PPS Recruiters Meet At Professional Educator Fair

Portland OR

03 April, 2022

8:40 AM

Description

Press release from Portland Public Schools: March 31, 2022 Officially, it's called the Oregon Professional Educator Fair, an annual one-day gathering that brings together job-seekers and school districts from throughout the state. But on Tuesday at the Portland Public Schools booth, it looked more like speed dating. PPS recruiters met with dozens of job candidates over six hours at the Oregon Convention Center, encouraging applicants and outlining the district's needs. "We are recruiting educators who are student-centered and focused on equity," said Michelle Harrison, a PPS social worker who was meeting with prospective employees at the district's booth. The district's current hiring priorities include summer school, math, special education and substitute teachers, as well as social workers and counselors. Job-seekers gathered at the PPS booth at the convention center, eager to hear about openings and the hiring process. They were given heart-shaped tins of M&Ms with a QR code on the back that led them to employment listings on the district's human resources page. Dozens of openings are posted on that page and new positions are added each week. The best path to a PPS job starts there. Dr. Aisha Hollands, Director of Diversity and Workforce Development at PPS, urged aspiring educators to study current openings and upload their resumes, even if they don't see their dream job listed. The district is always looking for qualified substitute teachers. "Being a sub is one way to get your foot in the door," Hollands said. Harrison expects to hire up to 15 social workers this year. The pandemic has created a complex web of behavioral and academic challenges that require the empathy and experience of seasoned social workers. The district also hires social work interns. Harrison encouraged prospective applicants to look for openings on a regular basis in the coming months. "Keep checking," she said, "because the postings happen all the way through summer." This press release was produced by Portland Public Schools. The views expressed here are the author's own.