Rufus King High School hired 16 new faculty this year, 15 teachers and one guidance counselor.
According to Thomas Balistreri, former principal of Rufus King, the school has never hired that many teachers at one time. The school has typically hired three to six teachers per year. Sometimes no new teachers are hired.
Why were so many teachers added all at once? According to curriculum generalist Paul Gessner, the main goals were to reduce class sizes and fill empty positions.
As with any cause, there must be an effect. By hiring new faculty this year, Rufus King demonstrates its commitment to the future.
Students and teachers say hiring new teachers will benefit the student body. According to sophomore Sebastian Van Oudenallen, new teachers bring a positive atmosphere to class and can relate to students.
Hiring new teachers would not affect the IB program, IB coordinator Mavis Roesch said. When new teachers are admitted, few are hired for teaching at the IB level. If teachers are hired to teach IB, experienced teachers mentor them for a semester.
“Loyalty to former teachers can make it difficult for new IB teachers to gain the confidence of students,” Roesch said.
Balistreri believes it will take time to get new teachers training for the IB Program.
“It changes the culture a little bit,” Gessner said.
According to sophomore Danny Scaife, the impact of new teachers at Rufus King is based on first impressions. How welcoming the teachers are will determine if students will give them a hard time or not.
Sophomore Zach Both said teachers will have to put forth more effort in their teaching and first impressions on students. Since this is their first year, teachers will have difficulties transitioning, Both said.
To welcome the 16 new faculty, a picnic was held on July 26. Teachers enjoyed a nice barbecue organized by administration and socialized with teachers from interview teams.
On Aug. 12 and 14, meetings for new teachers were organized to help them know what to expect and what Rufus King expects of them.
“We met to help the new teachers [faculty] learn about Rufus King. We went over their handbook, talked about opening procedures and discussed the philosophy of Rufus King High School,” Gessner said.
To teach at Rufus King, teachers must fulfill special requirements. First, they must be licensed to teach in their subject matter. In addition, teachers must earn 18 graduate credits or have a master’s degree in their content area. These standards coincide with specific standards held under Balistreri.
Hiring new teachers follows a specific process. The school posts job openings, and interested teachers apply. The interview team, made up of three teachers, an administrator and a Rufus King parent choose whom to interview. The interviews determine who is hired.
These new teachers have big shoes to fill. Only time will tell if hiring more teachers will pay off in the long run.