Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Human Resources topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Human resources report: Rio Rancho details hires, openings and retention efforts
Summary
The district HR team reported improvements in retention and active recruitment: a drop in resignations compared with the prior year, 325 recent hires, and open postings across general‑education, special‑education and ancillary roles; presenters emphasized alternative‑route recruitment and new employee engagement work.
Mike Chavez, executive director of human resources, presented a comprehensive staffing overview to the Rio Rancho board on Oct. 28, outlining the department’s structure, hiring metrics and recruitment plans.
Chavez said the district and HR have expanded outreach, including job fairs and targeted advertising, and that resignations have declined from the prior year (the district reported 313 resignations last spring). HR reported hiring 325 new employees in the recent cycle with vacancies remaining in several categories: general‑education teachers (elementary‑heavy), special‑education teachers, educational assistants, bus drivers and ancillary roles.
Marissa de Aragon and Peggy Johnston described efforts to support new staff through mentorship, onboarding, and an employee engagement committee. The HR team also emphasized alternative‑route teacher recruitment and closer coordination with hiring partners (e.g., Kelly Services for substitutes).
Board members urged HR to share year‑over‑year comparison data and to analyze teacher‑to‑student ratios in light of public comments about classroom aggression earlier in the meeting. HR said it will provide further data and work with site administrators to address staffing imbalances.
Follow‑up: Board members requested a comparison of current openings and hiring to last year’s numbers and asked HR to return with additional data on program‑specific staffing needs and recommended interventions to improve teacher retention.
