COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - When teachers come to the Midlands area to visit relatives for the holidays, they also will be invited to their neighborhood school.

Richland District 1 plans to hold walk-in interviews on the Saturday after Thanksgiving and the Wednesday after Christmas. It's part of the district's new

''Home for the Holidays'' teacher recruiting campaign that aims to capitalize on out-oftown teachers' desire to live closer to their families and friends in the Midlands.

''They have an automatic connection to us - the district - and the Columbia community,'' said Debbie Sullivan, Richland 1 recruitment and retention coordinator.

To find the visiting teachers, Richland 1 is using the employees it already has to invite visiting friends and family members.

''Our best teachers came from a referral of another teacher,'' Sullivan said. ''Teachers know good teachers.''

Richland 1 has more than 20 available positions and is looking

for teachers to fill openings for 2007-08 school year. The district hires about 300 new teachers at the start of every school year and has about 2,100 teachers total. Filling those positions is a highly competitive task.

''Every district is trying to outdo the others in recruiting,'' said Odell Stuckey, interim director of personnel for the district.