MPUSD hosts hiring fair to recruit teachers

Monterey Peninsula Unified School District said with so much competition out there, they are starting to recruit teachers early to attract the best talent.

“We’re really looking for dynamic teachers that really care about kids, who love their current area,” said PK Diffenbaugh , MPUSD Superintendent. “Who really believe that all kids, regardless of circumstances can achieve at high levels.”

At MPUSD’s annual teacher recruitment fair at Seaside High School, candidates met with K-12 staff and even had on site interviews.

Tasha Stokes walked away with a provisional offer to be a math teacher.

“I’m excited, very excited,” said Stokes.

Rob Gould came all the way from Sarasota, Florida in hopes of gaining a high school teacher position.

“The pay is better than most of the country and the school sizes are better,” said Gould. “I haven’t really started yet but it seems really good.”

Even though applicants near and far all showed up, educators said filling teacher positions has not been easy. Seventy-five percent of districts interviewed by the California School Board Association said they do not have enough teachers due to retirement, low wages and a host of other reasons.

“Especially now with some of the resources coming back into the schools,” said Diffenbaugh . “People are hiring more and there’s just not a lot of candidates out there. So it makes it really competitive especially for math, science and special ed .”

Finding bilingual teachers may also be a challenge now that the passage of Prop 58 is bringing back bilingual education.

MPUSD is offering a tuition reimbursement incentive program to help get positions filled.

“I’m so glad we’re doing it now because all of these candidates are going to be locked up real soon,” said Seaside High School Principal Carlos Moran.

MPUSD will do model lessons with the teachers before they make a final offer.