MUSD fills 10 new teaching positions; 40 more to go

By Michelle Chance

The Maricopa Unified School District Governing Board approved the hiring of 10 teachers for new positions Wednesday.

According to district documents, eight elementary teachers constituted the majority of the new hires in the group. One middle school teacher and another teacher, whose school location was undesignated, made up the rest.

The district’s push for recruiting teachers comes after voters approved an override last year to lower class sizes by adding more instructors.

So far, MUSD is one-fifths closer to meeting its goal of hiring 50 teachers for the approaching school year.

School officials said the momentum is growing.

“Every day I have at least five to 10 applications come in,” said Human Resources Director Tom Beckett.

A district-wide job fair was held Jan. 28 and, as a result, letters of intent were issued to potential teachers.

“A number of interviews were set up the following week,” Superintendent Steve Chestnut said. “That’s one reason why there are 10 teachers being hired tonight for next year.”

Chestnut said there was interest in support staff positions during the job fair as well.

Despite the progress, the district is losing current classified employees. The board approved the retirement of one Butterfield Elementary School teacher and the resignation of Maricopa High School Assistant Principal Jesse Roth.

Nevertheless, Chestnut remained optimistic about reaching the district’s hiring goal.

“We are off to a good start,” he said.