GAEL UnscriptED S2:E7 | Teach in the Peach

Georgia wants teaching to be a first‑choice career, not a fallback—and we brought in the right guide to show how. We sit down with Selena Blakenship, veteran teacher, beloved principal, district HR leader, and now the voice behind Teach in the Peach, the statewide effort to recruit, support, and celebrate Georgia’s educators. From simplifying certification to elevating classroom stories, Selena shares a clear plan to fill vacancies, strengthen schools, and keep great teachers in the profession.

We dig into the tools candidates actually need: a one‑stop website that maps steps for high school students, career changers, and out‑of‑state teachers; direct links to district HR pages and open roles; and resources for educators looking to move within Georgia. We also explore solutions that change the math on staffing—registered teacher apprenticeships that let people earn while they learn, pre‑apprentice pathways in high schools, and grow‑your‑own pipelines that lift paraprofessionals into hard‑to‑staff classrooms. Along the way, Selena shows why retention is the new recruitment, with induction and mentoring programs that push early‑career retention toward 85–90 percent.

What sets Georgia apart is not only competitive pay and a strong retirement system, but a decade of aligned support from RESAs, districts, universities, and state leaders. We talk about the new Teacher Ambassador pilot amplifying positive teacher voices, Future Georgia Educator Days that spark interest early, and Educator Signing Day that honors commitments to teach. We also highlight a simple but powerful CTA: nominate an educator on the Teaching the Peach site so the state can broadcast more of the everyday impact happening in classrooms.

If you care about teacher recruitment, school culture, and building a durable pipeline, you’ll find practical steps and fresh energy here. Listen, share with your HR team or principal group, and help us spread the word. Subscribe for more conversations with Georgia’s education leaders, and leave a review with one idea you’re taking back to your district.

Transcript

Welcome And Guest Introduction

SPEAKER_02 0:04

Welcome to Gale and real conversation. Real impact. I'm Dan Wiggins, Executive Director of Gale. Join us as we go beyond the headlines with Georgia's top education leaders. Let's elevate the conversation. Welcome back, Gale family, to another exciting episode of Gale Unscripted. Today we've got a special guest. We've got Selena Blakenship here with us from now the Georgia Department of Education. So, Selena, some of our Gale members are new and they may not know you. So take a moment or two to introduce yourself and maybe tell them uh some of the leadership positions that you had before your most recent position with DOE.

SPEAKER_00 0:53

Sure. Well, it it is a delight to be here um with you. And uh I started out um as a teacher uh in South Georgia. Where? Uh in Jessup, Georgia. I did not know that. Wayne County. Actually, my first teaching job was in Hinesville. Oh wow. Uh and then I taught in in Wayne County. Oh right.

SPEAKER_02 1:17

That is South Georgia.

SPEAKER_00 1:18

It is South Georgia for sure. Um, but loved my time down there. But we moved back to Athens uh in the early 2000s, and I began teaching uh here in Clark County. And so uh I think I was telling you earlier, my career really was divided into thirds. So I spent a third of my time as a teacher, a third of my time as a school leader, and then finished my career the last third as a district leader. And so as a a school leader, that's probably my my favorite time of my career.

SPEAKER_02 1:56

We we did a podcast with Mitch Young, superintendent of Forsyth County. He said the same thing. Uh I was talking to Robin Hines not too long ago, uh uh superintendent at Houston County, and then Georgia High School is he said his favorite job was being a principal. It's just it's really funny. The the it seems like everyone I talked to that was a principal, they always say that their time as a school building principal was their favorite job. And I feel the same.

SPEAKER_00 2:28

It's the best because it's the last time that you get to make the decision.

SPEAKER_02 2:33

I'm gonna be a superintendent now.

SPEAKER_00 2:35

Well, okay, you're yeah, you you've got too many bosses.

SPEAKER_02 2:38

That's right.

SPEAKER_00 2:39

That's awesome. But uh yeah, so I was a high school assistant uh principal and uh had a great mentor, Robbie Hooker. I think you've been on your podcast. Robbie's been a guest, uh, and then spent five years, five best years of my career as principal at Hillsman Middle School.

SPEAKER_02 2:57

Right down the road.

SPEAKER_00 2:58

Right down the road. And uh, you know, you have to be a little crazy to be a middle school teacher or principal.

SPEAKER_02 3:04

I hear some people say mental school rather than mental.

SPEAKER_00 3:07

Yes. There there are days that it feels that way, but it is it truly is a wonderful age, and uh you get to see so much change in the students during that time. And just had the opportunity and desire really to uh have a a bigger impact. Uh and so uh I had been here at UGA getting my um PhD in uh in human resources and organizational development.

