I鈥檝e worked in Human Resources for almost 15 years, with the majority of that time recruiting. Through my recruitment travels I always enjoyed talking to representatives from other school systems around the country to discuss teacher shortages. I like to know what incentives, marketing materials, and salaries they are offering. Last year I came across the most amazing teacher recruitment advertisement ever. It was so cool, I considered going back in the classroom, packing up my family, and moving to California. Going into my 20th year, I鈥檓 vested in insurance and retirement, I may have to reconsider.
Last year at a teacher recruitment fair in Utah, Desert Sands Unified School District located in La Quinta, California had sign on their table offering $10,000 Employment Incentive for Math, Science, and Special Education. That鈥檚 not the best part... Wait for it... Coachella or Stagecoach tickets. Did I see Coachella?? I could have been dancing with Beyonce this past weekend and got a full-time job at the same time. Where do I sign? I told the district representatives at the table that this was probably one of the coolest Recruitment Campaigns I鈥檝e ever seen. What makes this cool is that the organizers, that鈥檚 right, the business community partnered with the school system to help with the idea of recruiting teachers. You don鈥檛 really get to see that very often. It is normally empty lip service, but never anything concrete and useful. This amazing recruitment tool also reminds us about the importance of community and school district partnerships for the benefit of the schools.
Because their recruitment promotion was mesmorizing and right accross from my table, I took a picture of the sign. Now I鈥檓 no recruitment slouch so don鈥檛 feel sorry for me, I still talked to candidates and told them of the many free fairs and festivals we have in Louisiana. Yes, I threw in we鈥檙e closed for Mardi Gras. In truth this is a reminder that the teacher shortage is REAL. School districts and communities around the country are working hard to compete for top talent. Yes, even while teachers are at state capitols fighting for better benefits, salaries, funding, supplies and working conditions, school districts are still recruiting. This is not because we don鈥檛 support the cause. We do!! It is that we will still need teachers for next year.
Daphne Donaldson
Supervisor of Personnel Management
East Baton Rouge Parish School System