Marketing Your School/District

• The student population (numbers and composition)
• Numbers and roles of staff
• Description of schools in the district. (Number and level of schools)
• Curriculum - Information about special programs, sports activities, and curriculum for music and art may be of interest to job seekers.

School Culture - Information about school culture is often a determining factor in a job seekers decision to pursue employment. School culture has been defined as, "the historically transmitted patterns of meaning that include the norms, values, beliefs, ceremonies, rituals, traditions, and myths understood, maybe in varying degrees, by members of the school community" (Leadership for School Culture. ERIC Digest, Number 91).

• Information about the school's history and how it impacts the current school personnel
• Information about opportunities for collaboration and collegial relationships
• The school or district mission statement can help address many of these topics as well as addressing goals and values that are embraced for the agency as a whole.

It's important to include things that make your area unique and interesting. Photos and descriptions are helpful.

Early career teachers searching for their first job are often intimidated by starting a new profession in a new environment. Peer support in the form of a mentor relationship can be seen as a positive aspect of a prospective employer. Studies show that an effective mentoring program reduces turn-over by increasing the time spent in a position.