With the school year entering its final two months, one focus turns to staffing the schools in the Christian County district for the next school year.
Superintendent Chris Bentzel said the school district has recruitment policies in place as they work to attract the best teachers for the classroom.
click to download audioThe Ambassadors Program is offering new teachers at Freedom Elementary School a stipend, on top of their regular pay, which will encourage up to ten new teachers to join the school. That program will offer a $6,000 stipend in the 2023-24 school year and a $3,500 stipend for the following school year.
The program is an 18-month fully funded grant paid through the state’s School Improvement Fund that will allow up to 10 qualified and willing teachers with the unique capacity to work on improving educator aptitude and improve the test scores at Freedom as they continue to improve the school with the help of the Kentucky Department of Education.
District-wide, Bentzel doesn’t expect a lot of teacher turnover, especially at the elementary school level.
click to download audioBentzel said the school district is utilizing emergency certifications in some positions, which could be made easier by legislation in Frankfort.
click to download audioJessica Addison, the district’s assistant superintendent of instruction, said at the March 15 school board meeting that she hopes these strategies attract folks from “across county lines,” adding it’s harder to replace teachers at Freedom Elementary than other schools in Christian County.
