As the 2026-27 school year is about to begin, many Sampson County Schools staff positions remain open, though educational administrators are working diligently to get them filled.
Among the positions still open as of this writing are 15 teacher positions throughout the system, seven teacher assistant jobs, three custodial and 20 cafeteria slots. System officials noted that the number of vacancies frequently change as new employees are hired almost daily.
Dr. Wendy Cabral, executive director of Personnel Services and Federal Programs for Sampson County Schools, said in an interview regarding current staff vacancies and high-need areas that the system will continue to offer salary and benefits to teacher assistants who enroll in a preparation program, one way educators hope to attract assistant.
“Teacher assistants enrolled in a recognized educator preparation program shall continue to receive their salary and benefits while interning in the same local school administrative unit where they are employed as a teacher assistant,” she said. “Sampson County Schools extends this program to all classified employees and continues to pay their salary (TA schedule) and benefits during student teaching.”
Cafeteria position applications are currently completed on paper, but the county is experimenting with an online application process tha the personnel director hopes will speed up the process.
“A few weeks ago, we posted a position (online) … we posted one cafeteria assistant vacancy, then the (child nutrition) director will use the applications submitted to recommend to Human Resources for positions at the schools.”
Cabral acknowledged that the toughest positions to fill are in what she referred to as high-need areas, determined, she said, by the Board of Education. Currently, high-need subject areas are grades 6-12 math, 6-12 science, and K-12 exceptional children.
Union High School, she pointed out, has been identified as the current high-need school in the county, currently needing to fill nine teaching positions, three of which are assistants. Seven of the nine are in high-need subject areas.
As a means of attracting individuals to those high-need schools and areas, Cabral said, the Board of Education has green-lighted supplements. For example, an employee who teaches a subject area of high need will receive an additional three percent supplement at the end of the year if a contract is offered for continued employment. An employee who teaches a subject area of high need at a high need school will receive an additional 2 percent supplement at the end of the year if a contract is offered for continued employment.
Of the 18 teacher positions left to be filled, Cabral said the county needs English as a Second Language and exceptional children’s teachers. English, math, science, and business teachers are also in demand; educators who can teach band as well as music are needed at Lakewood High School and Roseboro-Salemburg Middle School. Lakewood High is also seeking a JROTC instructor.
While there are positions that still need filling, the personnel director pointed to a variety of ways the system is working to attract teachers, including a 7.5 percent supplement for all certified staff, the teacher assistant prep program and a host of other programs that they hope will appeal to those looking at the school system.
Among them, Cabral mentioned a pilot teacher apprenticeship program being offered this year.
“One teacher assistant who holds a bachelor’s degree will participate. Over the course of this year, we will sponsor her participation in the competency-based Pathways to Practice at North Carolina State University, which is aligned with the Apprenticeship North Carolina model. She will be a licensed teacher for the 2027-28 school year.”
Another area is reimbursement for those taking teacher admission tests.
Cabral explained how teachers can qualify for reimbursement of test fees when they take the Praxis II.
“Praxis II fees will be reimbursed when a passing score is achieved, and licensure documentation has been completed to add an area for high school teachers who hold a license for grades 6-9 and are taking the test in the same subject area for grades 9-12, and elementary EC teachers taking test 511 to become highly qualified for EC in grades K-12.”
Other teachers who qualify for reimbursement are fully licensed middle school teachers who are adding a core academic area for grade six, and fully licensed teachers who are adding an area of high need.
Any potential candidates who are interested in working for Sampson County Schools can view current vacancies and apply at www.sampson.k12.nc.us.