Disclosure :: This post is sponsored but we are thrilled to hear about the importance Basis Materra is putting on investing in local teachers.
Basis Materra is Investing in Impact
There are several important relationships in a student’s life: caregivers, peers, siblings, and perhaps the people they spend the most time with – teachers. Students walk into classrooms everyday with backpacks full of school supplies, but often, kids are also carrying unspoken anxiety, stress, and trauma. In almost every classroom, there are students facing food and housing insecurities which often de-prioritize their eagerness to learn. These stressors and setbacks compile and can lead to students suffering learning
loss; however, when a student is under the care of a high quality teacher, those gaps can be lessened.
Basis Materra is Funded by Families
Great educators provide more than good academic instruction and Basis Materra Baton Rouge understands the value of recruiting and retaining those kinds of educators. In addition to offering competitive pay, benefits and classroom autonomy, Basis Materra offers an annual Teacher Fund that supports their educators with bonus pay each year. Having good teachers committed to students’ success is invaluable and Basis Materra is dedicated to continuing to invest in that impact. This year, the school celebrated raising their highest Teacher Fund amount yet. All the money ensures they will have the best and brightest teachers working with their students for years to come!
How Does Teacher Retention Impact Student Success at Basis Materra?
Teacher retention is known to be one of the most important factors to predicting student performance. Having consistency and structure in the classroom creates a feeling of trust for students that can help to increase their engagement. When schools retain quality teachers, students are more likely to ask those teachers for help or express concerns because they feel safe to do so. Great teacher-student relationships challenge students academically, encourage social-emotional growth, and provide holistic support that extends beyond the school day.
Basis Materra is Investing in Impact
Turnover in any workforce setting is costly, but losing quality teachers in schools costs much more than money. Every time a new teacher has to be recruited and trained, there’s a dollar amount associated with that transition. These are funds that can be put back into the school’s overall programing, technology and classrooms. Basis Materra reported a 95% teacher retention rate for the 2022-2023 school year. When teachers are excited about the work, the students are excited about learning. “For teacher retention, one of the biggest things we try to do is make sure folks are well supported,” says Head of School Jared Lamb. In addition to the Teacher Fund, Basis Materra provides curriculum and individualized student support through their Academic and Student Affairs teams. Their operations department ensures everyone has the materials and technology needed to do their best work. There’s a daily memo to shout out teachers who are doing exceptionally well, and every teacher has a dedicated planning period and lunch time that is never interrupted with class coverage requests. On top of that, Lamb makes it his mission to do walkthroughs of the school every morning to check in with teachers, making sure they gave what they need to be successful.
Despite the teacher shortage that is challenging schools nationwide, Basis
Materra Baton Rouge continues to recruit and retain top talent because of
their dedication to serving teachers well. For more information about the school and what sets them apart, click HERE.
