Ferndale Schools Works on Teacher Retention with Raises and Relevant Training

(Camille Hibbler, Superintendent of Ferndale Public Schools)

Ferndale, MI – This school year, we’re reaching higher at Ferndale Public Schools with the launch of our 5-year strategic plan, otherwise known as REACH: Relevant & Responsive Staff Development, Engaged & Empowered Students, Aligned Instructional Vision, Cultivating Collective Pride and Harnessing Data to Drive Improvement.

While we’ll be focusing on all areas of the strategic plan this school year, I’m excited to begin by sharing insight on our commitment to Relevant and Responsive Staff Development.

This priority reflects our belief that supporting the growth and retention of skilled educators is essential to building strong schools and successful students.

Our work in this area centers on two main goals: keeping great teachers in our classrooms and making professional learning more purposeful and effective. By the 2026–2027 school year, our goal is to increase the retention of “Effective” teachers by 10 percent compared to the 2024–2025 baseline. I’m proud to say that we’re starting from a strong position: 93.75 percent of highly effective teachers returned to Ferndale Public Schools this fall. This is a testament to the commitment our teachers bring to the classroom each day and to the strong leadership throughout our schools.

To sustain that success, we partnered with our Teachers Union to adjust our salary structure in ways that recognize and reward long-term service. This year, we honored our longest-serving educators who have dedicated years to our students and community with pay raises, reinforcing that experience and commitment are deeply valued in our schools.

Our second goal is for at least 85 percent of staff to report that professional development feels relevant and actionable by the 2025–2026 school year. Professional development is vital to the growth of our educators and the success of our district. So far this year, 83.89 percent of staff say it’s relevant and actionable, showing strong progress toward that target.

Teacher feedback continues to shape how we design professional development. Surveys and discussions that follow professional development activities help ensure sessions are meaningful, tied to classroom practice and responsive to the needs of both new and veteran educators.

These efforts share one purpose: to create an environment where teachers can grow and thrive so that the scholars we are privileged to support receive the high-quality educational experience they deserve. When we invest in our educators, we strengthen every classroom and every student’s opportunity to succeed. We look forward to sharing continued updates on our strategic plan as it relates to this priority area. Remember…the Future is Ferndale!

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