A substitute teacher must:
• Have a bachelor's degree
• Pass a background check
• Fill out an application, pay a fee of roughly $100
To apply to be a sub in Monroe, contact any of the following:
• Monroe District Administrative Center,
608-328-7171
• Rick Waski, administrator, 608-328-7135
• Terri Montgomery, director of curriculum and
instruction, 608-328-7847
MONROE - School district leaders across southern Wisconsin are searching for ways to fill a shortage in substitute teachers.
Monroe District Administrator Rick Waski said the number of substitutes working in the district varies from 10 to 40 per day among the five schools.
"We are doing all we can to recruit more substitute teachers," Waski said. "There are not a lot of options out there. The number of substitutes we have (had) the last five to 10 years has declined. It's becoming a shortage."
Substitute teachers in the state are required to have a bachelor's degree, and those who pass a background check are eligible for three-year licenses. Subs get paid $120 per day in Monroe; they don't receive benefits. There are 71 substitute teachers in Monroe, but many will only sub in certain classrooms or choose specific levels such as elementary, art or music classes, Waski said.
Districts need substitute teaches in situations including illness, bereavement, maternity leave, professional development, workshops and personal leave.
There are several reasons for the decline in substitute teachers across Green and Lafayette counties.
"One of the reasons is the substitutes who were working out of the sub pool were looking to get full-time jobs," Waski said. "Secondly, education programs are turning out far fewer graduates, because less people are going into teaching. Historically, many of our substitutes are retired teachers and teachers that are looking for work. More teachers that want full-time work as teachers are getting jobs and, as a result, the pool of substitutes has become smaller."
Waski said there are only about four days where the district has been short subs this year, but the busiest time of year for substitutes is April and May.
The Monroe school district is planning on using the Frontline Absence Management System after winter break. The system is an automated sub-calling program.
"We are hoping the use of this system will help us with staffing and we can get substitutes before they schedule jobs in other districts," Waski said.
He said the district also is looking for substitutes in food service, custodial staff and teacher's aides.
Monroe isn't the only district that has seen the number of substitutes dwindle. Black Hawk Superintendent Willy Chambers said the district has been looking for ways to curb a substitute teacher shortage for the past few years.
In South Wayne, like many other districts, when a substitute teacher can't be found to fill an opening, other teams at the school have to fill in during their planning period to cover the class. Black Hawk Principal Cory Milz served as a sub in one science class recently when the assignment couldn't be filled.
"This is not a new phenomenon," Chambers said. "It's just doing our best and making do."
The Black Hawk school district pays substitute teachers $100 a day.
Chambers said the district has had several retired teachers who are no longer serving as substitute teachers.
"My best guess is we have retired teachers who finally wanted to stay retired," he said. "They are enjoying their summer and retirement."
Darlington Superintendent Denise Wellnitz said the community is also experiencing a shortage of substitute teachers and support staff.
Substitute teachers in Darlington receive $100 per day. Long-term substitute pay is $125 per day, Wellnitz said.
Monroe District Administrator Rick Waski said the number of substitutes working in the district varies from 10 to 40 per day among the five schools.
"We are doing all we can to recruit more substitute teachers," Waski said. "There are not a lot of options out there. The number of substitutes we have (had) the last five to 10 years has declined. It's becoming a shortage."
Substitute teachers in the state are required to have a bachelor's degree, and those who pass a background check are eligible for three-year licenses. Subs get paid $120 per day in Monroe; they don't receive benefits. There are 71 substitute teachers in Monroe, but many will only sub in certain classrooms or choose specific levels such as elementary, art or music classes, Waski said.
Districts need substitute teaches in situations including illness, bereavement, maternity leave, professional development, workshops and personal leave.
There are several reasons for the decline in substitute teachers across Green and Lafayette counties.
"One of the reasons is the substitutes who were working out of the sub pool were looking to get full-time jobs," Waski said. "Secondly, education programs are turning out far fewer graduates, because less people are going into teaching. Historically, many of our substitutes are retired teachers and teachers that are looking for work. More teachers that want full-time work as teachers are getting jobs and, as a result, the pool of substitutes has become smaller."
Waski said there are only about four days where the district has been short subs this year, but the busiest time of year for substitutes is April and May.
The Monroe school district is planning on using the Frontline Absence Management System after winter break. The system is an automated sub-calling program.
"We are hoping the use of this system will help us with staffing and we can get substitutes before they schedule jobs in other districts," Waski said.
He said the district also is looking for substitutes in food service, custodial staff and teacher's aides.
Monroe isn't the only district that has seen the number of substitutes dwindle. Black Hawk Superintendent Willy Chambers said the district has been looking for ways to curb a substitute teacher shortage for the past few years.
In South Wayne, like many other districts, when a substitute teacher can't be found to fill an opening, other teams at the school have to fill in during their planning period to cover the class. Black Hawk Principal Cory Milz served as a sub in one science class recently when the assignment couldn't be filled.
"This is not a new phenomenon," Chambers said. "It's just doing our best and making do."
The Black Hawk school district pays substitute teachers $100 a day.
Chambers said the district has had several retired teachers who are no longer serving as substitute teachers.
"My best guess is we have retired teachers who finally wanted to stay retired," he said. "They are enjoying their summer and retirement."
Darlington Superintendent Denise Wellnitz said the community is also experiencing a shortage of substitute teachers and support staff.
Substitute teachers in Darlington receive $100 per day. Long-term substitute pay is $125 per day, Wellnitz said.