There is already a nationwide shortage of qualified science teachers. Finding someone in July is difficult enough. Finding someone who wants to join a turnaround school, believes in its mission, and can immediately replace the trust this teacher built over an entire year is something else entirely. That isn't filling a vacancy. That is trying to replace a relationship. Our school needs him. Our community needs him. Our students need him.

In many high-need middle schools, the challenge isn’t just academics. It’s doing emotionally complex, relationship-driven work with too few adults, core classes of 38–40 students, and fewer student support roles than ever. When counselor positions are cut and staffing is stretched, prevention turns into triage. Turnaround work is still possible, but it cannot be built on minimal staffing. Adolescents need support systems, not just systems on paper.