PORT TOWNSEND — The Port Townsend School District has been unable to recruit a middle school math and science instructor and is using a full-time substitute teacher for sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade classes.
The Blue Heron Middle School vacancy was created when Sarah Rubenstein left in May to become project manager of the Maritime Discovery Initiative, a new program that seeks to incorporate a maritime curriculum in all levels of instruction.
Several applicants have shown interest for the position since it was posted in May, said Principal Diane Lashinsky, but most are not fully qualified.
“There is not a large pool of qualified mathematics instructors on the Olympic Peninsula,” she said.
“There are a lot of technical requirements and with the salary we are offering, they can earn more money elsewhere.”
The job requires a familiarity with Next Generation Science Standards and experience in advanced student assessment processes.
The district bases its salary on a state schedule, ranging from $34,048 per year for a new teacher to $64,174 for one with 16 years or more of experience and 90 graduate credits.
Following this schedule is voluntary, and larger schools could pay more, according to Laurie McGinnis, district human resources director.
David Engle, the district superintendent, said qualified math instructors gravitate more toward urban school districts and that those with math skills are often more disposed to jobs outside of education.
Engle said last week that one possible instructor has been identified and could be hired over the next few days, “but if that doesn’t happen, we go back to square one.”
High school teacher and PTA President Ben Dow said this scenario is common to small districts throughout the state.
“On the one hand the state has been raising standards for teaching certain kinds of classes. On the other, it doesn’t take a math major to realize that if you’re good at math or science, teaching isn’t a good economic opportunity,” he said.
“I’ve been teaching in Washington for close to 10 years, and haven’t seen the salary schedule for teachers go up once while the job continues to get harder.
Dow said in years past the district might see over 100 applicants routinely applying for jobs and that now it is lucky to get five for math or science positions.
“If people are upset about this they need not complain to the Port Townsend administration, but call their state legislators and demand that they meet their obligation to fully fund education,” he said.
“We need to make teaching a profession that attracts the best and brightest of the next generation, and right now our state is simply not doing that.”
Last month the state Supreme Court held the Legislature in contempt of it ruling, called the McCleary decision, which said that the Legislautre must fully fund education.
The court said it would impose sanctions if the funding doesn’t come out of the upcoming legislative session.
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Jefferson County Editor Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or cbermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
