Hard-to-find science, math faculty push up recruitment
efforts
The starting salary at a biotech firm in the Silicon Valley
starts at upwards of $60,000. How could a college graduate with a
science degree say no?
Hard-to-find science, math faculty push up recruitment efforts
The starting salary at a biotech firm in the Silicon Valley starts at upwards of $60,000. How could a college graduate with a science degree say no?
But enough do, electing to enter teaching in numbers sufficient that San Benito High School has been able to keep the positions filled.
But it’s not without a struggle.
San Benito High School annually finds itself striving harder to find qualified math and science teachers, but so far, the looming crisis predicted by many has not visited itself on the local high school.
“We’re finding it’s harder to attract teachers in those particular fields as there are not as many people getting degrees in those fields and for the ones that do there are more opportunities in those job fields,” said San Benito High School Principal Debbie Padilla.
She added that once they get the teachers to the high school the job of keeping them becomes all the easier, but said that the cost of living in San Benito County does present challenges.
“People want to work where they live. It’s the same in every subject area,” Padilla said.
Added to the problem is another staff vacancy at San Benito High. The school has no director of human resources following the recent departure of Don Balfour.
According to Cindy Cordova, director of educational services, the school is in the process of recruiting a new director of human resources with a background in successful recruiting and retention of teachers.
“We’re going to start recruiting earlier this year, usually that would mean January, but we will be actively seeking teachers, especially teachers in the harder to find fields like math, science, and special education, because there is a shortage of those particular teachers,” Cordova said.
Vera Gomes, who has previously taught agriculture and currently teaches biology 1A, said when she had to decide whether to go into private industry or teaching it was a no brainer.
“The No. 1 reason I chose teaching is a love of kids and instilling a love for the subject. I know that there is a lot of social work that comes with the job, but it’s totally worth it. It’s also helpful as a parent because I can be closer to home,” Gomes said. “Still it’s tough. There are 190 students in my class and I have to fund-raise for money for labs. It’s challenging, it’s never dull.”
Gomes said that she has a lot of friends who chose to go from teaching into private industry, but the reverse is also true; there are other friends who have left jobs in private industry to teach.
“It takes a certain kind of person to teach. I have taught for 20 years and I’m new here, so when we moved to Hollister I could have looked for a job in the private industry, but the benefits are good and there’s retirement.”
Dan Quinn teaches AP statistics, advanced geometry and algebra 1A at the high school. He said for him, it was an easy decision to make because he likes Hollister and doesn’t want to commute.
“I enjoy working with the kids,” he said. “I think I’m making a difference for many students and I’m not sure that would be the case with other lines of work. I think it really depends on the person, but I feel there is enough money here to be successful.”
