I am getting ready for the upcoming career fairs in Tacoma on March 29, and Portland on April 4. These fairs are a great way to get our district out in front of new teacher graduates as well as a time we get to recruit for open positions. At each of these fairs, I have a handful of administrators who will join me in our booth. Eric Jacobson has updated our handout as well as the district’s website with new information concerning our schools and demographics.
On March 20, I had the privilege of speaking in front of Washington State University’s students who are preparing to graduate with either a bachelors or masters degree in teaching. They were very receptive to the subject of the next steps in getting hired as a teacher and asked wonderful questions. It was a great opportunity to talk about our district and why I chose to work here. On Monday, March 27, I will participate in Mock Interviews to help give the same students useful feedback on their skills.
As a district, we are actively looking at how we help new teachers be successful, especially in the first and second years of teaching which can be a struggle. The anticipation of having a new class can give way to disillusionment when the workload of the job becomes a reality. On March 22, I will attend a BEST (Beginning Educators Support Program) conference with some of the school’s mentors and Asha Riley. This conference will give us time for learning opportunities and the ability to work together with other districts to see what they do to support new teachers.