“Many factors contribute to our success in recruiting and retaining staff, but the most important is support,” said Solon Community School District (SCSD) Superintendent Davis Eidahl. “At Solon, we are intentional about ensuring that new teachers—both those new to the profession and those new to our community—experience success early and often.” Eidahl and the district focus on developing a supportive workplace environment, a sort of ecosystem, that works in harmony across all staff and grade levels.
“Equally important is our strong collaborative culture, where peers support peers and every teacher is part of a team,” Eidahl added. “Our culture is supported by our great families, students, and community, who share our values and are deeply committed to education.” Once teachers arrive in the District, Eidahl says one of the key challenges of retention long term is ensuring that staff members are the right fit for the district.
“Through the interview process, we work hard to hire individuals who share our pedagogy and belief in collaborative practices, value professional growth, and demonstrate a strong work ethic,” said Eidahl. “Another challenge is supporting both teachers who are new to the profession and those new to the district so they are equipped to experience early success and sustained growth throughout the school year.”
Overall, Eidahl says that retention depends on creating a collaborative environment where staff feel supported by administration and peer teams, as well as ensuring that no teacher feels isolated in their role.
“Teachers new to the district become part of a collaborative team with their grade level or department,” Eidahl said. “We provide frequent and consistent opportunities for these teachers to work together, providing support and time to learn and grow together. We also devote instruction coaches to partner with new teachers to ensure they experience early and frequent success.”
Throughout the school year, the district dedicates times for new teachers to meet, share their successes and challenges, and provide administration with insight into areas of strengths and improvement. Eidahl says that the district also focuses on professional growth for all of their educators, regardless of experience.
“We invest time and resources into continuous learning, providing opportunities for teachers to strengthen their skills, expand their knowledge, and remain at the top of their profession,” he said.
Eidahl maintains that Solon is committed to supporting each and every staff member in the school district, no matter their role. To foster this collaborative culture, Eidahl says that staff meetings are a regular part of the Solon district’s schedule.
“Every Thursday, students dismiss 90 minutes early so teachers can collaborate,” he said. “Each meeting begins with a 15-minute ‘launch’ focused on learning or sharing best practices, followed by team time to analyze data, plan responsive instruction, and/or problem-solve. Grade-level and department teams also meet weekly during their planning periods, ensuring continuous collaboration.”
Instructional coaches also partner with district staff, offering an extra level of support to new teachers. These coaches help bridge the gap for new staff and provide additional help to anyone needing extra guidance midyear.
“Coaches focus heavily on new teachers early in the year to build confidence and skill,” Eidahl explained. “Throughout t he year, a ny teacher c an engage i n a coaching cycle to receive targeted, job-embedded support on specific instructional challenges.”
Eidahl recognizes that local districts such as Mount Vernon compete for similar candidates due to similar size and location.
“While we recognize that some districts may offer higher salaries, we focus on what is within our control: fostering a strong professional and collaborative culture where employees feel valued and have continual opportunities for growth,” Eidahl said. “Coupled with excellent facilities, strong resources, and the support of our outstanding community, families, and students, Solon is truly a great place to work. We believe that has created the success we continue to experience providing us a very strong educational reputation,” Eidahl said. “We are fortunate to have strong interest in our teacher vacancies when they occur. We know that a great staff is essential to student achievement and success, which is why we strive to remain competitive with compensation and benefits compared to similar districts.”
Eidahl also acknowledges that while turnover does occur in the district, it is primarily due to outside sources. “We’ve had great success helping new teachers develop into strong, experienced educators,” Eidahl said. “Recently, our turnover has primarily been from teachers advancing into leadership roles, including administration positions in other districts or relocation of a spouse.”
Furthermore, with the growing district, Eidahl acknowledges that the school must work harder to keep its collaborative, close-knit, and small-community feel.
“We’ll continue prioritizing small class sizes, especially at the elementary level, and preserving traditions that build community—like our field trips, homecoming parade, and school spirit events,” Eidahl said. “Our board is committed to allocating resources that maintain our small-school feel even as we expand.”