PLAISTOW, N.H. — Lisa Spaneous is familiar with life at Timberlane Regional High School.
Four years ago, she sat at the desks, answered the questions and took the tests. But her return to Timberlane this year is a bit different - she's the one at the front of the room, asking the questions and giving the grades.
Spaneous replaced her favorite teacher in the family and consumer science department, and is working alongside many of her former instructors during her first year out of college.
"I actually like being able to talk to the teachers as a colleague, not as a student," she said, laughing.
But that doesn't mean she isn't nervous. Spaneous said she had her entire family helping her this week to decorate her classroom and set up furniture in a way she thought would best engage students in her lessons.
Spaneous isn't the only new teacher in the area. More than 250 teachers were hired by Southern New Hampshire school districts to replace the record number of educators who retired in June because the state threatened to freeze health care coverage for retirees. The freeze was delayed a year, but it still prompted a cycle of new teachers.
That's especially true at Timberlane, where 20 of the district's 42 new teachers are at the high school. The new crew, paired with 15 teachers hired last year, make for a young staff. The school has just over 100 teachers.
"Change is good," Assistant Principal Sean Kiley said. "I know they're overwhelmed. We keep giving them books and handouts and mandates, but they just want to get going."
The Timberlane administration is using a couple of techniques to help train and retain its new staff.
The new teachers were paired with more seasoned faculty members at a summer mentoring program to help with the transition, Kiley said. They will stay in touch with their mentors for three years.
New teachers are also invited to "solutions committee" meetings each month at which they can address classroom concerns and receive helpful hints for solving whatever issues arise, Kiley said.
Not all of the new teachers are inexperienced.
Although new hire Alian Purba taught math for seven years in Nashua, he said he, too, still has some jitters on the first day of school. Purbu started cleaning his classroom early yesterday and said he would be at the school until 9 p.m., preparing and meeting freshmen during orientation.
"You're never a veteran when it comes to teaching," he said.
The key to transitioning new staff is hiring a mixture of experienced and inexperienced teachers, according to Londonderry human resources director Suzie Swenson. She recruited some of her new hires at college fairs, but also hired six teachers with more than 10 years of experience.
"That's what you need," Swenson said. "You've got to still maintain the balance."
Other school officials prefer new teachers.
Superintendent Frank Bass was enthused with Pelham and Windham's first-year teachers after seeing them in action on the first day of school this week.
"I'm very excited with our new teacher core," he said. "They come in so bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, and it seems to spill over to the kids."
CHART
TownTotal new teachersNumber of first-year teachers
Derry69n/a
Hampstead104
Londonderry3919
Pelham24n/a
Salem3011
Sanborn29n/a/
Timberlane4214
Windham19n/a