SPEAKER_02 3:35

UGA is the home of Gale.

SPEAKER_00 3:37

UGA is the home of Gale, yes.

SPEAKER_02 3:39

Did you have classes here in Rivers Crossing?

SPEAKER_00 3:42

Yes, all of my classes pretty much were in Rivers Crossing. So um but uh with that degree I really wanted to look at you know systems and how we how we really uh use systemic change to impact uh and support teachers uh so that we're providing better student outcomes. And so that's how I moved into the human resources realm.

SPEAKER_02 4:13

And how was that? Um Talk about that, going from where you say, I mean, you're you're making the decisions. You you you make things happen quickly. You want to change car rider pickup, you can do it tomorrow.

SPEAKER_00 4:24

Do it today.

SPEAKER_02 4:25

And now talk about human resources.

SPEAKER_00 4:27

Yeah, well, you know, I I think part of it is the move from uh building level where you are the pretty much the final decision maker on things, to uh the district level where there are many layers. Uh you don't realize all of the factors that have to go into making a decision. And uh you really don't have any power or control. Not that power was what you know is what people are looking for, but uh so it it's a very different way of working. Uh and you have to really uh capitalize even more so on the relationships that you build with people. And I think the most important thing, and this is in this is true at the school level too, but um I think even more so at the system level is making sure that when you are planning, when you're making decisions, that you have all the people at the table that need to be involved in that decision. Yeah, because there nothing will derail something faster than not having the right people at the table. So um, so yeah, so that was a a huge learning experience. Had a great mentor there in April Howard, and uh she works at UGA now.

SPEAKER_02 5:52

Works at UGA now, that's right. Um she helps us with the Gail Executive Coaching University. Excellent, yeah, yeah. It's a great program. Yep. So now you you do that, you retire, and so like most retired people, you're just gonna sit at home and do nothing, right?

From Principal Power To System Complexity

SPEAKER_00 6:10

I was happily retired, playing mahjong every Wednesday afternoon and traveling and doing a little bit of coaching and some consulting, and uh heard about this opportunity with the Department of Education uh leading the Teaching the Peach Initiative. And you know, it it's one of those things that when you retire, uh you don't you're not giving up your your love for your career, you're not giving up your passion. Um and so when something comes along that is like a perfect alignment with that, you kind of have to say, well, let me take a look at this. And so um had the opportunity to uh to take this position, and it has just been a tremendous, tremendous uh positive uh experience for me, and uh really look forward to what we're doing for teachers to support the teaching profession and those that are coming into education.

SPEAKER_02 7:24

Yeah, it was perfect. I I think you're the perfect person for that. So maybe for some of our new Gale members, maybe they they're not familiar with what Teaching the Peach is. Sure. Why don't you share with them a little bit about that program?

SPEAKER_00 7:36

Sure. So Teaching the Peach is Georgia's statewide teacher recruitment initiative, and uh it's really designed to help people discover what it's like to be a teacher in Georgia, what they need to do to become a teacher in Georgia, and that Georgia really is one of the best places to be a teacher. It really is. You know, we are uh number one in teacher morale uh in the nation. Uh recent uh research showed that. And so we want to just get that word out that Georgia is a wonderful place to have a a career in education and and make a positive impact.

SPEAKER_02 8:24

And teaching the peach is like a one-stop shop, right? Because I had a question over the weekend. Uh a young person who has a college degree asked me, hey, if I wanted to get into teaching, how do I do this? What are the steps? And I pointed them toward teaching the peach website. Thank you.

SPEAKER_00 8:41

It yes, it's so it was designed to be this um kind of a centralized hub of information and resources for people who are curious about the teaching profession and also for current educators, because there are resources there for them as well if they're looking to change districts. Maybe you know their uh significant other has been relocated, or maybe they just want to have a different teaching experience. It's it's a whole different world from South Georgia to North Georgia or from East Georgia to West Georgia. Uh we're a pretty big state, so um, you know, sometimes people need a change for a variety of reasons. They can go there. Um we have I think one of the best tools to help both prospective educators and current educators, whether they're in-state or out of state, uh, to find where the job openings are in Georgia. Um and so they can click on the the county that they're interested in going to and it will take them directly to the website where their job openings are.

SPEAKER_02 9:58

That's perfect. So is every school district's uh human resources department now they're they're plugged in to teach in the PED, so they're they're all all the county city school districts where you get away.

