Schools brace for substitute shortage

YOUR COMMENTS

I would be willing to sub and I am a pro.fesional engineer. Why won't I? Because the pay is pathetic. $50 bucks a day is all most school districts will pay so no wonder they only get people with just barely high school educations, The lowest of the low full time teachers are earning more than triple that pay not counting benefits. A sub gets no benefits and taxes are taken out of the 50 bucks. The Unions don't give a F about subs since they don't belong and And the unions don't care about our kids educations.

Sorry SAU I am not submiting myself to a backround check, finger printing and for 50 bucks a day
- annie, henniiker

Emily W,
I'm not sure what you do for a living, but I am a Special Education teacher, and would like the pleasure of giving you a reality check...the reality is, is that I do get sick being that I am in close contact with less than hygenic children all day, I do get holidays off and I spend them writing reports and doing paperwork, things I do not have to do during work hours. Summers off are true, but please keep in mind that I do not get paid, and I need that time to take graduate classes, paid for with my own dime, to keep my four teaching certifications. The sad part is, is that despite working to help kids everyday I am blamed for their inability to achieve and told to suck it up by ignorant UL posters. Makes it all seem so worth it. May you be appreciated in whatever it is that you do to make a difference.
- Anna, New Boston, NH

I must be nice to have a job that pays full time wages not work forty hours a week, or a full year...and still have sick days, personel days and vacation time (summer, Thanksgiving weekend, Christmas week, Feb. vacation, Spring Vacation, and every other state and Federal holiday. Suck it up and go to work like the rest of us!!!
- emily w, machester nh

I used to sub on breaks when i was in college. To be a sub you need to fill out an application, get fingerprinted in that district and then give them your cell phone number so they can call you. Most districts are 65-90$ per day. The only requirement in most districts are that you have graduated high school. Hope this helps!
- Joanne, Merrimack

teachers don't get sick? really?
- J Paige, Manchester

The only ones that are getting sick are the kids, so why is there a substitute shortage? Besides the pool of substitutes is replenshied through the addition of retired educators making the average Joe Blow of the street not needed.
- Jack Alex, Manchester

There certainly isn't a shortage in Manchester what with all the retired teachers and new, unemployed graduates. I have been subbing for 5 years and am rarely called now when 4 years ago I was turning down jobs I was so busy. And yes, John S., subbing is a great place to get experience, but it is certainly no guarantee of a job. I'm still hoping to get a full time teaching job. As for the inexperienced people subbing, I have been hit, kicked, bitten, spit on, and occasionally hugged. All this for $45-60 per day. It is not babysitting. You are required to teach.
- KC, Manchester NH

Oh this strikes me as funny. I have applied for a subbing position in Manchester,began this process in September, had an interview on October 6th, yet none of my references have been contacted, after making several attempts to find out the "status" of my application. I am more than qualified to substitute teach, yet nobody is following up on this process. It is so frustrating. And yes, there are no benefits, and you, as the applicant must pay a fee of $55.25 for your own background criminal check, and you are not able to use this
check for any other school districts.
- Carole, Hooksett

Yes, $10 seems a little low. Pulling from my pervious statement, I don’t think it should be more than $15 for a sub though. How much does a typical daycare employee make? I don’t hear parents suggesting that they pay their daycare provider more money because they are helping to shape kids and have a great deal of responsibility.
- John S, Manchester

Getting $60 dollars a day to watch/educate these children, seems a rather low wage for such a great responsibility. I believe backround checks are also required and paid for by the potential sub. On an average day, that works out to under $10/hr...No wonder there is a shortage. Again, education takes a backseat.
- G, Manchester

I always though subbing was the first step to becoming a full-time teacher. You have to put in the time to prove your worthy of shaping the future, right? It's like paid training.
- John S, Manchester

Being a sub is meant to be a part-time job, not full-time with benefits.
- John, Dover

I sub for Nashua and Hudson and am being called every morning. I got sick myself and wasn't able to work for a week. I'm looking for a different job now because there are no benefits for subs. It's hitting me hard this week because I have no check coming in due to being sick. I do think subs need to get paid more and get some kind of sick pay/benefits. We only get $60.00 a day gross. Then I have to pay after school care for my own children because I don't reach them in time to pick them up. I'm paying for 15 minutes of childcare. After taxes and childcare, I'm left with $45 per day. I won't even go into the way kids mistreat and disrespect subs. It's just not worth it. Sorry!
- Sick and Tired (literally), Nashua, NH

I disagree they should not need to explain in an article what the qualifications are. Those who are unemployed should read this and reach out if they are interested. The schools who were suffering and worried about a shortage were listed. Be pro- active!
- Whitney, NH

Well here you go folks who are unemployed and looking for a job. Send your resume to the Manchester school district....
- Amy T, Manchester, NH

So tell us the requirements of becoming substitutes. There are enough people unemployed that I am sure some would fit right in rather well. Does anyone that has an Associates degree qualify? If there is a shortage, than someone needs to at least explain what the qualifications need to be
- Keith, Raymond