District 158 Looks To Hire High School Teachers

Next year’s incoming freshmen class at is expected to be larger than the outgoing class of seniors graduating this year.

So while District 158 enrollment numbers at the kindergarten level remain flat, a large student body in the upper grades has created the need for 10 additional teachers at the high school, 13719 Harmony Road, and several other positions throughout the district for the 2012-13 school year, school officials said.

“Enrollment is increasing at the high school level,” said Jessica Lombard, chief human resources officer for . “We have about 125 additional students entering high school next year.”

The larger student body, combined with the district not hiring additional teachers this school year, has created a need for more instructors to maintain average class sizes.

In addition to the need for new teachers at the high school level, school officials have identified the following staff needs for next year:

• Middle school part-time health teacher.
• Response to intervention assistants (paraprofessionals) at all eight school buildings.
• Two districtwide technology assistants.
• A middle school media specialist.
• A high school department chairperson.
• A part-time school assistant principal.
• Possibly additional special education or English-language learning staff.

The estimated cost to hire the additional staff members is $1.1 million, Lombard said.

Based on the first draft of next year’s budget, administrators at this time feel they can accommodate the additional staff salaries, Lombard said.

Administrators will move forward with the hiring process, and recommendation for future new hires will be submitted for approval on a case-by-case basis to the .

More information about District 158’s budget for the 2012-13 year will be forthcoming in the next few months as school officials identify the district’s needs and revenue sources.