Retirement Detour To Teaching The Peach

SPEAKER_00 10:07

So we right, so we route um to their district website, their HR site, and if it's a sometimes small counties don't have their own applicant tracking system, and so they use Teach Georgia to the place to post their jobs, and so it will you know take them to their HR site, but then that will direct them to Teach Georgia where they can find those those jobs. That's fantastic.

SPEAKER_02 10:36

Uh what are the biggest factors influencing teacher recruitment and retention across Georgia right now, and how is Teaching the Peach responding to those realities?

SPEAKER_00 10:48

So, you know, Georgia's really not very much different from the rest of the nation. You know, we have um declining enrollment in educator prep programs pretty much across the board and all said all content areas. Um there's an increased competition for talent, not just within education, but outside of education. People uh, you know, in corporations realize how well trained teachers are smart, they're intelligent, they're articulate, they they have good people skills.

SPEAKER_02 11:24

Yes.

What Teaching The Peach Does

SPEAKER_00 11:24

Yes, and so you know, they're coming and offering teachers jobs. And uh and we also have this need to strengthen the support systems uh for new educators. And then finally, you know, we have this uh perception uh that teaching is kind of a dead-end job, uh, and really the only way to advance is to go into leadership or into a district office position. So, you know, we've got to uh make sure that we're addressing all of those things. Um the good news is that in Georgia, you know, we have great benefits. We have one of the strongest retirement systems in the nation. Uh and I'm thankful for that every month. So am I. Um and you know, we have competitive pay, we have strong recess uh regions that support our school systems, and there's a real commitment from state leadership to uh to focus on providing the support that school systems and teachers need. And it's something that, you know, in my 30 years of education I haven't seen that previously. Um the you know, the last eight to ten years or so really has been a strong focus on on making sure that that educators get what they need.

SPEAKER_02 12:59

Yeah, teacher pay has increased over the years. Um, you know, I know a lot of school districts after COVID, some of the things you mentioned, some competition for those jobs. I think school districts, human resources departments really got serious about what are the things that we can offer our teachers, our staff to incentivize them to stay in education and to come work at our district. So there's a lot of right, I have seen a lot of things going on to compete for those small that's right, a lot of you know innovative benefits.

SPEAKER_00 13:36

Um and you know, uh another thing that school systems I think are doing more of now than they did in the past is looking for ways to provide those teacher career pathways, lots of grow your own type um pathways, and and that's something that Teach in the Peach also supports uh along with our registered teaching apprenticeships that um our Office of Rural Edge.

SPEAKER_02 14:08

I think I just saw, did they just have maybe their first we're we're we're videoing this in January of 2026, so but it seems like I just saw on social media they just had their first apprentice graduate. Yeah, graduate fully certified. And they've got a lot more coming. I was gonna say it was in South Georgia, so that's awesome. You mentioned I know a lot of school districts are really trying to do some outside of the box things with their growth they're on. I know a lot of attention uh is on the paraprofessionals in their building and their students, you know, they're high school students that want to get into education. And um, you know, I I look back on my life, and other than my parents, the most influential people in my lives were my teachers and coaches. Absolutely. And I think a lot of people have that same story, and and I think the teaching's a fantastic career. Um, what other job can you have as a teacher? When you go to the store, you're bombarded by uh your former students.

SPEAKER_00 15:06

Right.

SPEAKER_02 15:07

And and there's the Do you remember me? Yeah, that connection, and they remember stories, and you know, yeah, you don't you don't get that level of influence in other jobs.

SPEAKER_00 15:17

And you know, those are really some of the kinds of stories that we try to highlight on um our Teach in the Peach website. So, you know, it is about recruitment and making it a simplified way for people to find their path into education. So one of one of the components of the website is um a page where you can say, okay, I'm a high school student, I'm a career changer, I'm an out-of-state teacher. And you can click on that area and it will tell you the exact steps you need to take.

SPEAKER_02 15:55

Which used to be very hard information to find.

SPEAKER_00 15:57

Exactly, exactly. So not only do we have that though, but we also want to elevate and and amplify teacher voices and really share the positive messages. You know, we're we're in a negative news cycle all the time, it it seems like.

SPEAKER_02 16:16

And so the more we can share those positive stories in education and those influential stories, because there's great stories that happen every day inside the classrooms at every school in our state and across the country. And uh we we we public educators need to do a better job of promoting those and talking about that.

Job Tools And District Connections

SPEAKER_00 16:39

You know, we're not perfect. No profession is, yeah. But there is far more positive in this profession than is given credit for.

SPEAKER_02 16:50

Absolutely. So you're launching a new statewide teacher ambassador program. Uh what inspired this effort, and how do you see ambassadors helping elevate the profession in sport districts?

