There is something special about a soon-to-be college graduate. The excitement about beginning a new career and the hopes and ambitions of a young person that has the world before them is energizing. This feeling of anticipation mixed with nervous excitement was present in the air when the recruiting team from Davis School District entered the building at Southern Utah University where the 2024 teacher recruiting fair was to be held.
Southern Utah University’s education department provided booth space for any school or district that wanted to come and seek out the newest graduates from its College of Education. With the intent of attracting the best and brightest of those newly minted college graduates, the Davis team began setting up its booth. As the booth space for the Davis team was constructed, it was clear that district Recruiting Specialist Fran Neiderhauser put great attention to detail into the space for the Davis School District team.
Davis’ booth was twice as large as other districts, if not more, and everything set out on the table was carefully crafted with an air of professionalism mixed with a tinge of fun. Notable features included: a neon light of the word ‘Teach’, Sharpie markers with Davis School District printed on them, fun and whimsical stickers students could have about teaching and a larger-than-life backdrop that simply stated: Davis School District: Change Lives: Teach.
The students from the College of Education attended a panel discussion while the teams from each district set up their booths. Once the students were released to enter the room and peruse the different booths, the excitement in the room increased tenfold. Future educators timidly moved around the room with nervous excitement envisioning what their future might be.
Each member of the recruiting team (which was much larger than any other) had one goal in mind: to seek out and attract new educators and sign them up for an interview. However, it quickly became obvious that each member of the team was eager to share how amazing it is to be an educator in Davis School District.
Professional Learning and Quality Staffing Director Kellie Mudrow quickly started up conversations with groups of students and with a smile that said, “We are happy you are here,” asked students engaging questions about what they wanted to teach and what their plans and goals were. She invested time and energy into each student. She let them share about themselves. She took the time to truly get to know their interests and desires and helped them to feel her investment in them and their success.
Conversations around teaching and what it was like to teach in Davis School District began sparking up all around the Davis booth. Each member of the team actively sought out students as they passed and shared with them a common language around educating youth and changing lives.
Human Resources Director Suzi Jensen clearly delighted in getting to know the students and finding out more about their plans in education and why they chose a career as a teacher.
South Davis Junior High Principal Mark Jolley was so excited to have one of his students agree to an interview that he whooped and excited and gave a fist pump in the air.
Holbrook Elementary Principal Tara Best quietly and compassionately listened to these hopeful educators and their hopes for the future and shared with them why she loves the profession.
Sunset Junior High Principal Tami Oliver carried conversations with nervous candidates with professionalism and strength that let them know they are entering a professional career field and will have strong and professional administrators in their corner supporting them all the way.
One by one, the interviewees were signed up for an interview held during the last portion of the fair. Each member of the recruiting team sat down at their interview station and began to interview candidates as a potential educator for Davis School District. This opportunity was a chance for candidates to practice their interview skills and see if coming to Davis School District was a good fit for them and their career goals.
With over 300 new teachers on average being hired each year, the recruiting career fairs are just one of the many hiring efforts made by the Quality Staffing Department at Davis School District. From the booth to the swag, the Davis team pays attention to every detail and are heavily invested in recruiting only the best and the brightest to teach in our schools.