RESERVE – St. John the Baptist Parish School administrators are encouraging more parents to be involved with their children’s classroom activities – not just as volunteers, but as employees, too.

Ann LaBorde, executive director of legal services and personnel for St. John the Baptist Parish Schools, said more parents are needed to fill in as substitutes to ensure that all the school’s positions are filled with workers who care about the children’s success.

“Reliable substitute teachers are an integral part of the educational team, and they can have a significant, positive impact on the quality of education while the permanent teacher is away,” said LaBorde.

“Who better than a parent to fill that role,” she said. “Someone we know has a vested interest in the success of our school system.”

LaBorde said her office works year-around to recruit qualified substitutes, noting that as many as some 50 substitutes are needed on a daily basis, including replacements for teachers, teacher’s aides, secretaries, food service and maintenance workers. Those numbers typically remain consistent year-round because of staff development sessions required by the school system

“We often have a large need for substitutes because of our emphasis on staff development for our teachers. Our teachers are learning how to become better instructors in the classroom, and that is making a difference in our student performance scores. Substitutes who come in to allow for this training are performing a greater service than they realize,” said LaBorde.

The school system has been working with the local Kelly Services office to meet most of the system’s substitute needs, including providing substitute janitors and food service technicians. The school system manages its substitute bus drivers in-house.

Substitute teachers earn between $48 and $58 per day, while teacher’s aides receive $36.05 per day. Substitute secretaries are paid $38 per day, and substitute food service and maintenance workers earn $5.15 per hour.

“Substituting gives parents the opportunity to become part of their children’s educational experience, while making some money for their time,” said Robin Lewis, a Kelly Services manager.

She noted that applicants must be at least 18 years old and have a high school diploma or GED certificate, and they must pass drug testing and criminal background checks to be hired. Persons interested in applying for the substitute teacher and teacher’s aide positions must also pass a Test of Adult Basic Education, or TABE. The test is comprised of reading, spelling, language and math, and candidates must score a minimum of a tenth-grade level to qualify.

Lewis said her office offers some tutorial services for qualified applicants.

Kelly Services also offers its employees weekly pay with the option of direct deposit, bonus opportunities, and the option to purchase health insurance packages or invest in a 401K plan, she said.

“For some people, substituting can be a way to earn a paycheck or supplement the family income, and they may wish to work as many hours as possible,” Lewis said. “But for many others, substituting is seen more as a civic opportunity than a second job.”

“For those people who would like to serve, but who might be fearful of signing up because they don’t want to commit to too much work, we understand their concerns and we are willing to work within their set boundaries. For example, a person may be willing to commit to working two days a month in the school system. We will make note of that and schedule work for that person for only that amount of time,” said Lewis.

She also said Kelly Services will work with the parents to place them in their child’s school if that is the parent’s wish.

“We can work out a substitute schedule that can work for a stay-at-home mom, a part-time working parent or even a full-time working parent who is willing to take a few days from their regular job to be better connected with their child’s school,” said Lewis.

Kelly Services first launched its substitute teacher service for St. John the Baptist Parish in 1999. Company professionals conduct background screening, education verification and reference checks for every candidate to ensure the most qualified substitute teachers are place in front of students. Orientation sessions and grade appropriate handbooks, with sample lesson plans, are standard tools for every employee, said Lewis.

LaBorde said interested parents should contact Kelly Services at 1-888-878-2128 to complete the required checks and paperwork. Upon approval, the school system will also work with parent to find the most appropriate substitute positions.

“The need for substitutes is an on-going challenge. It’s something we will always have, which means there’s always a great opportunity for someone to become more involved in their local schools,” she said.