With teacher shortages at an all-time high throughout the state, Conway Public Schools is hoping to get a head start on hiring teachers and staff for next school year.

The district hosted an “Intern Day” Thursday, inviting all current student interns (formerly called “student teachers”) to network with CPSD Principals and other district leaders.

The district’s interns were given the opportunity to meet and talk with administrators from all sixteen Conway Public Schools, including Pre-K, as well as supervisors from Food Service, Technology, Transportation, and Maintenance. Representatives from Kelly Services, who currently manage substitute teachers for the district, also came to recruit students.

This event is part of the district’s ongoing efforts for Teacher Recruitment and Retention, led by Director Dr. Karen Lasker.

“It was important for us to make an effort to let our student interns know they are valued and wanted here in CPSD,” says Lasker. “These are folks who are already doing outstanding work as interns in our classrooms throughout the district. We want to set them up for success in the hiring process as openings become available this Spring.”

Held inside the Buzz Bolding Arena, every school set up a themed-table designed to showcase their school’s culture and environment. Interns could visit each table and get to know more about each school.

More than 40 student interns attended the event, where they were able to meet school administrators, give them their resumes, and make important connections for future employment.

CPSD Superintendent Dr. Jeff Collum and other district leaders are excited about the impact this will have on CPSD.

"I observed some tremendous interaction between the interns and our district leaders and principals," says Collum. "We plan to do another one in the spring!"

“I’m thankful for Dr. Lasker’s leadership and for the time and effort our campus administrators and department leaders put into this first “Fall Intern Day,” says Jason Black, Assistant Superintendent for Administrative Services. “We have such a great district with numerous opportunities to offer, and we look forward to making this event a part of our annual candidate search.”

Conway Public Schools plans to host a statewide Career Day on March 4, 2023, to continue meeting prospective job applicants.