Civil Municipal Magazine - Dec 2023

318 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 4, ISSUE 12 really proud that our HR team has spent the majority of our careers in schools. Having been a teacher myself, I know the number one thing I want to look for in hiring a teacher is somebody who likes kids and somebody who’s going to make good decisions for kids.” With this in mind, the district embraces alternative pathways for those looking to transition into teaching, such as dedicated paraprofessional instructional assistants who have degrees. “They are already here, already dedicated, and they already know the hardest part, which is classroom management,” acknowledges Anderson. “So, we developed a career switcher program that allows them to become licensed rather quickly. And we do that with Old Dominion University.” Mid-career professionals who have a passion for teaching and are looking for change can also go through the ODU program. The district partners with William and Mary