DISD almost fully staffed but still hiring days before first day: "It's a marathon, not a sprint"
DALLAS — At Dallas ISD's Hillcrest High, Arthur Valle prepares for his first, "first day of school," as a brand new teacher.
"First-day jitters," he admits with a laugh. "But, I'm just excited to meet a whole new set of kids."
His first assignment? Making sure he connects with all of his students.
"Definitely," said Valle. "It can't just be the material. It's the people that teach it."
Valle said a former teacher made him consider education as a career. He found DISD at a job fair, along with multiple interviews. and a feeling that he could have that same kind of impact on the students at Hillcrest.
"That's one of the main things that I found that was really helpful," the former tutor and college teaching assistant said. "Even if a student didn't really care for the material, didn't really want to be there, I got to know them. They put in the effort for me, and I think that connection makes all the difference."
Valle will teach Algebra and is one of the new hires helping DISD make a difference. They're beginning the year almost fully staffed. And with more than 10,000 teachers in the district, that kind of success is to be celebrated.
"Yes. Less than 100 to fill," said Tionia Richardson, DISD's Director of Recruitment.
By the way, Richardson was also once a teacher with fifteen job offers! She said that's the kind of sought-after applicant that the district is pursuing: one with options, but is choosing DISD. Then the goal is to support them, so they'll stay.
"Absolutely," said Richardson. "It is more valuable even to that campus, to the student to build that culture, that community. So having those teachers be there for a period of time, they kind of understand the dynamics of the community in which they serve. So, yes, is definitely better for us as a district as a whole, but more importantly for that school campus and to impact that child."
Richardson said DISD Superintendent Stephanie Elizalde has made listening to teachers, soliciting their feedback, and then addressing their concerns a priority.
Meanwhile, as Valle tapes materials to the wall and plans a classroom culture built around collaboration, he said he's looking forward to growing and learning as a teacher, right along with his students.
"I can pour that into my students, 'hey, look, I'm learning. You're learning and we're both killing it.'"