For nearly three decades, Snelling Lexington has been the staffing partner a nationally accredited public school district in South Carolina calls on to keep its schools running. What began with clerical placements has grown into a district-wide operation covering warehouse and nutritional services roles across 46 schools.
“Working with the school district has been an honor over the years,” says Snelling Lexington franchise owner Elizabeth Trenbeath. “They are a valued employer and community partner that uplifts those seeking to better themselves.”
The relationship has held steady through changing school years, shifting enrollment and a pandemic that pushed staffing needs to their highest point yet.
The History: How Did a Clerical Staffing Request Grow Into a Nearly 30-Year Partnership?
Snelling Lexington’s relationship with the school district goes back almost 30 years, and it started small. The first placements were clerical roles, filling gaps in school offices.
The scope grew from there. As the district saw what Snelling could deliver, it expanded the partnership into warehouse roles, then nutritional services. Since 2005, Snelling has served as the district’s primary source for temporary staffing across all of those role types. The arrangement operates under a state contract that gets renewed every five years, a structure that also supports collaboration across other municipalities in the region.
The partnership faced its biggest test during the COVID-19 pandemic. As the district worked to keep schools staffed through constant disruption, its temporary staffing needs climbed to approximately 90 workers at once, the highest level in the partnership’s history. Snelling met the moment. The office scaled up to cover the surge without a drop in the screening and training standards built over the prior two decades. What could have been a breaking point became proof of how well the partnership holds up under pressure.
The Challenge: What Does It Take to Staff Nearly 50 Schools with Constantly Shifting Needs?
Staffing across 46 schools means no two weeks look the same. Enrollment shifts. Roles open up with little notice. Some positions need to be filled the same day, and the district’s daily staffing needs can churn by 10%, meaning Snelling has to be ready to fill orders on short notice, every day of the school year.
Recruiting for the roles is not simple, either. Most positions are part-time and pay $11.55 an hour, which narrows the pool of available candidates. Snelling leans on word of mouth, job postings and referrals to keep the pipeline full.
The Approach: How Does Snelling Screen and Manage Workers for a School District?
Every worker placed in a school goes through a national background check, a TB test, and a sexual predator registry check before starting. In a district environment, that screening is not optional. It is the baseline.
The screening does not stop at placement. Snelling continues to monitor its workforce once workers are on site. In one case, a worker who did not meet the district’s standards was identified and removed quickly after placement, a reminder that the vetting process works as an ongoing safeguard, not a one-time check.
Many of the workers Snelling places stay for the full nine-month school year. Others work as floaters, moving between roles and schools as needed. A number of them use the work to supplement other jobs, which helps the district cover gaps without asking any one worker to overextend.
The Results: What Outcomes Has This Nearly 30-Year Partnership Delivered?
The numbers speak for themselves. Snelling has supported the district since 2005 with temporary staffing across clerical, warehouse and nutritional services roles. At peak, that support reached approximately 90 workers at once.
The relationship has outlasted turnover, budget cycles and a pandemic. Few staffing partnerships last three decades. This one has, built on consistent delivery rather than any single high-profile win.
Snelling gives back to the community it serves. The office supports scholarships and other initiatives connected to the district, extending the relationship beyond staffing alone.
A Partnership Built on Consistency
Nearly 30 years in, the relationship between Snelling Lexington and the school district keeps going for a simple reason. When the district needs workers, clerical, warehouse or nutritional services, Snelling delivers them. Screened, trained and ready.
That is what nearly three decades of reliable staffing looks like.
Frequently Asked Questions
What roles does Snelling staff for this South Carolina school district?
Snelling places temporary workers in clerical, warehouse and nutritional services roles across 46 schools in the district.
How long has Snelling worked with the district?
Snelling Lexington’s relationship with the district goes back nearly 30 years, with the office serving as the primary source of temporary staffing since 2005.
What screening does Snelling complete before placing workers in schools?
Every placement includes a national background check, a TB test and a sexual predator registry check, along with ongoing monitoring once a worker is on site.
How many workers has Snelling placed at peak staffing periods?
Staffing needs reached approximately 90 temporary workers during the 2020-2021 school year, the highest level in the partnership’s history.
What is the typical role duration for workers placed in the district?
Many workers complete a full nine-month school year, while others work as floaters across multiple roles and schools.
Callout Data Points
- Nearly 30 years of partnership
- Temporary staffing partner since 2005
- 46 schools served
- Peak staffing of approximately 90 temporary workers daily (2020-2021)
- State contract renewed every 5 years
- Roles across clerical, warehouse and nutritional services
- Typical hourly rate of $11.55
- National background checks, TB tests and sexual predator registry checks completed before every placement
