In preparation for the 2023-2024 school year, South hired 24 new teachers, Principal Dr. Barbara Georges said. New to the district this year, Amy Cohen, Family and Consumer Science teacher, is still learning Souths systems and organization.
Adjusting to a new school is difficult because there are new procedures, new technology, rules, and students, – So the – district has a “new teacher week,” that takes place the three days before students’ first day in school, Georges said. During this week, the new teachers can meet with their departments, administrators, and other new teachers to ease the transition into their new school, Georges said.
Lisa Street, new Science teacher, is learning to adapt.
“[Adapting has] been challenging in the best ways,” Street said. “[I am learning what] I want to do here and what I want to work on.”
Sophomore, Sofia Silva has Street for Honors bio, and is enjoying the class because of Streets ability to make class fun, Silva said.
“Even though she is new, I feel like that is helpful [because] not only does she [have] different views and can apply those in class”. Silva said
New teachers are paired with a mentor; a person in their department who has been teaching at South for a while, Georges explained. These mentors help offer insight and guide new teachers through their transition into South, Georges said.
“My mentor [Science Teacher Chiara Andrews] is an awesome go-to person,” Street said. “I can use her as a resource and tool for anything I need.”.
Prior to receiving their mentor the teachers go through the hiring process which includes multiple rounds of interviews and potential teachers are even required to teach a sample lesson to a group of students, Street said.
“It was very rigorous in the best ways,” Street said. “[The interviewers] asked me very great questions to gauge how I am as an educator and what I care about.”
During the new teacher week, the teachers heard presentations from the Dean’s Office, Main Office, Special education, English Language Learners (ELL), as well as their department heads, Cohen said. These presentations helped the new teachers understand more about the programs and how they can utilize them, Cohen said.
Out of the 24 new teachers, four went to Career and Technical Education (CTE), one went to Physical Education (PE), five went to Special Education, one went to student services, one new college counselor, as well as one new school counselors, and world languages teacher, three new science teachers, two math teachers, a new social studies and fine arts teacher and two new Multilingual Learners teachers, all currently working at South.
The district aims to hire teachers of all kinds, with some teachers fresh out-of-college and others with varying levels of experience, Georges said.
Hiring more experienced teachers is a bold move because some teachers will come in with pre-set expectations or ideas on how a classroom should function, as well as how a school should function, Cohen said.
“[Street] is also super understanding when it comes to homework and stuff, if you need an extension because she understands that we have other things going on outside of school,” Silva said.
It is a team effort among students and teachers, and their departments to help everyone succeed here, Street said.
“Excellence is expected and standards are high for all students,” Street said. “I didn’t always see that at my last school, but I love that students and teachers are [held to] these high expectations [at South].”
