800 apply for 10 teaching jobs at Perrysburg schools

In the Midwest, competition among teachers can be intense for scarce openings compared to other parts of the country, such as Nevada, Arizona, and the Carolinas, where the demand for teacher is significantly higher.

Perrysburg is no exception to the rule.

Superintendent Thomas Hosler said the district received more than 800 applicants for about 10 teaching jobs at the four elementary schools.

"It's great for us," he said. "We've got a very competitive, deep field. … We're very picky about our staff."

It's not unusual for the district to receive a rash of applications, Mr. Hosler said.

But what made this hiring process unusual was the higher number of vacancies because several Perrysburg teachers retired, likely due to potential changes to their benefits that could be coming from the state.

The large candidate pool meant the district received many applications from teachers already employed at other districts, instead of just recent college graduates.

The more experienced teachers are "people who really want to be there and have proven themselves as successful teachers," Mr. Hosler said.

The district has steadily filled the roughly 10 openings throughout the spring, so most of the new Perrysburg teachers should be hired by July 10.

Contact Gabrielle Russon at grusson@theblade.com or 419-351-0361.