- Jordan and Alpine school districts achieve teacher retention success as classes resume.
- Jordan School District welcomed 280 new teachers; Alpine recruited 300-400 educators.
- Retention rates are 80-90%; students appreciate familiar, caring teachers fostering personal connections.
RIVERTON — For high school kids in the Jordan School District, it's time for them to go back to class. Getting the right teachers to teach them is something both Jordan and the Alpine School District are seeing success with.
The new school year started bright and early for high school students on Tuesday in the Jordan School District.
"It's been fun seeing so many new people walk through the doors and so many friends," said Hailey Scott, student body communications officer at Riverton High School.
"I'm excited, I've got some good teachers, I love my adviser," said Rockwell Babcock, student body service officer at Riverton High School.
"It feels like everything is falling together perfectly," said Seth Christensen, student body president at Riverton High School. "I think this is going to be the best year Riverton has ever had."
There's excitement in the halls at Riverton High School and for teachers in the classroom. First-year math teacher Melissa Jackson said working for the Jordan School District was a no-brainer.
"I wanted to be here, I've seen how well they run things, and this is where I want to be," Jackson said.
Jackson is one of the 280 new teachers the Jordan School District welcomed this year. The Alpine School District recruited 300 to 400. How are they getting those teachers? Alpine said it's all about culture and location.
They're in a prime spot with colleges and universities in Utah County, where student teachers learn right there in the district and decide they want to stay.
"Education really is a profession of relationships, and so we've created structures that help engender those relationships," said Kevin Thomas, Alpine School District's human resources director.
The culture in the Jordan School District is making the job competitive.
"We have had an average of 80 applicants for every opening for the hiring season this year, which is really exciting," said Anthony Godfrey, Jordan School District superintendent.
When you talk about keeping teachers they've already got, both districts said their retention rate is about 80% to 90%. For students coming back to class, seeing those familiar faces is something they like to hear.
"I picked some of them partly because I know them, not just what they teach," Babcock said.
"They truly just care for our students; it's not only that they are teachers, they're also our friends," Christensen said.
"They always know your name the first week of school, and they always ask about things like, they'll ask about my sisters who they had before, they'll ask about how my day is going, they just make it so personal," said Scott.
Students are hoping that a personal touch will make the new year their personal best.
High school students in Jordan School District started class on Tuesday. Kids and the teachers for the rest of the district start Wednesday.
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Brian Carlson
