Clovis schools still seeks teachers

Cole Marton is one of the new teachers hired recently at Clovis Municipal Schools.

Marton, a special education teacher, graduated from New Mexico State University and this will be his first year in education, according to a district press release.

He said he chose Clovis Schools “to help make a difference in students’ education and lives,” as stated in the release. His hometown is Carlsbad, California.

Hiring teachers this year has been the easiest it has been for the past 10 years, said Joe Strickland, Deputy Superintendent of Employee Services. COVID-19 and the fact that New Mexico has had a shortage of teachers accounts for the challenge in past years.

The district to date still needs to fill 42.79 more teaching positions, said Mandy Carpenter, Executive Director of Talent Management & Development at Clovis Municipal Schools.

“Each of these positions are being filled by a long term sub until a certified teacher can be hired,” Carpenter said in the email.