Superintendent's Message: August 2024

JuabSD Community,

As we kick off the new school year, I'd like to address an important issue that's affecting not only our district but many others across the state: teacher turnover. We are so fortunate to have awesome and enthusiastic educators, but like others we've been struggling with a high turnover rate, and that's affecting our students, staff, and community. Teacher turnover is a tricky problem, influenced by things like job satisfaction, retirements, working conditions, and external pressures such as competitive pay. When teachers leave, it can disturb student learning and make it tough for teachers to build strong relationships with their students. Understanding why teachers are leaving is very important so we can create a supportive and stable school environment.

I would like to share some initiatives we have planned this year to address teacher turnover challenges and to continue building a strong educational workforce.

Improved Work Conditions: This year, we will conduct surveys to gather teachers' feedback about their working conditions and any challenges they face. Based on this feedback, we'll work on strategies to balance workloads, provide necessary resources, and create a more supportive school environment.

Competitive Compensation: As a district we understand the importance of fair compensation in ensuring job satisfaction and long-term commitment. That's why JuabSD is committed to improving our salary and benefits packages to attract and retain top talent.

Enhanced Administrative Support: We are focusing on developing administrators to support our teachers better. This includes providing enhanced mentoring for new educators and access to professional development opportunities. Our goal is to empower our staff and enhance job satisfaction by promoting a culture of collaboration and growth.

I want to express my immense gratitude to our amazing teachers and staff for their unwavering dedication and hard work in supporting our students. We know that the profession and day to day work as an educator is tough, but we're dedicated to finding practical solutions to create a positive and fulfilling environment for both our educators and students.

As we move forward, we will keep our community informed about our progress and welcome any suggestions for further improvement. Together, we can build a stronger future for our schools and the students we serve.

Sincerely,

Dr. Kodey Hughes, Ed.D                   

Superintendent of Schools