GREAT FALLS — The Great Falls Public School District hosted a job fair on Wednesday, August 10, 2022, to address staff shortages across nearly every department.
Whether COVID or teacher retirements are to blame, the staff numbers are just beginning to recover. “There were times when we had close to 50% of our absences not filled,” said superintendent Thomas Moore.
A few months ago the school board passed a motion to increase wages for substitute teachers, with benefits triggered upon consecutive months of service.
This is all part of the collective effort to increase demand for unfilled positions.
Moore believes these lucrative terms have been an asset for the school district as they’ve seen a positive response in acquisition and retention of substitutes.
New teachers Haley Milton and Emily Stenberg are excited to begin their positions as educators and leaders for kids. Both are fresh out of university and ready to contribute at Lewis & Clark Elementary School.
“I went to school for elementary education and I student-taught in Missoula in a first-grade classroom, so I’d say I have a lot of experience,” says Stenberg, who will be teaching the fourth-graders this fall.
Milton chimed in about the importance of community in recognizing new hires like herself, saying, “I have an Amazon wishlist on my Facebook and the community has donated a lot of [school supplies]. The community just helps out these teachers so well.”
The school district is continuing its search for qualified instructors, food aides, para-professionals, crosswalk guards, and several other positions through the end of the summer.
There are always roles which need to be filled, so if you're interested, click here to visit the GFPS jobs site.
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