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Upshur BOE hopes to attract teachers

BUCKHANNON — An Upshur County Board of Education member has opened the conversation regarding the best approach to take when looking to attract math teachers to the county schools.

“I keep seeing the job postings come out for the math teachers at the high school, and I know that there’s a shortage in math teachers, but what can we do to attract good, quality math teachers,” asked board member Kristi Wilkerson during a recent board meeting.

As of Sept. 18, Upshur County Schools is seeking two math teachers for grades 9 through 12, according to issued job postings.

With the inconsistency of math instructors and a concern over math scores, Wilkerson said, “I think we need to step outside the box and say ‘What do we need to do to really attract these good, quality math teachers for the high school?'”

Wilkerson said she did not have the answer; however, she felt the issue needed to be “re-imagined.”

“I don’t think we’re serving our students well right now,” she said. “I know that’s not the fault of anybody, it’s just those people aren’t there.”

Board president Dr. Tammy Samples said she was unsure of how to attract those with math degrees, as other math professions have a higher salary.

“I don’t know how we can attract at our salary level,” Samples said, adding she was concerned about the shortage, as well. She noted that the math teacher shortage is “not a new problem.”

“This has been a problem for a while, so I wonder if that lack of teachers is starting to impact the choices students make in majors,” she said.

Superintendent Sara Stankus said she and assistant superintendent Debra Harrison are open to ideas on how to recruit math teachers to the area; however, she recognized the shortage as a statewide issue.

“It’s a statewide shortage, I mean, I think it’s more like a national shortage,” said Stankus. “But it’s something I’m very concerned about, especially as I reflect on our ACT and SAT scores and our math state assessment scores.”

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