School principals are still anticipating their needs for the next academic year, but leaders in Harlem District 5 schools are proactively gearing up to take part in an education hiring fair this week, on Wednesday, May 15, and Thursday, May 16.

The hiring fair is for individuals interested in working with the NYC Department of Education. Dereka L. Hendon-Barnes, director of Schools Supports and Operations for Harlem Community School District 5, told the AmNews she wants to make sure those who live in the Harlem community know there’s a possibility to have a job in their neighborhood that’s not only convenient to walk to, but allows them to be educators in the community. 

The district’s 23 schools include PS 92 Mary McLeod Bethune, PS 30M (Rafael Hernandez/Langston Hughes), the Thurgood Marshall Academy For Learning and Social Change, PS/MS161 Don Pedro Albizu Campos, and the School of Earth Exploration and Discovery Harlem (SEED Harlem). The list of positions for each school will be finalized by the time the fair starts, but broadly, Harlem District 5 schools need guidance counselors, social workers, and other onsite support staff. 

Most of the district’s principals are also looking to hire teachers of math, special education, and English as a Second Language. “I need them bad: I need them,” Hendon-Barnes said. “We desperately need more English as a Second Language teachers on board, particularly since there is a high influx of migrants coming in. We’re at a deficit for…having enough staff to integrate those kids into our school system––that’s happening across the city, but I want to get Harlem staffed quickly.”

The job fair takes place in person on Wednesday, May 15, from 3:30–6 p.m. at Frederick Douglass Academy (2581 7th Ave. in Harlem), and virtually on Thursday, May 16, from 3:30–5 p.m. via Zoom.  

The D5 Hiring Fair link will direct job candidates to the online Zoom room. Each school will have a home breakout room for the virtual sessions, so candidates can meet directly with school representatives. Those attending should be ready to discuss their qualifications, work history/education, and accomplishments. They also should have copies of their résumés on hand and copies of any applicable license(s).

“It’s an old-school job fair: All the schools have a table set up. They come with their principals, their assistant principals; they have staff; some schools even bring kids,” Hendon-Barnes said. Schools bring current students to the job fair who serve as cheerleaders and help with engagement. Several area high schools bring their top school performers to the fair to help introduce potential employees to a school’s culture, particularly from a kid’s perspective.

Interviews will be conducted on the spot, so candidates who attend will know if there’s a potential position for them, and they can start preparing for the next academic year immediately.

For more information about the Harlem Community School District 5 job fair, email 

dhendon@schools.nyc.gov. 

The post Harlem School District 5 is conducting a hiring fair May 15 and 16 appeared first on New York Amsterdam News.

* This article was originally published here