Fairfax County Public School

Fairfax County, Va. (7news) – For years, 7News have been reporting nationwide about the lack of teachers and influenced pupils and teachers in the DMV. Pandemic only worsened the problem.

After several steps to clear up these concerns, Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) – for the first time in four years, shows more than 90% of teachers who remain.

“We have achieved a record value rate of 1% and a low wear rate of 10%,” said Chief Personal Officer William Solomon. “It's huge.”

The district took several steps to achieve this improvement. This includes:

• Increasing teacher compensation
• Offer of extended daily contracts for special education teachers
• Investments in professional development
• Invitation of international teacher ambassadors to FCPS
• Offer the current employees an alternative way to licensing

“If you have a bachelor's degree and currently work with us, replacement teacher, teaching assistant, whatever the case, but you have no apprenticeship in Virginia, you can apply as part of this program,” said Solomon.

See also | Fairfax schools offer a career as a lifeline for federal employees who deal with workplaces uncertainty

The district now also has between 4500 and 5000 substitute teachers.

“Make sure the teachers have what they need to be successful,” said Solomon.

Having enough replacement staff means teachers who have to take away the fact that the students do not fall back in their classroom.

“I feel very comfortable and very supported,” says Eric Haapapuro, science teacher of Katherine Johnson Middle School.

He switched to teaching after being together with the US park police for more than two decades.

“As a paramedic, as a pilot and as a police officer,” said Haapapuro. “I was a helicopter pilot, rescue engineer.”

After the hurricane Sandy in New York, he assisted trauma patients a life -saving treatment and saved injured hikers in national parks.

“Science does not always happen in the laboratory or in a hospital, but it can happen in a garage, in a kitchen or back of a helicopter,” he said.

After retiring on a Friday, he went back to work on a Monday to teach the physics and chemistry of the middle school students.

“With my old job it was really difficult to have time free. And you know we worked around the clock,” said Haapapuro.

This change enables him to continue a career in the public service and at the same time to be there for his family.

“I am a father. I have two children who are FCPS students and my wife also works,” he said.

In addition, FCPs recently admitted its form “intention to reset the return of” form for school -based employees “, and 96% of the respondents said to return to FCPs in the next school year.