PSUSD hosts teacher recruitment fair for upcoming school year, looking to hire additional teachers
The Palm Springs Unified School District hosted a teacher recruitment fair last Saturday, and the turnout was high.
According to PSUSD, around 240 people registered in advance for the event. Interviews were given in all subject areas with emphasis on hard-to-fill positions in the areas including math, science, and foreign language. Special emphasis was also placed on filling positions in special education, speech language pathology. The district says it's also hoping to hire several school nurses.
Clayton Hill is the Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources at PSUSD. He says the district is really looking forward to hiring high quality candidates to teach the future generations.
"I think you have to have it in you, the willingness to work with a team, to be flexible, and to collaborate. And you gotta love kids. You gotta want to work with kids," said Hill. "And I think we have plenty of good people out there who want to do that."
During the recruitment fair, more than 160 of the 181 candidates in attendance were interviewed. PSUSD also says several contracts were offered on the spot for jobs in special education, math, and dual immersion.
Kathleen Crawford was one of the teachers hired at last year's Teacher Recruitment Fair. She moved to the Coachella Valley from Kentucky, after receiving an offer at the fair last February. Crawford says the fair is such a great way for interested candidates to get to know the district.
"I think we all want to know things like 'Where am I going to fit in, where am I going to belong," said Crawford. " think going to a job fair, you have the opportunity to meet other people in the district and get a sense of who they are. So even though they're interviewing you, you're kind of interviewing them too.”
Crawford has been a teacher for more than three decades, and she know works at Bubbling Wells Elementary School in Desert Hot Springs. She says she looks forward to work every day, and is glad to have joined the district this school year.
"I love to learn, and I'm constantly learning and challenging myself, no matter what grade level or what I teach, and I was drawn to it," said Crawford. "I'm also one of those optimists that really believes that I'm touching the future by teaching these young children."
"If it's a position that you have a passion interest for, and that you believe you're qualified for example, you have a credential in it, absolutely apply," said Hill. "And we'd love to be able to meet you and connect with you and see if we have a spot for you."
