When Nordia Pryce’s flight from Arizona landed in Denver on Friday, she skilled one thing she had by no means encountered earlier than.
“It was fairly an expertise. I skilled snow for the primary time,” she stated.
She hopes it’s not the final time.
Pryce, who’s initially from Jamaica, needs to make Denver her new residence after spending the previous couple of years instructing in Arizona.
She’s hoping to land a instructing job for Denver Public Faculties.
Denver7 caught up with Pryce at a range hiring job truthful the district hosted Saturday at Guide Excessive College.
“I am a math trainer, so that is what I am right here in search of my place,” stated Pryce.
Denver Public Faculties is without doubt one of the most numerous college districts in Colorado, however numbers present the district’s workforce is just not as numerous as many neighborhood members need.
Denver Public Faculties appears to diversify its workforce
Lauren Nelson, the district’s director of expertise acquisition, says the district is trying to diversify its workforce and fill positions from bus drivers to lecturers.
Saturday’s job truthful was one of many some ways the district is working to do this.
“We would like our college students to see themselves mirrored within the adults that assist them,” stated Nelson. “It is crucial that they see themselves not solely of their lecturers, however they see it in district management and all through the district.”
In depth analysis reveals college students of coloration carry out higher when extra lecturers and assist workers seem like them.
In line with numbers offered by DPS, whereas minorities make up 75% of its pupil inhabitants, they solely make up 36% of its staff.
Nelson stated the district has made progress, however acknowledged there may be nonetheless extra work to do.
Recruiting and retaining a various group of lecturers might be difficult beneath the most effective of circumstances, however Denver has its personal set of distinctive challenges, with the price of dwelling on the high of that record.
“I believe the price of dwelling in Denver has continued to go up and so you understand, if you’re taking a look at recruiting folks in we have now to take a look at our salaries and examine that to the price of dwelling,” stated Nelson.
The district is offering signing bonuses of $2,000 for some hard-to-find positions like particular training lecturers.
DPS recruiters have additionally been visiting HBCUs (traditionally black schools and universities) and HSIs (Hispanic-Serving Establishments).
Nelson says DPS is just not alone on the subject of attempting to diversify its workforce.
It’s a objective that faculties district throughout the area and nation share.
“We’re seeing even our different metro districts are displaying as much as the identical occasions in New Mexico in California,” stated Nelson. “So, we’re additionally persevering with to take a look at going out of state and bringing extra educators into Colorado.”
Candidates at Saturday’s job truthful additionally obtained assist with enhancing their resumes and getting ready for interviews.
For extra info on opening positions inside DPS, go to https://careers.dpsk12.org/
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