International teachers could help Willmar Public Schools fill job openings

Linda Vanderwerf, West Central Tribune, Willmar, Minn.
·2 min read
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Jul. 14—WILLMAR

— Willmar Public Schools has found a partial solution for its ongoing challenges in hiring teachers and other staff members.

The district has recruited five teachers from other countries, who will be arriving in August. Four are from the Philippines and one is from Nicaragua.

Director of Human Resources Liz Windingstad told the Willmar School Board on Monday that the district has at least 18 job postings for teachers. The district has struggled in recent years to fill all its job openings.

The international teachers, all elementary teachers, are in the process of getting visas and Social Security numbers so they can work here, Windingstad said. Before they were hired, school officials were able to view videos of them teaching and meet them remotely.

The teachers will be allowed to stay in the country up to five years and will work under the same contract as other teachers, including starting out as probationary teachers.

Board members asked how the teachers would find housing. Windingstad said she and her staff have been working to find housing and have had some success. The teachers are expected to arrive in 30 to 40 days.

In other business at the meeting, the board adopted resolutions to prepare for the Nov. 8 election of board members to four-year terms. The terms of three board members are expiring — Mary Amon, Randy Frederickson and Jay Lawton.

Filing for office will open Aug. 2 and close at 4 p.m. Aug. 16. Candidates may file at the district office in the Willmar Education and Arts Center. The filing fee is $2.

Board Chairman Justin Bos reported on the board's performance review of Holm at its last meeting. Boards are allowed to close meetings to the public for the review and are required to provide a report at the next meeting.

Bos said the board rated Holm effective at his work in implementing a new system of teacher evaluation and highly effective in his progress toward a building addition at Willmar Middle School.

Bids on the middle school project are to be opened July 21.

The project will include an additional gymnasium for the school and classrooms for an alternative school for middle school-aged students.

The Southwest West Central Service Cooperative will participate in the addition, building a facility for special education students who have high needs and do not do well in a traditional school.