Teacher turnover in childcare is a common experience, and in the immersion setting can be even more challenging because our applicant pool is much smaller. However, our Center has identified teacher retention as a top goal for maintaining quality and in the last few years has more than doubled our retention rate.
We focus on creating a professional and collegial work environment where people feel valued. We provide competitive compensation and benefits. We have a robust training program, provide ongoing coaching, and opportunities for professional development so that teachers learn how to be effective in their work and can focus on enjoying the children rather than struggling with classroom management. We couple that with a system for advancement, pay increases, and bonuses that are tied to skill development.
When changes do happen with a classroom lead teacher, we do our best to provide the opportunity for children and families to say goodbye. We communicate changes via Brightwheel and replace classroom lead teachers with a teacher from within our Assistant and Aide pool who we have trained and prepared for future openings.
Furthermore, each teacher’s or aide’s photo and name is placed outside the classroom so when arriving, you know who is inside. We cover teacher absences from our float team, who are specifically trained to cover all the classrooms.
