The Warren County R-III School Board received a staffing program evaluation from Assistant Superintendent of Personnel Services Bradley Ross as the 2025-26 school year gets underway.

At its regular Sept. 11 board meeting, Ross reviewed the district's progress toward its Comprehensive School Improvement Plan (CSIP) goals. He stated that the No. 1 goal is to retain 90 percent of all staff, excluding retirement losses.

To achieve this goal, the district will take the following actions: quarterly staff surveys to gauge school climate; work to increase pay while maintaining a balanced budget; and continue to conduct exit interviews to understand why staff are leaving.

Of the 40 district hires this year, 31 were new staff members. Of the new staff, 31 are classroom teachers, 23 have previous experience, 12 are Elementary/ECSE, 25 are in secondary positions, and three are employed at the district level.

“It primarily leans secondary,” said Ross of the new hires. “We had five new administrative hires in secondary. Our high school principal retired, and one of our (assistants) moved up into that position.”

Last year, there were five retirements and 27 resignations in the R-III district, marking an 85 percent retention rate.

“Turnover rate is so nuanced, it’s not like we have one in, one out,” Ross said. “When we look at teachers only, this is the highest retention rate that I’ve been able to report in four years since I’ve been here. It’s not (monumental), but it is significant. It’s been ticking up every year. We’re excited about our ability to retain teachers.”

In exit interviews, 30 percent of respondents cited a move away from a career in education as their reason for leaving.

He added that it’s a positive sign that teachers, for the most part, aren’t leaving the R-III district for other nearby schools.

“In what was reported to us, we saw a real reduction in staff reporting to us that they were leaving to go to another district,” Ross said. “People weren’t leaving, at least teachers weren’t leaving to go to another district, and that is a very positive change.”

Board member Rich Barton said that keeping the high level of talented educators the district possesses has been a source of pride.

“We’re very proud of the overall retention rates,” Barton said. “Things are going very well there.”

Ross highlighted the ongoing need to fill positions within the district, stating that of the 19 current or anticipated vacancies, seven were openings for paraeducators, five for custodians, four were for potential bus driver hires, as all current routes are being staffed, and three were in food service.

Ross added that the goal is to work collaboratively with the director of accounting and the superintendent to direct available resources to increase all staff salaries. The aim is to find candidates and, once hired, retain them within the district.

In outlining the action steps to address staffing, Ross said the district’s “Grow Your Own” program would address needs by bringing in students to be paraeducators and, upon degree completion, having those educators stay with the district.

“Pathway for Paras is a way meant for paras to finish their Bachelor’s degree towards education or special education,” Ross said. “In about two years, they complete courses while continuing to work as paras and put in observational hours, all the different things you have to do as paras. They then become certified teachers.”