SPEAKER_00 17:02

So, really, just um it it was inspired by the need to amplify those excellent teacher voices and to spread that good good news. I mean, who are the best recruiters other than teachers themselves, right? And so it's an opportunity for excellent teachers to share all of those positive things about teaching with those who are interested. And so we um are are starting a pilot this year, and uh we'll have a group of teachers that will help to really kind of expand our capacity to to share the good news about teaching and to you know attend recruitment events, uh do presentations, and really just tell their story about you know why they became a teacher.

SPEAKER_02 17:59

You know, this generation uh a uh you hear a lot of them, they say they want a job where it's impactful and meaningful and there's a purpose. And uh when I hear that, I just education, right? That's it, right? I mean it's got all of those things. Um and I love being a teacher because no two days two days are the same.

SPEAKER_00 18:18

Exactly.

SPEAKER_02 18:19

No two classes are the same.

SPEAKER_00 18:20

You get a do-over every period. Right.

Recruitment And Retention Realities

SPEAKER_02 18:25

Yeah, and students, I don't know, both as a teacher and as a principal, they just uh they made my day. They they helped me not take myself so serious to understand that um the the joy of the uh everyday mundane of just watching those students. Uh I I just don't think there's anything more impactful than a teacher.

SPEAKER_00 18:47

Well, one of the most exciting parts of my job right now is that uh we get to go to all of the future Georgia Educator days that Paige uh sponsors. And so, you know, every time we go, we get the opportunity to talk to these high school students who are interested in being teachers. And so that's it's really exciting to see that you know there are these young people out there who who want to um come into this profession and and have the kind of impact that someone's had on them.

SPEAKER_02 19:23

Yeah, and I think it's great to to target those high school students, they're right there, they're having a good experience at home. Um, you know, we we want our best and brightest to stay in our local communities. And what better way to reinvest in your local community and give back than become a teacher?

SPEAKER_00 19:40

That's right. And one of the um one of the components of that registered teaching apprenticeship is a pre-apprentice program that some high schools um in the state have begun, and you know, hopefully that'll spread over the years. But high school students can, you know, go into one of these pathways, be a pre-apprentice, then go straight into an apprenticeship and learn while they earn uh and contribute to their retirement along the way, you know, and have a great career and have it paid for essentially.

SPEAKER_02 20:20

That is fantastic. Uh what can districts, RESAs, uh, our higher education partners and communities do to amplify teaching the peach and play an active role in attracting and retaining great educators.

SPEAKER_00 20:34

I think the first thing, the probably the biggest thing is to just be the storytellers of of those great uh stories of educators who were making a difference and students who are thriving because of the educators that they have. Um build strong partnerships with universities and educator prep programs. Um that has been you know one of the cornerstones of Teaching the Peach is to have these strong partnerships with with RESAs, with school districts, with universities, um that you know we all have to work together uh to to support our teachers. And and really maybe the biggest thing, because you know retention is kind of the new recruitment strategy, right? Um is to really support districts in building strong induction programs.

SPEAKER_02 21:35

Talk about that a little bit. Let's say I'm I'm watching, I'm a brand new HR director or or principal, whatever. And and I don't have a good induction program. So you you're saying teaching the peach can help with that? You got some resources at the same time.

SPEAKER_00 21:51

I'm saying, yes. So I'm saying that uh teaching the peach can connect them with our Team at the State Department who works with our induction program and they support districts to develop strong induction and mentoring programs for teachers. And it is just, I think, if you're looking for return on investment, it's one of the best things that you can do because teachers are more likely to stay when they feel supported, when they feel recognized, and they feel like they have a place where they belong. And that's what a strong induction and mentoring program is going to do for you. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 22:37

And it's important that as soon as you get them on your campus to start that.

SPEAKER_00 22:41

Yes.

Grow-Your-Own And Apprenticeships

SPEAKER_02 22:42

And this was years ago, but I remember seeing some literature that, you know, basically between Halloween and Thanksgiving, they've kind of decided if this is the place for me or not. Right. So you can't wait. Um and uh you are hearing more and more about school districts and principals being much more intentional, even having stay interviews, but just pouring into those induction programs.

SPEAKER_00 23:05

Right. And and you know, that is the area most of our teachers decide to leave in that first three years. Um I know some districts have seen a a 50% attrition rate or higher in those first-year teachers. And when implementing an induction program, they're seeing their retention rate go up to, you know, 85-90% of those teachers. So it it really makes a difference. And uh, you know, I'm just so pleased that our State Department of Education has seen the the importance of that and have a whole team dedicated to supporting districts in developing those programs.

