Lynn stands pat with teachers

LYNN – Although the state this week launched a recruitment campaign encouraging “outstanding educators” to apply for vacancies in the state’s lowest performing school districts, such as Lynn, Superintendent of Schools Catherine Latham said they are not actively recruiting teachers at this time.State officials launched www.amazingteachers.org to attract teachers to the 35 turnaround schools identified as Level 4 schools needing improvement in February under the state’s new education law. Latham said she has chosen a turnaround model that “does not require loss or firing of any faculty.”Earlier in the month, Latham reassigned Connery Elementary Principal Patricia Riley to the Shoemaker School to replace retiring principal Linda Mann. Latham also named Harrington Elementary School Principal Michael Molnar as the School Department’s director of the Language Support Program. Mary Dill, currently the principal at Tracy, will take Riley’s position at Shoemaker and Deb Ruggerio, principal at Brickett, will replace Molnar at Harrington. The School Department will then advertise to fill the gaps created at Tracy and Brickett.”We are not sure if we will need any teachers,” Latham said. “With the budgeting process I am not sure yet if we are going to have to cut any more teachers again this year. With that up in the air we are not actively recruiting teachers for our Level 4 schools.”Latham said they are working within the system and are currently involved in bumping and bidding procedures. With staff retiring or taking a leave of absence, the school system’s needs are still unclear.”We don’t have a firm handle on exactly what positions we will not have until after our bidding and bumping process,” she said. “A number of teachers, after viewing the Web site, have sent resumes in and have contacted the principals, so we will put all of those resumes on file.”Turnaround plans could include new training for teachers and incentives to attract teachers to apply for their open positions. The Web site allows visitors to recommend outstanding teachers to be considered for teaching positions in Level 4 schools. The site is a part of a campaign that will also include online advertising, public service announcements and outreach through social media, which the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education believes is a unique way for teachers to take their careers to the next level.