Portland Public Schools admin team working diligently to fill open positions

As most students and teachers enjoy their summer break, many administrators in the Portland Public Schools will stay busy throughout the summer months working to fill open positions.

We recently connected with district Superintendent Will Heath to get a better idea of just where the district is with this initiative.

The Portland Beacon

In looking at the district's employment site today (June 5th), I counted 20 active postings, including eight for certified teaching staff. How would you say the current number of openings compares to this time of year five years ago?

Will Heath

We have done a nice job with filling some of these positions. But, history has shown that other positions will open throughout the summer. Every year we have turnover at the end of the school year that continues throughout the summer and right up to the start of the new school year. This year is about the same as what we have seen in the past five years, but it is more than what we would have seen more than five years ago. In any given year having 3 to 5 open positions for teachers is common. That represents less than 5% of our teaching staff. While this year is a little more, we have also added positions to support our student needs for next year.

The Portland Beacon

Do you expect the number of openings to increase before the start of the 2023-2024 school year?

Will Heath

There is a domino effect with hiring throughout the summer. So, as we fill positions in Portland there is a good chance that we are creating an open position in another district. It is a two way street, so we may see positions open up later in the summer as other districts continue their hiring processes.

The Portland Beacon

What would you say separates Portland from similar sized districts for current or new teachers considering applying?

Will Heath

I often say that Portland is a great place to work, live, and go to school. This is not just a saying as I truly believe that Portland is a destination district. We are big enough to do great things but small enough to know and care for each other. In education, stability is critical and while we do have postings each year, our turnover is just a small portion of our total staff. Portland recognizes stability and invests in our employees so that they can be successful for their entire career at PPS. It is honestly not common for a school district to only have two superintendents in the past 32 years. Stability and dedication to the community is a staple for our district.

PPS continues to make significant investments in employee pay, benefits, and support. This is across the board for all of our employees. We currently have 4-year contracts in place for our teachers, support staff, and transportation department. All of our wages are competitive with, or ahead of, our neighboring districts.

Our teaching contract is unique, as our wage increases are triggered by a formula that is tied to the district’s revenue. This simply means that as the district revenue increases, through increased enrollment or increased State Aid, our yearly teacher raises increase. In a traditional contract a teacher would receive one “step” per year as a raise. In our contract, our teachers can receive up to 3 steps per year and this has resulted in an average of over 2 steps per year in the past 5 years. This type of contract is significant for newer teachers as it allows them to progress through our pay scale quicker.

The Portland Beacon

For any recent high school graduates or current college students considering a career in teaching, what advice would you have to share with them?

Will Heath

We are definitely dealing with a teacher shortage across the country and because of this it is easier to become a teacher. If you have ever wanted to be a teacher, now is the perfect time. This includes current college students and those that have already graduated. There are several programs that have simplified the process for a person who has a degree, outside of education, to become a teacher. My best advice for anyone looking into becoming an educator is to substitute, work, or volunteer in the school. There is no better way to determine if this is a good career choice for someone than to have that experience. I would also suggest that anyone that is close to achieving or currently has a teacher certification to contact us. While we may not have a position posted for their certification now, things do move fast, and having their resume on hand is a great way for someone to get their name out there. We also have flexibility on how we fill open positions and it helps to know what potential candidates are trying to get into the district.

The Portland Beacon

Is there anything else you would like to share with readers?

Will Heath

Portland Public Schools is looking for passionate people who want to make a difference in our community by working in our schools. We are currently seeking applicants for the following positions:

○ Early Childhood Special Education Teacher

○ Secondary Special Education Teacher

○ English Language Arts Teacher

○ K-12 Art Teacher (St. Pats)

○ Paraprofessional I (Lunchroom, Playground Aides)

○ Paraprofessional II (One on One Student Support)

○ Bus and Van Drivers **Signing and Retention Bonus Available**

○ Little Raiders Preschool Staff

○ Latchkey Staff (Before and After School Care)

○ Day and Night Custodians

○ Teacher and Support Staff Substitutes

○ Middle School Cross Country Coach

○ High School Student Council Advisor

If you are interested in any of these positions, or would like to be considered for future positions as they open, please contact the district at (517) 647-4161 or Diana Graef at dgraef@portlandk12.org

It takes a lot of people, with various skill sets, to operate a school district. Now is the time to contact us if you have ever wanted to work at Portland Public Schools. The list of positions will change throughout the summer and we want to make sure that we know everyone who is looking for employment at Portland Public Schools.