Schools resume teacher hiring

District still to fill math, special education openings before other position

Wed, Jul 9, 2008 (2 a.m.)

School District freezes hiring, but 791 more teachers needed (6-25-2008)
Prospect of millions for school programs fades with budget woes (3-27-2008)

Clark County School District

The Clark County School District hiring freeze has melted.

The Legislature’s decisions about budget cuts during its special session June 27 eliminated much of the uncertainty about the School District’s finances for the coming year, enabling the district to resume hiring, Superintendent Walt Rulffes decided late Monday.

As reported first by the Sun, Rulffes froze all hiring, with the exception of teachers for high-need areas such as math and special education, a week before the special session convened.

Lawmakers wound up trimming another $275 million from the budget, but the cuts did not result in the state’s largest school district having to lay off teachers or reassign specialists to cover classroom vacancies.

The Legislature also decided to preserve funding for teachers’ cost of living raises. District officials had been worried the district would be on the hook to cover that cost if the state backed out of it.

As of Tuesday, the district had hired 594 new teachers, with 797 vacancies remaining. The number of teacher vacancies changes daily as more people notify the district of plans to retire or resign before the start of the new academic year.

The district is also waiting for the latest enrollment projections to determine how many students will be expected on the first day of school.

High-need classroom positions will continue to be filled first. Central office administrative vacancies will remain unfilled as long as possible, Rulffes said.

News of the hiring thaw was hailed by teacher Maria Blois, who arrived Monday after a 1,400-mile drive from Corpus Christi, Texas, and was waiting to hear whether she would be offered a job. The district’s human resources office had asked her to be patient, Blois said.

“I’m ready to go at the drop of a hat,” Blois said. “All I need is for the phone to ring.”

Blois spent 15 years in the Navy, including four years aboard the USS Salvor, a rescue and salvage vessel. She taught sailors and divers everything from emergency medicine to how to triage patients in the event of a large-scale emergency.

Blois, who also has four years of experience working in Texas schools, hopes to teach allied health at one of the Clark County School District’s three career and technical academies, which include the new east region campus opening in August.

When asked whether it was risky to move to a new town without a guarantee of employment, Blois said she preferred to think of it as an adventure.

“That’s the good thing about having Navy experience,” said the former chief petty officer. “I wasn’t afraid to do this.”

At least one teacher, however, has been put off by Clark County — a Texas acquaintance on whom Blois had been counting to share the four-day drive.

Discussion: 6 comments so far…

By LasVegan

7/10/08 at 9:26 a.m.

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Dear Ms. Emily, this report is inaccurate. As a spouse to an anxious teacher-to-be (my wife is resuming teaching after a 2-yr hiatus), I talked with CCSD contracting on Wednesday afternoon, and was told the hold was still there, no different than before.

Before, it was only Math, Science, and Special Ed teachers receive contract. It still is, after the report came out.
By nhowemar

7/10/08 at 7:17 p.m.

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My name is Pamela Howells. I have taught in California for 20 years. I have a master's degree in reading & literacy. I took an early retirement which has enabled me to relocate to Henderson. My husband and I are looking forward to moving and I have applied to CCSD for a teaching position. I have purchased materials that will fill a classroom that I will bring with me. My application has been complete since April without a call. My husband and I are packed and ready to go as soon as I receive an offer of employment.
By loves2tch1st

7/11/08 at 7:36 a.m.

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I too am in that pool of prospective teachers. This article stating that the freeze is over is not accurate. They are allowing the high school principals to fill positions that are in high demand (sped., math, science). In talking to a principal at an elementary school she is hoping that she gets the okay to begin interviewing next week. I don't know what level you are interested in teaching, but I'm crossing my fingers for elementary.

This is apparently a domino effect situation. Her boss is waiting for the go ahead from his boss who has get to get word from the man at the top.

Good luck.
By JustWant2Teach

7/11/08 at 9:34 a.m.

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Considering the new teachers' training starting early August, this is very late in the game already. Worse is some people are offered jobs, but waiting on contract that can not be issued, not knowing if they should continue looking or not.

I can understand all of your frustration. I hope the freeze will really be melted soon. But as of this point, no, the freeze has not been melted.
By ZeddyBear

7/12/08 at 9:48 a.m.

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Patience is a virtue, but CCSD is making it very difficult for prospective teachers to fulfill their dreams of teaching. Ms. Richmond, you really need to investigate before you write your stories. Instead of getting a press release and reprinting it, you need to actually interview principals and actual teacher candidates who are still waiting for the "call."
By cparks30

7/16/08 at 7:06 p.m.

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I have called and called and called the district and have been told the same thing over and over again. The hiring freeze is not over. My name was submitted for hire the second week of June (a week before the hiring freeze) and yet I still have not recieved a contract. I know that human resources hands are tied and that there are a lot of teachers out there who are in the same boat as me, but it still does not change the fact that I moved to Las Vegas since I thought I had a job. I feel stupid for coming out here and I do not know what I am going to do if I do not get a contract.