Mission
Teacher Recruitment is an integral part of the College of Education and Allied Professions. The primary mission of the office is to increase the number of prospective teachers attending Western Carolina University. This office promotes teaching as a career, implements teacher recruitment and retention initiatives and serves as a resource to students, teachers, administrators, and personnel directors in the region in the area of teacher recruitment. Teacher Recruitment provides consultative grant writing services for college access and teacher recruitment initiatives. Teacher Recruitment supports and assists with the implementation of the University of North Carolina-General Administration Teacher Education Enrollment Plan to achieve teacher production targets. In addition, the mission is to identify scientifically based and researched best practice activities in the area of teacher recruitment. The Teacher Recruitment service area serves the public school partnerships located in the closest seventeen counties in proximity to Western Carolina University.

Teacher Recruitment has aligned its mission with the University's mission and its four strategic initiatives to incorporate the Boyer Model of Scholarship, Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP), Stewardship of Place, and the UNC-Tomorrow Initiatives. The programs are a reflection of the designation of WCU as a community engaged campus by the Carnegie Foundation.

Goals
A. Assist the Dean of the College of Education and Allied Professions with the implementing, tracking, and reporting the Western Carolina University/UNC-General Administration Teacher Education Enrollment Plan.

B. Support the Colleges of Education and Allied Professions, Arts and Sciences, and Fine and Performing Arts in the implementation of the Western Carolina University/UNC-General Administration Teacher Education Enrollment Plan.

C. Provide consultative grant writing services for college access and teacher recruitment initiatives through Teacher Recruitment (External Funding: UNC Tomorrow 4.2.1., 4.2.4, 4.3.3, 4.3.4; Stewards of Place, and the Boyer Model of Scholarship).

2008-2009 Results:

1. Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) Mini-Grants were written by and awarded to two high schools in the Western Region.

2. The Appalachian Regional Commission Grant was awarded to Teacher Recruitment.  Funding in the amount of $67,000 provided for an ARC Coordinator/Tutor, mini-grants to two schools, college access visits middle and high school students in the region, Teachers of Tomorrow Conferences, and academic initiatives for Western NC high schools.

3. Ten (10) Teacher Cadet Grants were written by the Teacher Recruitment faculty and funded for participation in the Teachers of Tomorrow Reaching to Teach Programs.

4. Two (2) Z. Smith Reynold’s mini-grants were written and received by Teacher Recruitment to fund the Fall 2008 Science Dialogues for Curriculum (25 high school, community college and WCU faculty participated), Fall 2008 English Dialogues for Curriculum (32 high school, community college and WCU faculty participated), and the Spring 2009 English Dialogues for Curriculum ReVisioning (22 high school, community college and WCU faculty participated).  (UNC-T  4.3.3)

5. Drop-Out Prevention Think Tank (UNC-T  4.3.4)

D. Promote education as a career ( Engagement: UNC-T  4.2.5, 4.3.1., 4.3.2.,4.3.3.; Stewards of Place; Boyer Model, and QEP)

2008-2009 Results:

1. The Teacher Cadet Speakers Bureau for Recruitment and Retention has provided 17 presentations for high school Teacher Cadet Classes and FTA (Future Teachers of America Clubs).

2. The SUTEP Recruitment Sub-Committee created and implemented a Fall 2008 “College Access Recruitment Day”. This day is highlighted by teachers wearing their alma mater’s t-shirt to school to promote post-secondary education attendance and teaching as a career.

3. This committee will serve as a liaison to facilitate the establishing of a partnership with LEA’s, WCU, and AB Tech to design and implement a program for paraprofessionals who would like to become SPED and elementary teachers.

4.  Programs were implemented to recruit prospective teachers on the WCU Campus.

a. High School Teachers of Tomorrow  Reaching to Teach Conference- October 21, 2008 (259 high school students, 20 public school teachers, 7 presenters, 11 WCU students)

b. College Access Kick-Off for Seniors - January 28, 2009 - grant funded pilot program for students engaged in the senior graduation project (24 high school seniors from 2 high schools,  5 public school teachers, 7 WCU faculty and staff, and  22 WCU students participated).

c. Middle School Teachers of Tomorrow Conference - February 10, 2009 (212 Middle School students, 20 public school teachers, 10 WCU Students, and 14 WCU Faculty/Staff participated).

d. Reach to Teach - March 19, 2009 (78 middle and high school students, 8 public school teachers, 15 WCU Faculty/Staff, 6 NC A&T students and 5 WCU students participated).

e. Teaching Opportunities for Non-Teaching Majors (4 events held)

• October 21, 2008 - 4 WCU students; 4 faculty
• October 23, 2008 - 3 WCU students; 3 faculty
• March 18, 2009 - 4 WCU students; 2 faculty
• March 19, 2009 - 5 WCU students; 3 faculty

f. Marketing materials were mailed to 4,043 alumni for use in their classrooms.

g. Phone-a-Thon Recruitment Initiative

• Fall semester 2008 - 1300 total calls
• Spring semester 2009 - 1500 total calls
• February, 2009 - 698 calls

E. Serve as a resource to students, teachers, administrators and personnel directors in the region (Engagement and Research: UNC-T 4.2.1, 4.3.1, 4.3.2,; Boyer Model of Scholarship; QEP; and Stewards of Place)

1. Assist school systems with education recruitment initiatives.

2008-2009 Results:

a. Attended public school career fairs

b. Attended WCU education job fair

c. Provided Teacher Cadet classroom speakers

2. Provide programs to recruit prospective teachers on the WCU Campus  (see Goal B 3)

3. Provide teacher education research opportunities for public schools and WCU faculty (Research:  UNC-T 4.3.1; 4.3.2, and Boyer Model of Scholarship).

4. Promote college access awareness initiatives by collaborating with the WCU community and public school partners to provide services to benefit rural schools in the areas of teacher recruitment and college.

2008- 2009 Results:

a. Evaluation surveys are posted to the Teacher Recruitment Website following conferences and activities.

b. A collaborative international conference presentation was given on March 5, 2009 by three WCU faculty/staff members. The presentation outlined strategies, engagement, and research related to teacher education recruitment and beginning teacher support and mentoring. 

F. Increase the awareness of Teacher Recruitment among constituents.

1. Maintain an advisory board for Teacher Recruitment, SUTEP Recruitment Subcommittee, and the Appalachian Regional Commission College Access Grant.

2. Maintain the Teacher Recruitment website (WANTtoTEACH.wcu.edu).

3. Disseminate teacher education recruitment brochures and materials.

Special Focus:

2009-2010

• Teachers of Tomorrow Reaching to Teach Conference for High School and Community College Students will be held October 6, 2009 in the Ramsey Regional Activity Center. The SUTEP Recruitment Subcommittee approved the merging of the high school programming and the inclusion of community college students.

• Teachers of Tomorrow Reaching to Teach Middle School Conference will be held February 16, 2010 with February 23, 2010 as an alternate date. This conference will also be held in the Ramsey Regional Activity Center.