As the school year begins to wind down, the teacher hiring process is just starting to rev up. After all, finding 800 to 1,000 certified teachers for Northside ISD by the time school starts in August is no easy task.

The next several weeks will be a whirlwind for District recruiters, who will visit job fairs almost daily all over the state and as far away as Minnesota and Illinois.

Jim Miller, assistant superintendent for Human Resources, said the biggest challenge is finding teachers for grades 5 through 12.

Middle school and high school teachers certified in critical needs areas are eligible for a $1,900 stipend on top of the District’s already competitive salary. The critical needs areas include: math, science, special education, bilingual, ESL, computer science, industrial technology, and alternative schools.

Currently, a starting teacher with a bachelor’s degree earns $41,000 annually. The salary package for the 2007-08 school year has not yet been approved by the Board of Trustees. The district also offers mentorship programs for new teachers, as well as extensive resources and staff development opportunities.

About 300 teachers are needed to accommodate the growing student enrollment, and the rest will replace teachers who are retiring or leaving the District, Miller said. The goal is to have 98 to 99 percent of the positions filled by Aug. 27, the first day of school.

Rudy Pena, one of four District recruiters and director of Secondary Human Resources, said it’s not hard to sell the district to perspective teachers.

“We’re a fast-growing, dynamic district,” he said. “We’re seeing a lot of great candidates that know Northside is a place to be.”

Enrollment, now at 82,767, is growing by about 4,000 students a year. Northside will open two elementary schools and a middle school in August and three elementary schools and a middle and high school in 2008.

Teachers interested in applying for a job with Northside should fill out an online application.

All applications are reviewed by Human Resources and all applicants will be contacted via e-mail.