SPEAKER_02 23:54

And I think there's a lot of attention statewide on on this. You know, of course the DOE started teaching the peach uh last legislative session. Senator Billy Hickman authored Senate resolution 237. Resolution 237, which was fantastic. It brought all of the agencies together, having the same conversation, all centered around recruitment and retention of educators.

SPEAKER_00 24:17

When's the last time you saw all of those different agencies come together and collaborate?

SPEAKER_02 24:26

Yeah, worked well together, came up with some great ideas. Um, and then when uh Jody Barrow PSC presented that to the House and Senate Education Committees, it was so well received. Um, and the very positive messages from both of those committees about the work that was done and actually charged Jody to go back and look at some other things. So it was a very, very rewarding uh process. And I think it just speaks to the the urgency and the the knowledge that even our political figures know we've got to have teachers in those classrooms for our students. Uh not just for the students themselves and their families, but for the communities, for the business and industry world. You know, it's it's like we, you know, Governor Kemp says we're the best state to do business, and we are, and a large, large part of that is because of those public educated students that are working in those businesses.

SPEAKER_00 25:21

That's right.

SPEAKER_02 25:21

I think it's close to 90 percent. Well, looking ahead to next year, what outcomes or milestones will you or will tell you that teaching the peach is making the impact that you envision?

Celebrating Impact And Teacher Stories

SPEAKER_00 25:33

So you know, obviously uh an increase in retention uh is is going to be one of the things that we look look at. Uh but beyond that, just uh increased engagement, um more people you know looking to go into education and us being able to help them uh find the pathway uh that they need to take. Um seeing more people choose to become teachers. So, you know, at the beginning of the year, the number of positions that have gone unfilled, seeing that significantly reduced would be a good indicator that we're you know, we're making a a contribution uh to that. And then just positive uh trends in early career teacher retention and satisfaction of teachers across the board.

unknown 26:26

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 26:26

Well, I think what your department of the DOE is gonna do is just build up that brand of the teaching profession, making sure that um or helping to show all the positives that come from the teaching career. Um and I think we as public educators can do a better job of kind of tooting our own horn. Absolutely. Sometimes we don't I don't know, it is like as educators, sometimes we're just we don't like to brag. Uh there are fantastic things going on inside of all those schools and classrooms. Parents in those districts, they have teachers and coaches that have made huge impacts on their children's lives. They, as parents, have people that they can point to that as their teachers made impacts in their lives. So I think that that's another thing that your department's going to continue to do.

SPEAKER_00 27:14

And if if people out there want to recognize a teacher, we have a way for them to do that on our website. So if you go to the Teach in the Peach website, you can fill out a form to recognize a teacher that um gives you the opportunity to just share what kind of impact they're making. And um, it's something that we've just started and we'll highlight them on our website and on social media. But we want to share those great stories, and we can't do that unless people share them with us.

SPEAKER_02 27:48

Yeah, so you heard that, Gail. Members, if you can please uh spread the word and think about the outstanding educators in your buildings and in your district. And let's flood Teach in the Peach website with some nominations so that they can do a great job of bragging on the great work that your teachers are doing at your schools and communities. Well, Selena, thank you so much for joining us. Are there any final words you want to share with our members about Teach in the Peach?

SPEAKER_00 28:14

Sure. Um, I would just remind uh everyone out there that May 5th is Educator Signing Day. Uh and that is an event that started last year. Students from all across the state who are interested in becoming teachers there to sign their letter of intent to become a teacher. And so it's just a big day of celebrating and uplifting all of these future educators.

SPEAKER_02 28:40

And that's open to any school district, it's open to any every school district. And so if they want more information on that, just go to the Teach in the Peach website. Teaching the Peach.

Launching The Teacher Ambassador Program

SPEAKER_00 28:48

We have an email address. We'll be happy to share the information. The other thing that I would share is for HR directors out there, especially those who are smaller districts, don't maybe have the resources. We have marketing materials. We're in recruitment season right now, and we have a whole marketing toolkit that we can provide templates that will give you the opportunity to have marketing materials almost ready to go. You just plug and play and uh help you in your recruitment efforts.

SPEAKER_02 29:23

Well, that's extremely helpful. I didn't know that. That is very impressive. Well, thank you, Selena. Thank you for what you're doing for Teaching and Peach. Thank you for what you've done over your career. And we're so glad to see that you're continuing to stay in public education. And thank you, Gail members, for joining us for another episode of Gail Unscripted.