Section:    PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYEES

Title:   EMPLOYMENT OF SUBSTITUTE PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYEES

Date Adopted:

Guide No.

Guide

405.  EMPLOYMENT OF SUBSTITUTIVE PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYEES

Reference

1.       Purpose

2.  Authority

Qualified and competent substitute teachers and other professional employees shall be employed in accordance with these guidelines.

The Board shall approve annually the names of potential substitute teachers and other substitute professional employees and the positions in which they may substitute except that additional names may be added to the list of substitute teachers by the Board during the school year.

Substitutes hired on a per diem basis shall be entitled only to the wages approved by the Board on a per diem basis.

I.        Personnel Office responsibilities:

A.     Applications for substitute teaching will be made available through the office of the Manager of personnel Services.  Applicants desirous of serving as substitute teachers should hold valid Pennsylvania certification to teach in the areas where they are applying.

B.      the Personnel Office will maintain and keep a current list of those teachers who qualify, indicating their areas of preparation and interest.  This list will be kept up to date as new applicants become available and others are withdrawn.

C.      The office of the Manager of Personnel Services will handle all requests and assignments concerning substitute teachers.  ( For the mechanics of requesting substitutes, see section III, “A Regular Teacher’s Responsibility”.)

II.      Principal or His / Her Designated Representative’s Responsibilities:

A.     See that the substitute new to the school is welcomed and made familiar with the building and with standard operating procedures.  Utilize the services of secondary vice-principals, department heads and regular instructors to best possible advantage.  In elementary schools, where possible, solicit the assistance of a regular teacher at the grade level to which the substitute is assigned.

B.      The substitute will be given information about any special activities as well as routine activities and reports that will be required during the assignment as a substitute teacher.

C.      Make that services of special personal and education resources (humane and material) are known to substitutes and that referral procedures are clear.

D.      The principal or his/her designee will, if possible, take the substitute to the classroom in which the substitute will work and assist in locating and reviewing essential materials, such as the lesson plans, seating chart, books and supplies.

E.       The principal or designee must complete the report on Performance of a Per Diem Substitute teacher Form  (P. S. T.) (See Appendix A),  if the substitute performance is less than satisfactory.  It is important to inform the substitute whether the work is satisfactory and make suggestions, if necessary, on how the teaching performances can be improved.

F.       If substitute continues in the same assignment for an extended period of time it  recommended that the subject area supervisor be contacted and a classroom visitation arranged.

III.    Regular Teacher’s Responsibility ( Including permanent substitute or long term per diem substitute)

A.     Proper notification of absence and intention to return: A teacher, who for any reason must be absent from school should notify his/her principal, or supervisor, before 3:30 P. M. on the day prior to absence.

If an absence becomes necessary beyond this designated time, teachers should call the emergency number, 961-2600, between the hours of 7:30  

P.       M. -9:30 P.M. in the evening, or 7:00 A.M.-8:00 A.M. in the morning.

If you have reported off on further notice basis, in order to return to work a teacher must notify the Personnel Office, 348-3403 before 3:30 P. M. -9:30 P.M., on the day prior to returning.

A substitute is instructed to work until notified by the Personnel Office not to report.  Therefore, if the permanent teacher returns to school without proper notification to the Personnel Office, the principal is instructed to have the regular return home and the substitute remain for the full day.

Teachers who have a different starting time or assignment covering more than one building, when reporting off duty, should so notify the Personnel Office clerk handling substitutes.

B.      All teachers should have in an easily accessible and well known place the following essential information:

a.       Lesson Plan ( Regular or Alternative Lesson)

b.       Appropriate courses of study and teacher manuals.

c.       Suggested tests and pupil evaluative forms and devices.

d.       Seating Chart.

e.       List of dependable class helpers (monitors, etc.).

f.        Special forms sent to office daily.

g.       Notices concerning fire drills or accidents, etc.

h.       Attendance forms and class roll book.

i.         Location of equipment and supplies.

j.         Any lists of children to be released for religious instruction (time and day), lists of children who require special seating arrangements or bathroom privileges , list of pupils excused from physical education for medical reasons.

C.      Any irregularities concerning substitutes should be addressed by the regular teacher on the Per Diem Substitute Teacher Report (See Appendix B).

D.      Emphasize the importance of the work done by substitute teacher and try to create an attitude in students and teachers that the substitute is a vital part of the school program.

E.       Develop an attitude of courtesy and respect for the substitute in both colleagues and students.

F.       Home room teachers may appoint or assign a home room secretary or representative to be of service to the substitute teacher in the appropriate matters.

IV.    Substitute Teacher’s Responsibilities:

A.     Report to the Principal’s Office of your assigned building early enough for proper briefing regarding your duties or assigned responsibilities.  ( The school day starts at 8:45 A.M. unless notified otherwise).  Check the regular teacher’s mailbox and familiarize yourself with the notices on the daily bulletin.

B.      Follow the lesson plans and instructions of the regular teacher concerning classroom and instructions of the regular teacher concerning classroom procedures and learning activities.  Follow the subject matter sequence and time allotments for each unit of instruction.  Report to the principal on any lack of instructions or problems concerning your assignment, including absence of class lists, lesson plans, etc. when completing the Per Diem Substitute Teacher Report (See Appendix B).  Solicit the assistance of the department head or a teacher of the same grade or department if necessary.

C.      Substitute teachers are responsible for classroom discipline and are encouraged to seek the assistance of the principal or his/her designee if it is felt to be necessary.  CORPORAL PUNISHMENT SHALL NOT BE USED AT ANY TIME BY THE PER DIEM, OR LONG TERM SUBSTITUTEACHER.

D.      A report of your activities should be left for the regular teacher notifying any specific observations, suggestions, etc.  The classroom should be neat and materials in order before leaving.

E.       Such matters as recording marks, setting up exams, use of correlated student workbooks in various subjects, etc.  should be discussed with the principal or designee.  Correlated subject work books should never be used for “busy work” activity.

F.       Substitutes working over extended periods of time should have lesson plans reviewed and approved by the principal, or his/her designee.

G.      Appointed permanent and long term substitutes are required to attend inservice meetings treating the work of the grades or departments in which they will be called upon to teach.

H.      Per diem and long term substitutes must remain with specialties in the classroom, and they must attend faculty meetings.

I.        The work day for substitutes is the same as for regular staff.

J.        Student attendance shall be recorded, as follow:

1.       Elementary- the first thing in the morning and immediately after lunch.

2.       Secondary- in homeroom and all other periods.

The substitute is to report all irregularities to the Main Office.

K.      Per diem substitutes shall not distribute Fluoride Tablets to students.

No substitute shall be employed until such candidate has complied with the mandatory background check requirements for criminal history, medical and immigration and the district have evaluated the results of that screening process.

School Code

§§1101,

1106

§§1148

§§1101,

1101(2)

1106,1148

37 et

seq