District 200’s human resources department presented a Vision 2026 update to the board on Sept. 10 that summarized hiring and retention data, recruitment strategies and new or expanded programs to develop and retain staff.

HR leaders told the board the district hired 481 new employees in fiscal 2024–25 and processed 361 resignations for the same period. The department said the district’s retention/return rate is high (HR reported a retention rate over 93%) and highlighted targeted steps to strengthen pipelines into teaching and classified roles.

Why it matters: Staffing levels and recruitment determine classroom coverage, special-education capacity and program continuity across schools. The district told the board it is focusing on building a pipeline from local programs and student‑teacher placements to increase the pool of candidates with district experience.

HR director Matt Biskin (presenting the update) said the department meets monthly with new guest teachers and runs an established new‑hire orientation; a new teacher mentor program pairs first‑year teachers with experienced staff. The district reported 141 new guest teachers last year and 42 student teachers who led to 13 hires as certified full‑time teachers and additional hires in support roles.

Biskin quoted a guiding line for the department: “Train and develop people well enough so they can leave. And then treat them well enough so they don’t want to.” The presentation listed recruitment measures: virtual job fairs, application screening tools (interview‑stream pre‑screen questions), and an “introduction to teaching” pathway the district is running with local high‑school students to encourage future teachers to return to the district.

Staff also outlined improvements in filling special‑education certified positions and said the district is relying less on contracted teaching assistants as more TA roles are filled in‑house. HR said it plans more storytelling and media outreach to make the district’s workplace culture more visible to prospective hires and will use AI and automation for routine inquiries to free staff for higher‑touch retention work.

Board members asked for benchmarks and clarifications. HR said the district will continue to expand student‑teacher links and expects some candidates from the intro‑to‑teaching pathway to become hires as early as the coming school year. The board asked for follow‑up data on attrition vs. hires and an ongoing look at staff demographic alignment with the student population.

No formal action was taken; the presentation was informational.