NEWS & UPDATES

March 2006

March is the month when we really get into our busy season. You can expect to hear the cheerful SubFinder voice calling you more and more frequently. What does that mean? It means (we say, climbing up on our favorite soapbox) that now it becomes more important than ever to (all together now) maintain your calendar. Several subs got a copy of their Substitute Responses and Rejections Report as we monitored job calls during the last two weeks in February. This report allows us to get a snapshot of how substitutes respond to SubFinder calls. We will continue to monitor job calls as the year goes on with an eye to determining who is sent a Letter of Assurance and who is non-assured in the spring.

When substitutes fail to manage their calendars it undermines the efficiency of the SubFinder system. How does that work? We’ll explain: Each unanswered SubFinder call takes between two and five minutes to complete. As SubFinder works it through the list of “available” subs it encounters dozens of subs who don’t answer their phone, who reject jobs, who let their voice mail answer, who hit the “*” key for Do Not Disturb, or who listen to the position and then disconnect. Now, figure 30 subs getting calls and responding as above … at an average of 3.5 minutes per call … that’s an hour and forty-five minutes before we reach a sub who is really available … and another hour before that available sub gets to the classroom. That’s just for one job! As the year progresses and we have more jobs to fill we’re going to have several jobs each morning that we are trying to fill and SubFinder is calling those same 30 to 50 subs who show available, but who really are not. You can see why we’re concerned and why this has become a crucial issue, in fact one that can determine whether we keep you on the substitute list … or not.

Many of you have asked about changing your preference list for substituting by adding subjects and grade levels you will teach or by scaling back. If you would like to make a change (and remember this is not something we want you to do regularly, once a year at most), please e-mail Kate (katem@spokaneschools.org) and she will make the appropriate changes. Keep in mind that reducing the subjects and grade levels that you will teach means you will get fewer sub calls. If you do decide to add on more subjects we will expect that you will accept those jobs when you are called to teach.

Our old Alternative Sites handbook became sadly out of date. Rather than issue an updated version we have provided you with a link to our special schools which you can find on the home page of the Substitute Resources page. This should help you find your way should you be called to sub at one of these sites, in addition to giving you a “heads up” regarding the student population. If you haven’t taken a look at these schools and the good work they do, there’s no time like the present: http://www.spokaneschools.org/Schools/Special.stm

Conference week for elementary schools is March 27-31. During conference week elementary schools release students at 1:00 PM. If you get called for a job at an elementary school during conference week plan to stay and work at the school for the full day and to leave at 3:30 PM. One of the most frequent complaints about substitute teachers is about those who expect to leave early. Certificated substitutes are paid for a half day of 3.75 hours or a full day of 7.5 hours, please don’t ask to leave early. If you feel that you have nothing further to do in the classroom check with the office or the school library, both places usually have stacks of projects waiting for some unsuspecting soul …ummm … we mean kindhearted and energetic person … to complete.

If you have to cancel a job at the last minute you know you must call the substitute office so that we can handle that for you. Please also take a moment to call the site to let them know what has happened. You don’t need to go into detail, just let them know that an illness or family situation has made it necessary to cancel the assignment. Often we get worried calls from office managers who expect to see your shining face for a particular teacher and are surprised by somebody else showing up claiming to have the job. Calling them keeps them in the loop; they’ll love you for it.

Substitute orientations for new-hires are held prior to School Board meetings twice a month. Old timers are welcome to come for the first half of the orientation, which is the informational half. The second hour is intended for newly hired substitutes to fill out paperwork.

Orientations are from 4:00-5:30 at 200 N. Bernard in the Administration first floor boardrooms on the following dates:

NEEDED!! Secondary endorsed teachers who can teach a variety of subjects for two summer school programs noted below. Having two programs expands the need for high school summer school teachers. Look for the postings to come out soon and write a letter of interest for each high school position you are interested in.

The two programs which will be held at each high school are:
1. Credit completion/retrieval for high school credits: Need people endorsed in at least one of the areas of math, English/language arts, science, and social studies. Pay is $27.82 per hour plus additional curriculum development pay as needed at $23.35 per hour. Schedules at high schools will vary, but this program will typically take place in late June/early July and will be 4 days per week at 2.5 or 5 hours per day, depending upon numbers of students and program needs.

2. WASL Test Preparation for those who did not meet standard on all or part of the 10th grade WASL: Need people endorsed in math, English/language arts, or Reading. These people will utilize the state WASL test retake curriculum to deliver instruction. Pay is $27.82 per hour plus additional curriculum/training and preparation pay as needed. Schedules will be July 10 - August 4 for 4 or 8 hours per day, depending upon student numbers and needs, for 10 days.

Archived Updates
January 2006
February 2006