find teacher replacements. He wanted to make the booking process more user friendly and save teachers and schools valuable time and money in the process.

It is believed that school electives such as drama, IT and music are threatened by the shortage of casual relief teachers – an issue the app could help overcome.

Mr Rutherford says he is excited that the Mornington Peninsula is the first region to benefit from his innovative idea and says that the response from schools and teachers over the first few weeks has been “very encouraging”.

A teething problem – hopefully short term – is that there a too few casual teachers registered on the app, reducing its effectiveness.

Casual relief teachers and schools can register or find out how to use the app at EzStaff.com.au.

First published in the Southern Peninsula News – 2 June 2015