Photo courtesy of Loy Woelber Minnesota Commissioner of Education Willie Jett visits with students, teachers and administrators at Westbrook Walnut Grove Elementary in Walnut Grove on Thursday.

WALNUT GROVE — Students and staff at Westbrook-Walnut Grove Elementary welcomed a top state education official on Thursday. Minnesota Education Commissioner Willie Jett stopped in Walnut Grove for a visit.

“For him to come out here, it was neat,” said WWG Superintendent Loy Woelber. Woelber said it was also an opportunity for school staff to ask the commissioner about concerns in education, like recruiting teachers.

“That was the main thing, we’re trying to find staffing,” Woelber said.

While WWG has been able to fill teaching positions this fall, Woelber said it hasn’t been easy to fill some support staff positions.

Woelber said WWG had known that Commissioner Jett might be visiting the school district this year.

“He’s trying to get to every school in the state,” Woelber said.

Several days ago, WWG received confirmation that Jett would be coming to Walnut Grove. Woelber said it was a good opportunity for the commissioner to get more information on rural school districts.

Jett visited with third and fifth grade classes at WWG Elementary, as well as with teachers, Principal Derrick Jenniges and technology staff, Woelber said.

“It was nice. He was very interested” in hearing about the school district and its students, he said.

Like many Minnesota school districts, WWG is facing challenges with issues like staff recruitment, Woelber said.

“We’re so lucky right now, we’ve found our teachers,” he said.

However, Woelber said area schools are all competing for the same pool of candidates. It can also be hard to get teacher candidates to consider moving to a rural area. So, he said, “We’re trying to grow our own.”

Woelber said filling substitute and support staff positions is also a challenge. After WWG opened a child care center in Westbrook, it had seen some staff turnover, he said. And over the past 10 years at WWG, Woelber said he’s even helped out as a substitute school bus driver.

“I’m driving bus in the afternoons for the next six weeks,” he said.

Being able to help support students, including English language learners and special education students, is another important issue for WWG. Woelber said he intended to hire a social worker at the district next year.

Woelber hoped that Jett’s visits to Minnesota schools would help highlight some of the needs they face, including teacher recruitment.

“Hopefully we get something figured out because people are stretched,” he said.