School district hiring – not firing

It touts old-fashioned family values, has an enrollment of about 190 students at its two schools, and enjoys a rare status in California by hiring new teachers.

A total of 82 people sought three teaching positions in the Winship-Robbins Elementary School District in rural Sutter County, which will have new students from a school across the border in Yolo County that closed last year amid the state's fiscal crisis.

"We had applications from Bakersfield, Irvine and Monterey —all over the state," said Katherine Anderson, superintendent and principal of the district.

Some of the applicants called for interviews said Winship-Robbins is the only school district hiring, Anderson noted.

The board of trustees for Winship-Robbins, which has approved hiring three new teachers, will hold a special meeting at 5 p.m. today to consider hiring a fourth and approving the individuals recommended to fill the positions.

None of the applicants were from Grafton Elementary School in Knights Landing, whose closing last month is expected to bring about 50 new students to Robbins Elementary, Anderson said.

"I have no idea why," Anderson said, "but they (Graftonteachers) didn't apply."

Winship-Robbins conducted about 15 interviews of prospective teachers after screening applications.

The superintendent said the school district sought instructors who would fit in at the small, rural Robbins Elementary and those with the skills to help the large number of English-language learners coming to the school.

A new portable classroom will be installed by Thursday, Anderson said.

Public Meeting

• Who: Winship-Robbins Elementary School District board of trustees

• What: Special meeting to consider hiring teachers

• When: 5 p.m. today

• Where: Robbins Elementary School, 17451 Pepper St., Robbins

Contact Appeal reporter Ryan McCarthy at 749-4707 or rmccarthy@appealdemocrat.com