aligns with research showing that strong teacherstudent relationships significantly impact academic achievement, particularly following periods of educational disruption. The second C, Contribution, focuses on valuing every team member’s role. “We want everybody to understand that they’re a huge piece of the puzzle, from facilities’ folks to food service, transportation to teachers. We all have a piece in that child’s success, and no one is more important than the other,” Dr. Madison explains. Challenge, the third component, pushes back against the tendency to use the pandemic as justification for lowered expectations. “We can’t lose sight that our kids need us to challenge them. We need to raise expectations rather than maintain the status quo,” says Dr. Madison. He specifically highlights attendance issues as an exacerbated post-COVID problem affecting both students and staff. The final C, Celebration, emphasizes recognizing achievements and honoring collective successes while creating the positive reinforcement essential for rebuilding educational momentum. BUILDING AND RETAINING A QUALITY EDUCATIONAL WORKFORCE Teacher recruitment and retention remain critical challenges for American school districts, with the National Education Association reporting a nationwide shortage of approximately 300,000 teachers and staff. NAFCS has implemented strategic initiatives to address these workforce issues, starting with competitive compensation. “My office and the chief financial officer’s office have worked diligently to raise our minimum pay,” says Jeanine Corson, Chief Human Resources Officer.“Our teacher pay is slightly over $50,000 a year, and we continue to monitor to ensure we remain competitive in the marketplace. When I arrived seven years ago, our starting pay in many positions was $12 an hour. Now most positions are well above $15 in starting pay.” Beyond salary increases, NAFCS recognizes the changing nature of educational careers. Research indicates that teachers who remain in the profession 4 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 05
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