Like many other districts, the Cheatham County School District is dealing with the summertime resignation of teachers.
As of July 18, there were 13 open teaching positions that needed to be filled across the district. There are also classified/support staff positions to fill such as daycare, general assistants, special education assistants, etc.
While the number of open spots listed on the website may appear alarming, many of those positions have already been filled; a listing is not removed until an applicant has cleared all background checks.
"Teacher resignations during the summer months are typical every year, not just in our district but others as well," the district assures. "The district is working diligently to fill all open positions by the start of the school year as well as developing instructional plans for hard-to-fill positions, which are common across Tennessee."
Interviews with potential candidates are occurring on a daily basis.
The district does confirm that "some" of the teachers have cited the rising cost of the family insurance plan as the reason for their resignation, but others have not.
The root of the problem, many believe, is the fact that the district’s cost for insurance continues to rise each year, but the budget has not increased.
"With the continued support of the Cheatham County Commission, we are hopeful that will change as we move forward," a rep for the district says.
District officials have met with employees over the summer months to help determine the best insurance plan to meet their needs. Additinally, after the start of the 2019-20 school year, meetings will be scheduled with staff members in order to discuss insurance-related options. During this designated timeframe, a representative will be present at each school to answer questions and address the needs of employees.
