Going back to school isn’t just for K-12 students: Anthony Wayne Local Schools has openings for substitutes in a variety of positions throughout the district, with flexible hours, competitive pay and opportunities for growth.
On Tuesday, Aug. 25 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., the district will hold a Back-to-School Employment Fair at the Central Administrative Offices, 9565 Bucher Road. Candidates can fill out an application and learn more about teaching (certified) and non-teaching (classified) substitute opportunities. Anyone applying during the fair will have the background check fee waived.
The goal of the fair is primarily to recruit classified substitutes to fill positions in areas like operations, food service and transportation, as well as aides for the classroom, playground and lunchroom, said Superintendent Kevin Herman.
“These positions are every bit as important in our daily operations,” Herman said. “I consider every person in this district to be part of the educational process. Whether they’re working directly with a child’s education or not, they have an opportunity to make a difference to students.”
Bus drivers are the first school representatives to greet a child each morning and often set the tone for that child’s mood throughout the day, he noted. And the cafeteria workers make connections with the students as they go through the lunch line.
Joining the district as a substitute is often the first step to getting into a contract position, Herman said.
“A high percentage of our subs, if they do a great job and want to be full-time, are able to get into those contracted positions,” Herman said. “As we have positions open up, most of the time we hire someone who has subbed first.”
That was the case for bus driver Mike O’Shea and cashier Sharon Hill.
O’Shea, who is lead pastor at Waterville Community Church, first started subbing in the classroom, but decided to help fill a need for substitute bus drivers.
“I love kids and big cars, so it’s been a good fit,” said O’Shea, who now has a contract position as a bus driver with a regular route. “My initial plan was just to sub, but the district’s need was so high that I was getting called almost every day. I realized it would be easier and more helpful to pursue a contract route.”
Initially, O’Shea thought that most bus drivers viewed the position as a hobby or second job to earn some extra cash – not necessarily pursuing the job as a way to care for the kids and the community.
“I was very wrong,” he said. “The drivers and staff in the Transportation Department are highly professional, work incredibly hard and care deeply about what they’re doing.”
Having a regular route fits well with O’Shea’s schedule and still allows him six or more hours a day in the office. But the best part, he said, is the people: the drivers, the office staff and, most of all, the kids.
Finding enough bus drivers is a nationwide problem, in part because of the time it takes to train and get a CDL to drive a bus, Herman said, but the district will pay for that training and the time it takes to earn the certification.
When Hill signed up to sub for the district in 2016, she didn’t know anyone other than a few teachers and coaches she’d met before her daughter, Abbey, graduated in 2007.
“I was in the banking industry for 24 years. They downsized my department, so I took a year off, but I was bored. I saw they were looking for subs and I decided to check all of them,” she said of a form she filled out indicating what areas she’d like to work in.
She served as a special education aide, playground aide and food service worker and decided she liked working in the cafeteria the most. So when a position opened up, she took it.
“I only work 4-1/2 hours a day, but it’s perfect,” she said, explaining that she arrives at 9 a.m. to help prep lunches and then works the register at the high school. “They train you – they don’t just throw you in there. We all help each other. If something needs to be done, we just do it. I work with a lot of good people.”
Unlike teaching positions, which are typically not open during the school year, classified positions tend to open up as employees retire or move on to another position. Subs are especially needed for special education aides, custodial staff and bus drivers. These positions do not require a degree, but teaching substitutes do.
While subbing is an ideal path to get into a contract position, many choose to stay as a substitute because of the flexibility. Often subs are parents who want to work while their children are in school, but need the flexibility to take off when a child is sick or to handle other responsibilities, Herman said.
Others do want to ease into a contract position, especially when realizing the benefits are excellent.
“If its someone who is looking at getting back into the workforce, subbing is a great way to start,” Herman said.
Candidates identified during the fair will be added to a list for approval by the Anthony Wayne Board of Education during its Sept. 14 meeting. For more information, visit anthonywaynelocalschools.org.
*Note: The high school is in need of a second shift building engineer. Learn more about the position and apply here.
