New Teacher Training at RCS

SELKIRK (August 28) - The Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk Central School District will bring in 18 new teachers this school year, including seven of whom this will be their first professional experience. Over the last three years, 40 teachers have started their professional careers at RCS, something Assistant Superintendent Diane Albano says was expected, and is not necessarily bad for students.

"I wouldn't say parents need to be upset about a turnover,” Albano told CBS 6 News. “There's a natural ebb and flow of change, and we knew three years ago that we would be getting new teachers.”

Albano cited retirements as the main reason for the turnover at RCS, but says keeping teachers at any school district is becoming harder across the state. She said RCS has less than 10% turnover from year-to-year. But Albano joined several of the district’s newest staff in echoing the sentiment that turnover can be a good thing; new teachers bringing fresh ideas which are then integrated into a school system.

“I feel,” says elementary teacher Jennifer West, “just by working with the few teachers I've worked with here that they're really receptive of new ideas so that's always helpful.”

“There is an opportunity for the mentor to gain so much in that relationship,” Albano said of veteran teachers. “Both the mentor and the (new) teacher gain from that relationship.”

Albano also wanted to reassure parents that new does not mean not well trained. Most of the newest hires bring outside teaching experience, and of the remaining, most have post-graduate degrees.