The Highland school board met July 10. Photo by Sam McIntosh.

The Highland School District is seeking a different route to fill a vacant family and consumer sciences and health teaching position.

The district has been unsuccessful in hiring a new teacher, and Superintendent Dr. Mike Jorgensen proposed a new way to fill the position. Jorgensen recommended at the board meeting July 10 that the district hires a new health teacher who is willing to get an emergency certification to teach culinary arts, a more career-focused iteration of family and consumer sciences. The district would pay for the endorsement, in return receiving a five year commitment from the teacher to work for the district. If the teacher leaves within five years the district will prorate the endorsement expense to the teacher. Jorgensen said in his experience this method has been successful. The board discussed this method may be useful in the future for foreign language and FFA classes. The district will be paying for the endorsement out of the general fund.