ROCK SPRINGS – Sweetwater County School District #1 is dedicated to accomplishing their Mission Statement which reads, “To Provide a Quality Education for all Students.” In the strategic plan laid forth by the district, one of the main objectives is promoting  professional excellence by identifying and hiring highly qualified professionals to administer the functions of the district.

Hiring, training, and retaining employees is not a new concept for the district,  however Sweetwater County School District #1 is in a unique situation. Due to the growth of student population combined with a large contingent of retirees, more than half  of the certified staff of the district have joined the district within the past 5 years.

As of September 24th, 2013, there were 5,587 students enrolled in Sweetwater County School District #1. In the 2012-2013 school year, 5,451 students were enrolled
meaning that there are over 100 more students enrolled this school year as compared to the previous year, and it does appear that this growth will not slow anytime soon.

Projected numbers indicate that if the district student population continues to grow at this pace, by the 2016-2017 school year, there will be 6,277 students in the district. With
additional students, additional staff must be added to meet the needs of every student.

This year, 86 new certified staff members were hired overall and 31 of these new hires were hired to fill a new position that did not exist until this school year. New school
openings, such as Eastside Elementary as well as Lincoln Elementary re-opening, require additional staff members and as such, new positions are created in order to meet the
demand that a higher student population requires.

Due to a newer workforce, Sweetwater County School District #1 has to develop increased training in order to ensure that students are receiving the best education possible. Sweetwater County School District #1 is committed to developing and coaching all certified staff in a variety of areas depending on whether they have been with the district for a long period of time, or if they are brand new to the teaching profession in order to ensure that staff connect globally on the mission and vision of the
district and to support a great education for every student.

The district believes that its staff is the greatest asset that the district has to impact student learning, and continues to focus 91% of every dollar spent directly on the support and education of students.

Although the student population continues to climb, staff members are added only when necessary, guaranteeing that money is being spent exactly where it is needed.

Sweetwater County School District #1 is deeply committed to recruiting, hiring, and retaining the best staff members for the district and its students. Whether it is
partnering with long-term staff to improve an already great work force, or training and mentoring the excellent new teachers, Sweetwater County School District #1 is
continually improving its team to impact the next generation of Americans.

From a press release