South hires former students

While many may believe that the high number of alumni among the staff points to a pattern of hiring alums over other candidates, there is no such policy in place at DGS. According to Associate Principal Georgia Hash, all candidates go through an extensive process to make sure there is no bias involved when hiring a new teacher or staff member.

“There are multiple people involved at each stage of the process and we take specific measures to try to eliminate bias for any reason, be it positive or negative. So, when an alumni makes it through that three-step process and is offered a position, it is because several teams of people have met with them over three steps and determined that they are the strongest candidate,” Hash said.

Gym teacher Jillian Erzig is one such teacher who graduated in 2006 and has been teaching P.E. at DGS ever since 2012.

“There’s something to be said about the fact that there are so many people who want to be back in this building post-graduation… I think it literally proves the point of how great this place is. The actions are almost self-explanatory,” Erzig said.

With more than 35 alumni currently working at DGS, it is likely that some current students will return after graduation to work as teachers or staff. Senior Alex Sitko student teaches at Lakeview Junior High through the Intro to Teaching program and hopes to be able to work at DGS in the future.

“I feel like we have one of the best high schools in the area, especially with extracurriculars and [the] student body. All of the upgrades we’ve had to the school in general makes it just a friendly place to come back to and a great place to want to teach,” Sitko said.

Erzig added that she feels her history at DGS and living in the area in general has allowed her to connect with her students on a personal level and make them feel more comfortable in her class.

“It’s one of the first things I tell my students upon meeting them about myself. I think telling them I grew up in the area, I went to Indian Trail and I went to O’Neill [helps to] make a little bit more of a connection immediately, because the kids see that [I] grew up and know the area well,” Erzig said.