ROCKINGHAM — During this year’s Teacher of the Year Awards and Richmond County Schools convocation, human resources Executive Director Julian Carter gave a rousing welcome to 60 new teachers who have joined the district for the 2015-16 school year.

Of those 60 new hires, 20 are from Pennsylvania while 12 are from other states and 33 are from North Carolina. This makes the number of new teachers who are Tar Heel natives the majority — but only by one.

One of the new RCS teachers from straight down the Pennsylvania pipeline is Chris Davidson, who said his decision to begin his teaching career in North Carolina was based on numerous positive factors.

“The education system was good when I was going to school,” Davidson said. “And a lot of teachers were inspirational in my decision to become a teacher.”

This, despite the misconception that teachers in his home state are not allowed to teach before having completed two years as teachers elsewhere, is a point he was careful to emphasize.

“No, it’s not true (that Pennsylvania only hires once a candidate has had two years out-of-state),” he said. “There’s plenty of jobs there, but it’s very competitive. Or it could be that there are just a lot of people coming through.”

Davidson said a bonus is there is a lot of good practice and professional development here, and that North Carolina’s public chools are supportive of teachers who stay for a while before moving back home.

“Where I’m from, it’s pretty fast-paced,” he said. “I met people in North Carolina and had brochures and it gives you a nice relaxing pace, so North Carolina offers a type of community that gives you that space. You meet other teachers who are young.”

School spokeswoman Ashley-Michelle Thublin said a teachers’ apartment complex in the works will help recruit and retain RCS teachers. Although the apartment complex will not be subsidized, she said the hope is that it will have 24 units ready for occupancy next fall “if the Richmond County Schools Education Foundation receives the interest-free loan from the State Employees Credit Union.”

Also, teachers choosing to kick off their careers in Richmond County willingly forgo some of the perks offered by other states for new employees.

Emily Cockrum, another native Pennsylvanian now working at Mineral Springs Elementary School, said she discovered North Carolina’s teaching opportunities during a mandatory job fair held by Liberty University in Virginia — the college she attended.

“I decided to come here and check into it,” she said. “The weather is nice. It’s a little warm, but nicer than where I’m from. After the job fair I came to North Carolina and I like the energy here. I could see myself settling down here, especially working at Mineral Springs. There’s a big family atmosphere here and the people have been so welcoming.”

And it helped that she didn’t make the move alone. Cockrum said a fellow Liberty graduate, Jen Biereder, also liked what North Carolina had to offer. They also happen to teach at the same school. Both teachers had offers to go elsewhere but decided to try Richmond County.

“Richmond County Schools does not offer new teachers a signing bonus,” Thublin said. “Instead, what draws them here is the great work environment, additional professional development and the superb beginning teacher support.”

Cockrum said she first considered going overseas, having been offered a job teaching in China. She said she considers herself one of those people who enjoys getting away from where it all began and probably would have enjoyed that job, but ultimately she is happy with her decision.

“I think whoever you talk to in education, they’ll tell you we get to change people’s lives,” Davidson said. “Teachers either love their jobs or they don’t get into it. And if they don’t get into it, they probably shouldn’t be there.”

Reach reporter Melonie McLaurin at 910-817-2673 and follow her on Twitter @melonieflomer.

Contributed photo New teacher Emily Cockrum, one of several native Pennsylvanians who arrived to work for Richmond County Schools this year, works with a student in her classroom at Mineral Springs Elementary School in Ellerbe.
https://www.yourdailyjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/web1_EmilyCockrum1.jpgContributed photo New teacher Emily Cockrum, one of several native Pennsylvanians who arrived to work for Richmond County Schools this year, works with a student in her classroom at Mineral Springs Elementary School in Ellerbe.

By Melonie McLaurin

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