A single kindergarten teaching position at Fox Hollow Elementary in Lehi drew enough interest to fill the school's entire staff several times over, according to a October 20 report.
Erin Gates, the principal at Fox Hollow Elementary, stated that the school received 150 applications for the kindergarten role and an additional 50 applications for a special education position.
The high volume of applicants for the two available roles represents a major shift from five years ago, when a kindergarten position might have only received 30 applicants. Gates noted that she has had to turn down qualified candidates she previously would have hired immediately.
This surge in interest occurs as the Alpine School District prepares for a split into three entities at the end of the new school year, which begins in a couple of weeks. The district stated that teachers currently under contract at schools will remain in their existing locations.
The high demand for educators is also visible in other Utah districts. The Jordan School District reported receiving 120 applicants for each elementary school teaching job and 25 applicants per position for middle and high schools. Additionally, a spokesman for Granite reported approximately two dozen applicants for each open teaching position.
