Great Falls Public Schools is the third-largest local employer with 1,842 employees supporting 21 schools and 10,000 students.

Personnel makes up about 85 percent of the district’s annual budget.

During the Sept. 8 school board meeting, Heather Spurzem, district human resources director, discussed hiring, recruitment and turnover.

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She said the district has implemented new strategies over the last five years, which included website improvements, events, increased social media advertising and the High Voltage recruitment weekend for new teacher candidates. The district is adding medically related professionals, which include occupational therapists, physical therapists and speech therapists to the High Voltage event this year.

Spruzem said the district had 19 student teachers this year as of Sept. 8.

Turnover for the 2025-2026 school year includes:

• 45 retirements: five administrators, five clerical, four food service, 28 teachers, two operating engineers and one psychologist
• 162 resignations: one administrator, eight clerical, three computer services, three Craft Council, three exempt secretaries, 14 food service, 17 hourly classified, 32 paraeducators, 31 teachers, one GFPS Foundation, four medically related professionals, two psychologists, 13 operating engineers, one support personnel and 29 teacher aides
• 30 terminations, variety of reasons, including funding expiration, short-term positions

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Since July 1, the district has hired 102 employees:

• one administrator
• three clerical
• four food service
• 7 hourly classified
• 10 paraeducators
• 53 teachers
• three medically related professionals
• two operating engineers
• one support personnel
• 17 teacher aides
• one warehouse teamster

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But as of Sept. 8, the district still needed to fill positions, including:

• 15 teacher aides
• 14 food service
• 14 custodians
• 33 special education paraeducators
• one elementary teacher
• one high school math teacher
• three clerical

Spruzem said the district received a lot of applications just before the start of the school year for substitute teachers.

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Amie Thompson, school board member, said that it was “alarming” to her to see a need for 33 paraeducators.

Spurzem said that was typical since some positions weren’t filled year to year and those vacancies carry over.

Story continues below the chart

Spurzem shared the above charts with the board illustrating hiring, applications received and turnover for the last six years.

There are costs associated with turnover, but that amount is variable depending on the position, she said.

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She said recruitment efforts were paying off, but turnover and number of applications received showed the need for continued recruitment and retention efforts.

The chart includes a six-year average comparison to reflect changes over a longer period of time, she said.

Efforts to improve retention of GFPS employees have included building-specific and district-wide employee recognition plans, exit interviews and year-round social events for new teachers.

“Overall, the district must continue to be creative in its recruiting and retention efforts, while facing the same challenges as other industries across the state, such as affordable housing and childcare,” Spurzem wrote in her board report.