CLAY COUNTY, Fla. – Hundreds of people walked through the doors of a Clay County Schools job fair looking to land a position with the district. Superintendent David Broskie said the district had about 200 positions to fill — roughly 130 of them for teachers.
“People retire and do things. And so as a result, each year we try to reload with another fresh group of great people to work with our kids,” Broskie said.
Broskie acknowledged that teacher pay remains a challenge across Florida, but said Clay County offers something that stands out.
“I think what we offer in Clay County is an environment where you’ll feel supported as a teacher. We all have a genuine care for students,” Broskie said.
A bell, an offer and a familiar hallway
A bell rang each time a job seeker received a conditional offer at the fair. One of those offers went to Rebecca Penton, a University of North Florida student set to graduate at the end of the summer. Penton was offered a position teaching English at Ridgeview High School — her own alma mater.
“I graduated from Ridgeview, so it’s really nice to kind of see some familiar faces and possibly go back,” Penton said.
For Ridgeview Principal Becky Murphy, watching a former student return as a teacher signals the school is doing something right.
“It shows that our school is one where students know that we care and that they belong and that we’re going to do the best that we can for them,” Murphy said.
Still interested in a position?
The official hiring process takes time, but Clay County Schools is still accepting applications. Those who missed the job fair can visit the Clay County Schools website for available openings.