17 Oct 2008
Phone calls to teachers Thursday night offer help finding new jobs and careers
DALLAS–Dallas ISD officials are urging more than 400 teachers and professionals laid off yesterday to take advantage of a job fair scheduled Tuesday that is designed to help them find new jobs right away.
In a phone message to the teachers who lost their jobs Thursday as a result of the financial crisis at Dallas ISD, the district's chief human development officer, Kim Olson, said the school district and the community are working together to get the teachers back on their feet.
"You have dedicated your professional career to helping children and have made a tremendous difference in the lives of those children," Olson said in the phone message "The community and the school district appreciate your work more than you will ever know, and we owe it to you to do everything we can to help you find a new job or career."
The school district has worked with community and business leaders to put together a huge job fair on October 21 at the Dallas Convention Center, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Teachers and other workers will meet face to face with more than 110 employers that day, including more than 60 school districts.
"On Tuesday October 21, at the Dallas Convention Center, representatives are ready to talk to you. We think there is a great chance that you will walk out of there with job offers in hand," Olson said in the phone message.
Dallas ISD officials are even planning teleconferencing at a later date for teachers who want to interview for jobs in other school districts that will not be represented at the job fair.
Teachers and other contract employees released due to the reduction in force will keep their benefits and will be paid their full salaries by Dallas ISD until January 16, 2009. The school district's human development department already is providing help updating resumes, polishing up on interviewing skills, reaching out to potential employers, and even providing office space and web conferencing equipment to expedite the interview process.
The job fair is supported by Dallas ISD, Workforce Solutions Greater Dallas, the Dallas Regional Chamber, City of Dallas, United Way, and others.