GF schools still adding teachers and staff

With the start of another school year just two weeks away the Grand Forks District is still working to close a few staffing holes.

Superintendent Terry Brenner says there was an uptick in departures this year due to a variety of reasons.  “I will not hide from the fact that teachers are saying this is getting to be more difficult a profession to be in.  The polarization of topics makes it difficult to teach.”

According to Brenner they did have fewer teacher retirements due in part to the school board’s elimination of early out incentives. The seven teachers who did retire compares to 25 or more in recent years.  “I think we will have just north of 100 for a new teacher workshop next week.  That’s the biggest in my 10 years in central office.  Out of 800 people that’s a big percent.”

Brenner says finding candidates for special education has been a struggle – but the largest area of concern right now is the hiring of paraprofessionals. He says last year an employee payment referral program helped fill the gap.  “We have to look at everything to make sure we can be fully stood up by the first day of school.”

The district has also hired 13 international teachers from as far away as the Philippines and Nigeria to help in the classroom.

The starting pay for custodian and cook positions has also been raised to attract candidates to the non-teaching positions.

The first day of school is August 24th.