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Addressing WELS' teacher shortage
The Conference of Presidents has created a task force to examine the current and potential future teacher shortage. The task force consists of leaders from WELS schools, Martin Luther College, the Commission on Lutheran Schools, the Board for Ministerial Education, and the Conference of Presidents. WELS isn’t alone in experiencing teacher shortages. Public and private schools all over the country are looking for quality teachers after the pandemic and teacher burnout exacerbated an already looming shortage.
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For WELS, the vacancies in our classrooms are coming at a time when enrollment in WELS schools is growing—it was up 9.8 percent in the 2021–22 school year. And while enrollment numbers for the 2022–23 school year aren’t available yet, James Rademan, director of WELS Lutheran Schools, says he expects them to climb again.
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Retired teachers help fill gap
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Retired teacher Stephen Schultz (pictured far right) was installed at Ascension, Sarasota, Fla., on Aug. 7 along with teachers Troy Yerks (left) and Stephanie Cares (middle). Schultz is serving as Ascension's principal for this school year, helping to fill a vacancy.
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He notes, "Serving as principal is a joy and not a burden. I get to help teachers grow and have a successful year. I am privileged to encourage parents in raising their children with a strong academic program and strong morals. But above all, I get to tell children how much God loves them; and because they are his children, they can thank and praise God in all they do by living for him. I get to reassure them that they are going to heaven! Wow! What an exciting profession."
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To learn more about Schultz, read "Retired teachers help fill gap," a sidebar to the article "Children in need of teachers."
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Check out the news from the September issue:
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School mission offerings are an incredible tool to teach children about sharing the blessings received from God and supporting neighbors. Justin Vilski, principal at Crown of Life Lutheran School, West St. Paul, Minn., has seen firsthand how powerful these . . .
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“There always seems to be enough,” says John Eich, pastor at Good Shepherd, Alma, Mich. “And that’s just the wonderful encouragement our Lord gives us.” Eich and the congregation of Good Shepherd embody this sentiment as they financially and . . .
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We were created by the Master Designer of the universe, each of us as a unique and amazing individual. And yet the world we live in looks past that we were created in God’s image and wants to define and measure success, status, and performance only . . .
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