By Moneth G. Deposa
Variety News Staff

TWO officials of the Public School System are now in the U.S. to recruit highly qualified teachers in preparation for the next school year.
Education Commissioner David M. Borja said PSS human resource officer Charlie Kenty and assistant Ramon Diaz flew to Minnesota Washington State University to search for qualified personnel.
“They are expected to be back on Monday. They went to Minnesota Washington State University in Oregon for our recruitment effort,” Borja told Variety yesterday.
Borja said they are recruiting there because the institutions in the area require teachers to pass Praxis.
“We have the same requirement and we believe that’s the place we need to do the marketing. They are visiting universities and colleges in the area that have potential candidates,” he said.
Sixty to 80 highly qualified teachers, or HQTs, are needed by PSS.
Borja said PSS may only consider hiring substitutes next school year if they are unable to fill the needed positions.
“That’s one area we need to discuss because we may not be able to recruit substitutes. What we want to do is open schools with staffing patterns that principals have organized for their campuses that will meet their mission of teaching their students,” he said, adding that recruiting substitutes will depend on the number of unfilled positions when schools open.
“For us, a substitute teacher is the least costly option for PSS…but at the same time we also acknowledge that it can be costly in terms of student learning,” the commissioner said.
Borja said if PSS hires substitutes it will make sure that they are qualified and competent in the subject area that they are to teach.
“We will be very selective in hiring our substitutes,” he said, adding they may also consider hiring retired PSS personnel.
Borja said PSS may let teachers go who have problems with attendance, or with their colleagues, or “difficulty in understanding the purpose of educating students.”
Borja said he has also asked principals and administrators for more “belt-tightening” measures.
“I asked the principals and the leadership to start looking at how we can tighten our belts so we can continue to provide students with what they need,” he said.
PSS is awaiting the governor’s action on bills that would restore the school system’s $6 million budget cut.