NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Hutchinson USD 308 HR Director Dawn Johnson is pleased with where the district is regarding vacancies at this point in the year.
"Last year, we had a new teacher institute of about 50 new teachers that we brought in," Johnson said. "I've kind of been measuring where we are as we're inching up to the summer months. We're not even close to that this year. I hope that it is well under that. At this point in the game, we're seeing very few."
Johnson said there is a reason that they would have a better idea right now than some districts.
"We have some incentives in our policies at 308," Johnson said. "If you let us know before November, or before January that you're leaving, there's a financial incentive. If you're thinking of making that decision, earlier is better for us. So, that really got a lot of people who were thinking of leaving, or going to another district or maybe retiring."
Johnson also said the new crop of teachers coming out of school is encouraging.
"I had recently interviewed about ten students from the schools in the area, from Tabor, Bethel, Bethany, McPherson, Sterling College," Johnson said. "I was very, very impressed with those young teachers still finishing their final year of college."
Johnson acknowledges there is a workforce crunch right now, but she believes that pendulum will swing back in the coming years.