Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) has gone on the offensive in the competition for highly qualified teachers. Images of the diverse population of students enrolled in Prince George’s County public schools are appearing in local and national newspapers, magazines, and on Internet career websites as part of a major advertising campaign to recruit teachers to work in the nation’s 18^th largest school district.

“The faces of our students are as diverse as in any classroom in America, and we believe every child has a right to be taught by the best teachers,” said Superintendent Dr. John E. Deasy. “We cannot wait for the best teachers to find us. Instead, we are aggressively competing for the limited supply of teachers, particularly in critical need areas. We are actively recruiting teachers with a passion to help children reach their potential.”

The “America’s Classroom” Campaign represents one of the most ambitious efforts made by the school system to recruit teachers from inside and outside Maryland and the Washington metropolitan region.

The tone of the advertising is serious, because the need for additional teachers is a serious topic. Maryland colleges and universities graduate approximately 2,500 new teachers annually. PGCPS hires more than 1,000 teachers each year, while competing with 23 other jurisdictions in Maryland in addition to other school districts nationwide.

“Improving classroom instruction is the key to raising student achievement, and every member of our community will share in the success of our schools,” Dr. Deasy said.

The advertising campaign is just a part of an aggressive strategy on the part of PGCPS to address its need for highly qualified teachers and to recruit teachers for openings in all areas. The advertising’s headlines speak to teaching candidates, challenging them to be a central force in preparing students for key professional roles in America’s employment market. The ads invite candidates to visit a new website that was developed specifically for the PGCPS teacher recruitment campaign.

The new website ( www.americasclassroom.org ) is designed to streamline the application process for new PGCPS teachers. In addition to providing employment information, the website offers visitors details about living in Prince George’s County, MD to entice candidates to relocate to work in the school system.

The ad content includes several financial and training incentives for teachers to choose to make a difference in Prince George’s County public schools, including:

• A $7,000 bonus for teachers achieving National Board Certification;
• A $2,000 stipend for teachers with an Advanced Professional Certificate working in selected schools identified by the Maryland State Department of Education;
• Additional pay differential for Special Education teachers;
• Credit for up to 20 years on the salary scale;
• Excellent benefits package;
• Relocation assistance;
• Each new teacher receives a laptop computer;
• Loan Forgiveness Program; and an
• Employee Incentive Program (discounts from local businesses, including home mortgages, auto loans, apartment rentals, cell phones, banking, etc.).

The PGCPS Human Resources Office hired the Bernard Hodes Group of Washington D.C. to create and implement this “America’s Classroom” teacher recruitment campaign. The ad campaign is set to appear in targeted magazines throughout select markets.

About the Bernard Hodes Global Network
The Bernard Hodes Global Network was formally established in 1994 – the first ever network within the industry. Today, its operations cover five continents, with 80 offices in 31 countries. The Network has been built by ensuring “best in class” capability that reflects the market dynamics in each territory. Both locally and globally, the Network offers customers expertise in: resourcing strategy development; recruitment communications; employer branding; e-cruitment and online media. The Network is the international ‘arm’ of U.S.-based Bernard Hodes Group ( http://www.hodes.com ). Bernard Hodes Group is part of Omnicom Group, Inc. (NYSE - OMC), ( www.omnicomgroup.com ) a leading global marketing and corporate communications company.