Civil Municipal Magazine - Dec 2023

280 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 4, ISSUE 12 new adjunct teacher law, the district can agree with someone to cover the costs of going to school to become a teacher and then hire them immediately after they’ve been certified. As a result, recent and soon-to-be college graduates have been the focus of this method. The last method involves improving current teacher retention, which Concord does in a number of ways. One of them involves utilizing instructional coaches to support teachers in the classrooms, as a strong foundation of support is one of the pillars of employee retention. In addition to these three key strategies, the district also ensures that teachers are well compensated in comparison to others in the county. “We have one of the highest starting salaries in the county as well as one of the highest top salaries in the county,” Funston says. Concord is a results-oriented, data-centered organization. Leadership emphasizes short- and long-term goal setting and is dedicated to monitoring progress along the way. This deep dive into data is evident in teacher collaboration meetings where staff review and discuss student achievement data, and district-level surveys measure employee engagement tied to employee retention. Overall, it’s safe to say that the Concord Community School Corporation has multiple bases covered. The nuances of a school district’s philosophy have positively shaped the experiences of everyone on campus. The result is an all-around safe environment where not only students feel valued but teachers as well. PREFERRED VENDOR/PARTNER n Low Associates www.lllow.com n KI https://www.ki.com/