EDUCATION
Top education stories to watch in 2023
2023 ANNUAL COMMUNITY GUIDE
North San Antonio schools address sta shortages NORTH EAST & NORTHSIDE ISDs Various approaches are being used in North East and Northside ISDs—from more aggressive recruit- ment to shifting schedules and consolidating bus routes—to counter lingering employee shortages. people who previously considered an educational career and individuals going through alternative certi cation programs, which allow them to teach while completing their requirements. “We’re looking at ways outside of the normal methods of recruitment,” Whitton said. NEISD is also interested in local SCHOOL STAFF SHORTAGES The following are numbers of available positions and vacancies in select employment areas in North East and Northside ISDs, as reported by Jan. 3. BY EDMOND ORTIZ
NISD unveils timeline for superintendent search OTHER STORIES TO FOLLOW IN 2023
District o cials on Jan. 12 said focus groups composed of NISD sta , students, parents, business leaders and other residents are aiding former educator Mike Moses and attorney
NORTHSIDE ISD NORTH EAST ISD
Brian Woods
In late December, Northside ISD reported 610 vacancies, including 200 teaching, 250 custodial, 75 food service and 85 bus-driving jobs. However, Ben Muir, NISD’s assistant superintendent for human resources, said NISD had fewer vacan- cies in most sta ng departments in the middle of the school year than it had at the start of the academic year. Muir said NISD failed to see an uptick in applicants after the school board voted last summer to adopt a 2% average salary range midpoint raise for all employees and a 4% mid- point pay increase for auxiliary sta . Muir said many prospective employees feel even higher hourly wages at NISD still cannot help them to keep pace with rising costs of living. “Plus, there’s not a huge pool of teachers we can pull from. Pre-COVID[-19], we had more people applying for a job than we had available positions. I think COVID[-19] made people re-evaluate their life and priorities,” Muir said. Chyla Whitton, NEISD human resources executive director, said the district is focused on strengthening its recruitment and retention e orts. She said NEISD and other Texas school districts are trying to grow the numbers of full-time teachers through the ranks of substitute teachers,
military retirees who may entertain employment opportunities within the school district, Whitton said. “Veterans have talents in every area. Their skills are scaleable, espe- cially in the classroom,” Whitton said. Transportation leaders in NISD and NEISD said they have gotten creative in response to bus driver shortages. NISD Transportation Director Tesilia Soliz said her department was short 80-plus transportation employ- ees in December and has resorted to having many drivers double or triple the number of routes they cover each day in a 355-square-mile school district. The bus driver shortage also prompted NISD to cut bus routes in certain areas where a crossing guard may help children walk to and from their school. Soliz said NISD is taking such steps as o ering a $300 bonus to incentivize employees who successfully recom- mend someone who ends up getting a district job. Soliz also said NISD is more consci- entious about its recruitment e orts. “We’re doing everything and anything to recruit,” she said. NEISD Transportation Director Bill Harrison said his department was short 31 full-time bus drivers out of 242 total bus driver slots as of Dec. 15.
David Thompson’s e orts to support Northside’s search for a successor for Superintendent Brian Woods, who is retiring. Moses and Thompson have helped many Texas school districts with similar searches. NISD trustees will meet Jan. 31 to name nalist applicants for February interviews, with a plan to name a lone nalist by March 1. NEISD superintendent receives nationwide recognition The National School Public Relations Association on Dec. 14 announced Superintendent Sean Maika as one of 25 Superintendents to Watch, recognizing superintendents nationwide for their use of technology for community engagement. Hobby Middle School pics former assistant principal for academic dean The school board on Dec. 13 appointed Christina Lora, former assistant principal at Ross Middle School, as academic dean at Hobby Middle School. NEISD trustees promote former assistant principal The school board on Dec. 12 appointed Nicole Reich, former assistant principal at Jackson-Keller Elementary School, as principal at Canyon Ridge Elementary School. Sean Maika
FULL TIME TEACHERS
200
135
CUSTODIANS
250
170
FOOD SERVICE 75 84 BUS DRIVERS 85 39 TOTAL VACANCIES 610 428
NOTE: DATA AS OF JAN. 3. SOURCES: NORTH EAST ISD, NORTHSIDE ISD COMMUNITY IMPACT
Harrison said NEISD is proactive with recruitment, including advertis- ing jobs on 15 billboards citywide and o ering more driving hours per week. Harrison also said NEISD strives to steer clear of having drivers double or triple their number of routes. “We’ve consolidated seven routes where that makes sense,” Harrison said.
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NORTH SAN ANTONIO EDITION • JANUARY 2023
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