Gwinnett schools defy economy, plan to hire

While some metro school systems prepare to close campuses and eliminate staff, Georgia’s largest district is expanding.

Educators from across the state and nation will come this weekend with pageant-perfect smiles, crisp suits and polished portfolios to woo administrators at Gwinnett County Public Schools’ Certified Teacher Employment Fair in Duluth.

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Vino Wong/vwong@ajc.com

Only those who are qualified as teachers or who are student teachers will get interviews. A spokeswoman said the system is especially seeking math, science and special ed teachers.

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Vino Wong/vwong@ajc.com

Last year’s job fair held by Gwinnett County Public Schools drew a crowd. For this year, numbers of openings are still being determined. Ten new schools are opening in the county.

IF YOU GO

• What: Gwinnett County Public Schools Certified Teacher Employment Fair
• When: 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday
• Where: Gwinnett Center, 6400 Sugarloaf Parkway, Duluth.
• Interviews: Walk-ins interviewed between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. To preregister visit www.gwinnett.k12.ga.us for information. Only applicants who are student teachers or who have current certification credentials will be interviewed. Applicants must bring their own supply of resume copies. Copiers are not available at the site.

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Competition will be stiff. More than 900 educators have preregistered for interviews.

“In light of the current economy, you have a number of people who may be out of work right now and may feel like the school district would be a good employer,” said Sloan Roach, spokeswoman for Gwinnett Schools. “We are continuing to grow and know that we need to hire new teachers as well as other support staff. We need top-notch professionals to join the ranks.”

Principals scouting for talent hired 1,048 new teachers to lead classrooms for the current school year. Budget cuts and the freedom afforded by Gwinnett Schools’ flexibility contract with the state to increase class sizes among other things could significantly reduce the number of new teachers hired for next school year.

Still, there will be slots. Hundreds of them, perhaps.

The target figure has not been released.

Administrators representing more than 100 schools in the district will sit behind booths at Gwinnett Center to look over candidates from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. To get face time, job seekers must be student teachers or have current certification credentials. The system is looking to fill jobs in “critical needs” areas in math, science and special education, but other applicants also will be interviewed.

Last year’s job fair attracted more than 1,650 applicants including second- career professionals who made the switch from business to teaching. In an economic downturn, the safety net that usually comes with teaching — steady pay, benefits, an endless supply of clients — can make a job in education attractive to professionals who have been downsized.

After surviving layoffs from public relations jobs, Gina Gassert, who lives just outside of Peachtree Corners, considered teaching as an alternative. The mother of two recently began working as a student teacher at Peachtree Elementary in Norcross and will attend the job fair to look for permanent work.

“It’s recession-proof,” said Gassert, “Atlanta is such a booming, metropolitan area. Gwinnett County is a big part of that growth. … They [are] building new schools and they [are] going to need to hire new teachers.”

This year, however, metro educators who once thought they were safe began bracing for layoffs.

Fulton County Schools superintendent Cindy Loe recently warned teachers and other staff that furloughs and job cuts may be necessary in a tight budget year.

Fayette County Schools employees have been told to prepare for possible layoffs or pay cuts. In addition to staff reductions, DeKalb County Schools also is considering shutting campuses to cut costs.

And in Gwinnett, even as the district opens 10 new schools in August, some jobs are being eliminated due to redistricting and annual state funding cuts. About 120 full-time teachers were displaced in the shuffle. All but 25 of them have been placed in new jobs, Roach said. “We are confident that all of our teachers will have a position.”

Gwinnett’s part-time educators, however, have not been promised work next school year. Most were notified that their positions will be eliminated. Displaced educators and new recruits will be placed in some of those slots before part-timers are considered, school officials said.

Lilburn Mayor Diana Preston, who retired as an assistant principal of Berkmar High in 2005, could be in her final months as a part-time administrator at her old school. And she is OK with it.

“The schools are having to cut back and I may be part of that cut,” she said. “I am not under a contract.”

The district has about 12,500 certified employees. The average Gwinnett Schools teacher has a master’s degree or higher, 10 years of experience and earns $54,875 annually.

Meadowcreek High principal Bob Jackson says applicants who want to join Gwinnett Schools should bring their “A” game to the job fair. Standouts are usually the teachers who ooze energy and know their content. “We are always looking for highly qualified, motivated, bright candidates who love kids,” he said.