PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The "help wanted" sign is out at the School District of Philadelphia. Hundreds of people looking for work crowded into a job fair Wednesday in Brewerytown.
The line outside William Kelley Elementary School stretched around the block as the school district staged the second of four hiring events to fill open school support positions for September.
"I actually applied for school cleaner and bus monitor — but I'm leaning toward cleaner," Selena Thoronka of North Philadelphia said.
Teresa Rita, the district's deputy chief of talent, says hundreds of positions need to be filled — including bus drivers, cleaners, building engineers, special-education assistants, food-service workers and school climate managers.
"Our instructional-support positions, I would say, are a huge need right now," Rita said. "So people who are directly facing students — whether in classrooms or student climate positions."
John White of Sharon Hill lost his job at Morton Elementary School but, he said, the principal encouraged him to apply for one of those student climate jobs.
"I was the director of the after-school program there at Morton. That program has since closed down. It was an agency that was in the building," White said.
"If I can incorporate those things that we do in the after-school environment within that climate control — possibly do a socialized recess, get students engaged — I think we'll be alright. I'll be alright, at least!"
Selena Thoronka of North Philadelphia wants a job as a bus monitor, or a school cleaner.
"Regular eight hours a day, five days a week, Monday through Friday. That's what I'm looking for," Thoronka said.
About 400 people turned out for the district's first job fair, and Rita said she expects the number at the Wednesday event to be higher.
Rita says the district has already hired 600 new teachers, and is still looking for a few hundred more before September.
"We will always have opportunities for folks, which is great," Rita said. And these job fairs are helping the district approach its goal of being 99% fully staffed by the start of the school year.
