Finding teachers: Lure is in perks

Many districts offer benefits to attract and keep better educators

Jeanine Goldthwaite and Christie Manganis play with their babies during their lunch break at the Early Childhood Center in Tyngsborough. (Boston Globe Photo / Jon Chase)

In the search for talented teachers, local educators say attracting the best candidates does not always require high salaries. Sometimes, the lure is more the school system's ability to make applicants feel comfortable.

"Of course, candidates are going ask, 'What is the salary? What are the perks?' But the best people are looking for something more elusive," said Lexington Superintendent Paul Ash. "They want to know, 'If I come to work for you, what kind of support are you going to give me? Is this really going to be the best fit for me?' "

So, while some districts try to woo candidates with big paychecks and, in some cases, even signing bonuses, many school systems northwest of Boston are holding firm on their salary offers as they compete for top-notch teachers.

Instead, they are touting perks designed to assure applicants that they would be valued and their skills enhanced. The benefits include tuition reimbursement programs for teachers pursuing master's degrees and induction plans that last as many as two years, providing extra support to new teachers who have lots of energy and enthusiasm but little classroom experience. A few districts in the region, among them Shawsheen Valley Technical High School in Billerica and the Arlington and Tyngsborough systems, are offering one of the most coveted perks: on-site child care.

"It's comforting to know he's here with me," said Christie Manganis, guidance counselor and school psychologist at the Tyngsborough Early Childhood Center. Her 1-year-old son, William, spends her working hours exploring neon-colored toys and board books in the infant room just a few steps from her office.

"If any questions arise, I'm right here; I can check on him during my lunch break," Manganis said. "And there's a nice level of flexibility. If I have a meeting and need to stay late, that can easily be accommodated."

Having their children with them at school, in programs designed to cater to their schedules, makes it easier for teachers and faculty members like Manganis to attend meetings, join committees, and participate in professional development opportunities, said Kara Saranich, principal at the childhood center, who oversees the district's child-care programs. In all, 25 children are enrolled in the programs, which are housed at the center and the town's elementary school.

At a time when many area homeowners are being asked to support property tax overrides, district officials were quick to point out that most of the perks they are chatting about at local job fairs cost taxpayers very little. The day-care programs, for example, are almost entirely self-sustaining. Materials, supplies, and aides are paid for by the teachers who enroll their children in the programs.

"Since we opened the child-care center, we've seen both the quantity and quality of our applicants grow exponentially," said Charles Lyons, superintendent of Shawsheen Valley, a regional school that draws students from Bedford, Billerica, Burlington, Tewksbury, and Wilmington. "Just as importantly, the morale in the building is incredibly improved."

Shawsheen offers a variety of perks for teachers, from the in-school day-care center to yoga classes and a fitness club. Such incentives have become necessary to attract or retain skilled teachers in a competitive market, according to Mike Gilbert, field director for the Massachusetts Association of School Committees, who has helped several local districts develop such programs.

"There's a lot less loyalty to a particular district than there used to be," said Gilbert. "Teachers are moving from district to district at a much higher rate than they used to, particularly the younger generation of teachers. They're much more mobile and more willing to uproot themselves or travel farther in order to be happier at their jobs."

In Arlington and Lexington, educators have developed induction programs that do more than pair new teachers with veteran mentors. Both districts boast two-year training programs that include meetings before the school year begins to introduce new teachers to the curriculum, as well as seminars on how to communicate effectively with students and parents, and workshops to help teachers hone their teaching methods.

"We do something that any company in the world would support - we encourage our employees to do a better job," said Ash. "Nationwide, 50 percent of teachers leave the profession within the first five years. We believe if our teachers have the support they need to do a better job, they'll have more job satisfaction and they will want to stay in the profession, and in the district."

Andover teachers may choose to have their children educated in the public school system, regardless of where they live, provided space permits. Today, 33 students who live out of town are educated in the Andover schools because at least one of their parents teaches in the system.

"It was instituted years ago and enabled us to be competitive with other districts," said Andover School Committee chairman Arthur Barber. "There's no bus for the students, and no guarantee that they will get their school of choice - the superintendent determines which school the child will go to - but because we are a top performing district, the benefit has allowed us to attract high-quality applicants."

Many districts in the region, including Arlington, Dracut, and Tyngsborough, offer a similar benefit. Others encourage teachers to further their education by offering to shoulder part of the cost of a master's degree through tuition reimbursement programs. Harvard is among them. However, the district also goes a step beyond and offers teachers the opportunity to take graduate courses on the campus of the local elementary school during the summer, at no charge.

"We have always struggled a bit with respect to our location," said Harvard Superintendent Thomas Jefferson. "We are not under the umbrella of any single university, so unfortunately we don't have student teachers coming here, but still we are able to be very competitive because we have a reputation for being an outstanding district to work in."

In Dracut, where the average salary for a teacher remains 10 percent lower than the average statewide and perks are scarce, there is very little turnover, particularly in the elementary grades, according to Superintendent Elaine Espindle. She believes Dracut teachers choose to remain because the community makes them feel embraced.

"No matter where people work, they want to be appreciated, to feel valued and happy," said Espindle. "It's all about finding the right fit, about finding a community where they feel that people are looking out for them.

"Teachers have to assess their situation: Is this a district where I can coach a sport, where I fit in socially, where I have the support of my principal and the supplies and materials I need to do my job?" Espindle added. "Those intangibles, they go beyond an extra $20 or $50 in the paycheck."

Brenda J. Buote may be reached at bbuote@globe.com.