IN Brentwood-Baldwin-Whitehall Winter 2017 | Page 33

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BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT
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Substitute Teachers Wanted:
STS Offers Flexibility, Path to Full-Time Employment
T
he call goes out early in the morning. Before dawn has
even broken, or buses have rolled, school districts across
Pennsylvania scramble to assess how many classrooms
they’ll need to fill when teachers are out sick and require a
substitute. One company based in Aston, Pa., responds, deploying
thousands of qualified substitutes to fill those spots.
From the far reaches of western Pennsvlvania to the Delaware
Valley, Substitute Teacher Service (STS), connects school districts
with substitute teachers, and connects teachers with flexible,
rewarding employment. Since 1994, with humble beginnings and
a husband/wife team of two, STS has been building a veritable
army of caring, dedicated educators who are ready to deploy with
just a few hours’ notice.
Teachers who work with STS thrive on the flexibility and steady
stream of work – assignments they can choose to accept, or not
accept, on a day-to-day basis. For new graduates looking for
full-time work, the chance to substitute in a school is often the
entry they need. School districts depend on the reliability of the
service, knowing that STS will provide quality substitutes who are
prepared to do the job.
Each day STS places thousands of teachers and support
personnel in 74 school districts throughout Pennsylvania. STS
recruits newly graduated teachers, teachers who have taken
time off to raise a family and now want a flexible schedule, and
certified retirees who serve as substitute teachers in Pennsylvania
school districts. They also work with “guest teachers,” professionals
who want a career change but don’t have a teaching degree.
At any given time STS has more than 7,000 teaching
professionals and paraprofessionals on its roster.
Still, it is always eager to recruit new substitutes. There are three
ways an individual can qualify as a substitute teacher:
• Hold a valid teaching certificate: Even retired teachers can
qualify, without impacting their pension
• Hold a valid bachelors degree: The STS Human Resources
staff will help teachers meet the requirements set forth by
the Department of Education and the State of Pennsylvania
for working in any school district. They’ll provide all
necessary training and resources to enable a smooth
transition.
• Be a Student in a qualified Teacher Preparation Program
After a substitute is hired by STS they have the option to look
for job placements online or can call customer service from 6 a.m.
to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, to help find an appropriate
placement. Substitute teachers can choose to work in any of the
school districts STS works with.
“STS offers teaching professionals and paraprofessionals a lot
of flexibility,” says J.R. Godwin, Vice President of Business Affairs
for STS. “We allow our teachers the freedom to pick and choose
the location of their assignments. In some cases we are able to
publish open jobs up to 120 days in advance, so a substitute can
better plan their schedule. Depending on the amount of time
a substitute works, they may also qualify for unemployment
benefits during the summer months and 401(k), direct deposit
and a variety of other benefits.”
If you have a love for education and are interested in becoming part of the Substitute Teacher Service network, you
can apply online at www.thesubservice.com or you can call 1.800.357.SUBS (7827) to speak with Human Resources
to set up an appointment at one of the 16 locations across Pennsylvania.
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