When the new school year begins on September 6, Willmar Public Schools will have five new teachers who are originally from foreign nations.
There will be Filipino teachers in the Roosevelt and Kennedy primary schools as soon as their visas are granted and teaching licenses are obtained. All of the instructors are skilled and proficient in English.
In recent years, the district has struggled to find qualified candidates to fill open teaching positions and other roles. Director of Human Resources Liz Windingstad says that even though five foreign teachers have started working in the district, there are still a lot of open positions for teachers, paraprofessionals, and other staff.
Windingstad expressed the belief that having instructors from different cultures would be beneficial to the pupils. “They’re going to be teaching the same subjects and the same curriculum, and they’ll bring their own flavor just like any other individual would,” she said. “I’m excited; … It’s something so new to have people from another country under an exchange program like this. “
They will be paid in accordance with the Education Willmar contract and handled in the same way as other district workers, she added. When it comes to the compensation range, foreign instructors may expect to earn between $40,000 and $60,000 per year.
There is a house for rent, roughly midway between Kennedy and Roosevelt, that can accommodate all five of them. She also said that the landlord, Gabe Heiling, has been supportive and helpful in getting the teachers to move to the area. According to Windingstad, she hopes the school community can assist them in adjusting to the new culture when they come. She also hopes that other members of the faculty and members of the public will assist in furnishing the home with gently used furniture and kitchen necessities so that the instructors can settle in.
