Dartmouth Public Schools welcome 24 new educators

The Dartmouth Public Schools welcomed 24 new certified teachers this academic year.

“This is the largest class of teachers that we have welcomed into the Dartmouth Public Schools, at least since I’ve been here,” said Superintendent June Saba-Maguire. 

Each school will be receiving new staff, with most of the new staff being full-time teachers. 

The teachers were all welcomed with a reception before the school committee meeting on Monday, Sept. 14 when they were introduced to the public. 

The teachers began their time at the schools in August, with meetings for Project Teacher Induction and Mentoring Experience (T.I.M.E.) With Project T.I.M.E., each new teacher is paired with a current teacher who can provide advice and support. 

“I was lucky enough to do my student teaching here … and I just love the environment,” said Molly Lindo, who will be a geometry teacher at the high school. “I loved how much the teachers are kind of collaborators and willing to help each other.”

She added, “The students at Dartmouth High definitely made an impact on me. They’re so respectful, they’re kind. I think that’s the biggest thing for me.”

Saba-Maguire described getting to meet the new teachers as “fun,” adding she really enjoyed getting to discuss this with the Dartmouth Week editor. 

“It was really fun to talk about the number of new staff and faculty that we had welcomed into the Dartmouth Public Schools,” she said. 

There was a large need for staffing as many teachers retired either last academic year or early in this year’s fall semester. Others moved on to other opportunities. A majority of the new hires are joining the high school. 

Saba-Maguire added that the teachers getting to know each other is important as regardless of what grade they teach, they all teach the same community. 

“Eventually, whether … you’re a high school teacher, you’re going to have that very same first grader,” she said. “Kids grow up through the school system.”

She hopes many of these new teachers follow in others footsteps and stay with the Dartmouth Public Schools for 10 to 30 years, possibly even their whole careers. 

There will be four special education teachers, two math, two world language, two biology, one for early childhood and visual arts, one for arts, a school councilor, a physics and chemistry teacher, three physical education teachers, an instructional technology specialty, a school adjustment councilor, a social studies teacher, a social studies and English Language Arts teacher, a math coach, a literary coach, a speech pathologist and a fifth grade teacher. 

“They’ve just shown so much great energy,” she said.