Well we have finally received a little dose of winter weather after having such a nice early spring. Hopefully we can get our outdoor activities going again soon as the school year is moving along so quickly.
I would like to take some time to address a pressing issue that directly impacts the quality of education our students receive: teacher recruitment and shortage. Our school, like many others across the nation, is facing challenges in attracting and retaining qualified educators. This shortage not only affects the learning experience of our students but also poses long-term risks to the overall health of our education system.
This past week I attended the Minot State University Education Fair to meet new teachers entering the field and see if we could find some future teachers that might fit our needs at Scranton Public School. We currently are advertising for three positions; Secondary Science, Secondary Business, and an Elementary position. If I counted correctly, there were 58 schools interested in recruiting teachers and Minot State currently has approximately 18 students graduating in the next couple years. Way more open positions than applicants available. This shortage is growing and recruiting teachers to rural areas such as Scranton is getting more and more difficult every year.
What are the steps we are taking at Scranton to recruit and retain teachers? We are aggressively selling the points that make Scranton Public School a special place for our staff and students. Everything from the community support to the small class sizes where student learning can be more personalized. We tout our school culture and our family like atmosphere. Another selling point for us is we hire quality staff and allow them to use flexible curriculums to meet the state standards. As an administrator, I believe we hire staff with incredible talents and sometimes in education we handcuff those teachers by requiring them to instruct in ways that do not match their skillset and talents. At Scranton we encourage getting out of comfort zones and being flexible in our teaching methods. The last thing is our School Board has been very active in making sure we are compensating our staff at or above our peer schools. Our base pay is competitive and we offer some of the best benefits around. Our Board has taken the steps necessary for Scranton to attract and retain quality staff members.
Our students deserve the best possible education, and it is our collective responsibility to ensure that they have access to qualified and dedicated teachers who can help them succeed. We offer great online courses and curriculums, but it is vital we offer great in-person courses and having the right staff is a focus for us as a school . We will continue to work tirelessly to hire and develop the best teaching staff possible.
Our high school students will soon be registering for course for the 2024-2025 school year. Mrs. Oase and Mr. Cagle are making sure our students are taking courses that will allow them to be Choice Ready, which means our students are ready for their next steps in their life journey, whether that means higher education, a career, or the military. Our website has been updated to reflect the course offerings and the pathways our students can choose. We ask parents to stay active in their child's educational journey. Check out the website, discuss the path your child is on, and actively reach out to Mrs. Oase or Mr. Cagle to discuss options for your child.
Our students are currently active in so many activities. FBLA, FFA, music, science, and many others. Continue to monitor our School App for changes of activities and for just keeping up with all of the happenings occurring at our school.
Once again, thank you everyone for your continued support. As a school we will continue to provide a great education for our students and always welcome input from our stakeholders. We are scheduled to have our new baseball complex playground installed in May and are currently working on getting our outside playground court surfaces improved. Hopefully we will continue to have the budget in place to make improvements to our facility and programs.
Take care everyone, enjoy the spring weather when it gets here, and as always, GO NIGHTHAWKS!