Parkland School Board directors welcomed new teachers during a festive reception filled with great enthusiasm and optimism for the 2019-20 term.

Director of Human Resources Pam Kelly offered opening remarks.

“This evening is a very special tradition Parkland has,” Kelly said. “It doesn’t happen everywhere.”

She noted the hiring process seems to start earlier, and run later each year.

Kelly reported administrators started seeking new teachers at job fairs in February and hired the first one in April.

She explained the process wraps up in early September but doesn’t ever really end, as hiring continues to fill openings, created by leaves of absences, resignations and retirements.

Throughout the selection procedure, administrators conducted about 400 interviews to choose 53 individuals to teach in Parkland schools.

The new employees represent 20 different colleges and universities, and 47 percent already have Master’s degrees.

Of the total, 17 will occupy temporary vacancies for teachers who are on child rearing, family or medical leaves of absence.

Quite a few of the new employees had previous experience at Parkland through student teaching, substituting or in other job classifications such as paraprofessionals or aides.

Positions were filled in 17 different subject areas, including elementary, secondary, learning support, school nurse, guidance, English as a Second Language, study skills, reading specialist, and instruction and data specialist.

The teachers join a staff of 1,395 employees in the district who are serving the educational needs of 9,400 students.

The starting salary for an individual with a Bachelor’s degree and no previous experience is $55,241.

Kelly expressed closing thoughts as mingling and have refreshments were underway.

“We are very proud of this group and the teams that worked so hard to select them,” Kelly said. “The principals took a leadership role. We’re thankful for the support of the central administration and the school board in hiring them.”

Board President Lisa Roth added a final comment.

“This gang is ready to go, and we’re glad to have them.”