Opportunities to enrich the lives of students from pre-K to those in their senior year of high school will be on display this Friday, August 4, when the school division will offer an Opportunities Job Fair from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The fair is being held at CATEC, located at 1000 Rio Road East in Charlottesville.
Open positions in the division range from classroom teachers to school bus drivers, from Child Nutrition teams to trades people, even to after-school enrichment programs in several elementary schools throughout the county. Those attending the fair can learn more about each employment opportunity, talk with a hiring manager, complete an application, and, in some cases, interview for an open position.
Each year, the school division hires 175-200 new teachers, and this year, vacancies still exist. Especially needed are special education teachers, those who teach English as a second language, and math specialists. Annual starting salaries for new teachers exceed $54,000.
Also needed are teaching assistants, who work closely with teachers in the classroom. In addition to a strong interest in working with and supporting children, any combination of education and experience equivalent to a high school diploma is required.
Currently, there are nine open school bus routes in the division’s Transportation Services department, which means that the department is focused on hiring as many bus drivers as possible, as soon as possible. A commercial driver’s license (CDL) is necessary. CDL training is provided onsite, and applicants are paid during their training. The division recently increased the hourly pay of drivers to the highest level of any school division in the region, and it added annual pay incentives for each year of service.
In addition to safe travel to and from school, another vital part of each student’s health and well-being each day, and their ability to learn, are the more than 7,500 breakfasts and lunches served to students in each school. Positions with the Child Nutrition team are available. Among the desired qualifications are the equivalent of a high school diploma, some knowledge of food preparation and sanitation, and an enthusiasm for helping children to be healthy.
One of the most in demand school support services is the After School Enrichment Program, offered through our Extended Day Enrichment Programs. The program is available at all 15 elementary schools in the afternoon, after the school day has ended for students. Currently, the program has an extensive wait list due to high demand and limited staff. Hiring additional employees will allow the division to extend this enrichment opportunity to more students. Various positions are available, with some requiring the equivalent of a high school diploma and others requiring six months or more experience with a child care program, and still others asking for a college degree with child care program experience.
The division’s Building Services team provides repair, preventive maintenance, and grounds maintenance for more than 2,331,000 square feet of building space and 631 acres of grounds. The department is responsible for the comprehensive maintenance, custodial, grounds and environmental management services, and for management of the division’s capital improvement projects. Jobs available with the team include electricians, heating and air-conditioning mechanics, general maintenance staff, and school custodians. Minimum requirements are a high school diploma or equivalent and work experience ranging from a year for custodians to several years for trade positions.
No appointments are needed next Friday. Representatives from the division’s Human Resources Department and from the various hiring departments and programs will be onsite to answer questions and assist with the application process. For more information, visit the Opportunities Job Fair website at https://sites.google.com/k12albemarle.org/acpsopportunitiesjobfair23/home.
CONTACT: Phil Giaramita, Public Affairs and Strategic Communications Officer
PHONE: 434-972-4049