By the opening of school on September 1, almost 1,000 new teachers will be entering Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) classrooms - the largest number in the school system's history.

At a welcome assembly and reception this morning [August 25] at Walt Whitman High School, more than 900 of the new hires received words of inspiration and appreciation from school officials and from two returning teachers who reflected on their first year of teaching.

Graduates of MCPS comprise 25 percent of the incoming class of educators. Of the new hires, 55 percent are experienced teachers - a substantial increase from recent years. The diversity of teacher hires has increased slightly from the previous year. Sixteen percent of the new teachers are African American, four percent are Asian, and five percent are Hispanic. Nineteen percent of the new teachers are male.

The school system's success in filling the teaching positions required for a growing population of students is attributable in part to early planning in projecting needs and budgeting for teachers so that open contracts can be offered to highly qualified candidates early in the application cycle - as much as a year in advance.

The hiring process also has been streamlined by offering employment opportunities through the MCPS web site. Applicants can submit their resumes by fax or e-mail with no other paperwork until interviewed and selected for a position.

Expansion of "grow-your-own teacher" partnerships with George Washington University, University of Maryland, and Johns Hopkins University has resulted in additional candidates this year that trained to be teachers in MCPS schools.