Staffing
Finding the Right People
Every staff member has to play their part and contribute to your school culture. This page talks about how to identify rockstar talent, and how to attract the right teachers.
Finding, Hiring, & Keeping the Right Staff
Finding the right staff who can help you realize your vision is arguably the most important - and perhaps most challenging - aspect of opening (and running) a school.
In this section we look at common staffing requirements for new schools, places where you might start recruitment efforts, and best practices for interviewing and hiring.
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School Management
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Understanding Your Staffing Requirements
Where to Find Staff
Interviewing & Hiring
Finding and hiring the right staff is perhaps the single most important key to the long-term success of your school. While interviewing and hiring is considered by many to be an art, there are proven methods you can use, backed by years of experience and research, to improve your chances of finding the right people for your school. A structured process and consistent approach will help you to identify applicants who are the best fit and will help you to stay out of trouble with questions that may not be permitted. (Yes, there are questions that can get you into legal trouble if asked during an interview!)
Interview Best Practices
Even when hiring based on word-of-mouth and personal referrals, a structured job interview can be critical to ensuring a candidate is the right match and has the values, skills and experience you need.
A great resource for how to plan and conduct interviews is Topgrading, by Brad Smart. While his recommended interview process can be lengthy it is also highly effective, and his book does a great job of setting out how to build job descriptions, how to identify the skills and values you need, and how to structure questions that will find candidates with alignment in these areas. Another highly respected primer on hiring is Who, by Geoff Smart and Randy Street.
And last, remember that the best candidates will be interviewing you just as you are interviewing them. The best way to attract quality talent is to ensure you are presenting your school in the best light. Prior to advertising openings, we strongly recommend that you have a professional website that candidates can browse to learn about who you are, what you stand for, and to see why they might want to come work for you rather than one of your competitors.
How do we get people to share our core values? You don’t. Instead, the task is to find people who are already predisposed to sharing your core values. You must attract and then retain these people and let those who aren’t predisposed to sharing your core values go elsewhere.”Jim Collins, Author & business advisor
Hiring for Core Values
Remember those core values we talked about in the school identity section? Here’s one of your first - and most important - opportunities to use those.
Procedures and skills can be learned, but alignment with your core values will differentiate the prospects who will come in with enthusiasm and help you realize your vision from those who may be competent but will be less valuable over time.
When preparing your interview process and questions, be sure to include questions that will demonstrate whether candidates share your core values.
Things to Look For in Employees
Sure, you can find staff, but how do you find employees that are really great? Forbes writer Alan Hall has 7Cs that he looks for when hiring that are great characteristics to keep in mind:
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Competent – Do they have the skills and/or education to do the job?
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Capable – Is there a potential for growth and willingness to take on more?
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Compatible – Does this person get along with the existing staff?
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Commitment – Will this person stick around?
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Character – What are this person’s values and morals?
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Culture – How does this candidate fit with the culture of the organization?
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Compensation – Can you afford to pay this person appropriately and/or are they looking for a reasonable compensation package?
If you can find someone that meets all of these criteria, they are probably going to be more than just a person filling a position – they are going to be an asset to your school.
Helping Educators Do the Work That Matters

Guide Quick-Nav

Introduction
We’ve developed these 10 topics to help you along the way. Take them all in at once, or start with the areas most relevant right now.

School Identity
There’s plenty you can do to develop your own brand, starting right from your personal ideals and goals for your school.

Curriculum
Our curriculum pages include ideas on where to go to find materials, and different associations and educational models you may want to consider.

Legal & Operating Requirements
You need to know the requirements at both the federal level and for your state. Here are the basic details for every state.

Funding & Finance
Here we share ideas for possible funding sources, and ways you might be able to start with less than you thought necessary.

Business Plan & Budget
Having a plan for how you’ll operate and a budget to predict and allocate funds is critical for all businesses, schools included. We’ve pulled together resources here to help with both.

Facilities
What facilities are right for your school? We encourage new schools to get creative, and have compiled some considerations to take into account.

Staffing
How can you find and recruit the right talent for your school? What qualifications or certifications are required?

Policies & Procedures
Thinking about more than just a student handbook and conduct code, we've included recommendations & templates to help you develop your school policies & procedures

Marketing & Online Presence
Having a plan for how you’ll operate and a budget to predict and allocate funds is critical for all businesses, schools included. We’ve pulled together resources here to help with both.

Associations
What facilities are right for your school? We encourage new schools to get creative, and have compiled some considerations to take into account.