Substitute teachers needed in area school districts

ZANESVILLE, Ohio – Ohio has a substitute teacher shortage and a local organization is trying to end the shortage.

Muskingum Valley Educational Service Center is hosting a substitute employment fair on August 15, 2017 and August 16, 2017 from 8:00 A.M. until 11:00 A.M. and 3:00 P.M. until 7:00 P.M. Preschool Director Krystal McFarland said this event will help people apply for substitute teaching and paraprofessional aide.

“Teachers, you know they’re people just like everyone else and sometimes they have family things come up, they have illness in their household, or have something that prevents them from being able to come to work,” McFarland said. “We have children that are depending on an adult to be there to help supervise them throughout the day. So we really need someone in that classroom.”

According to McFarland substitute teachers need to have a background check completed for Bureau of Criminal Investigation (B.C.I.) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (F.B.I.) and complete a substitute teaching or paraprofessional license through the Ohio Department of Education.

“We are going to be able to help facilitate those working on the computer system with people who may not be sure where to get started, maybe be a little bit unsure, and not confident enough to try to get those things accomplished,” McFarland said. “So we’ll have people here to support them through that process.”

This event is for people fresh out of college and wanting experience to becoming a full-time teacher. It’s also for those teachers who left the career path and want to work their way back in, as well as those teachers who’ve retired and want to keep working with children.

“We want to make people aware that if you have a bachelor’s degree in some unrelated field, but you feel the desire to work with children and support their learning. You can still become a substitute teacher. For our classroom aides, our paraprofessionals, you are only required to have a high school diploma. So that’s another opportunity for people to be involved and support children’s learning.”

The Substitute Employment fair on August 15th, 2017 will take place at Muskingum Valley E.S.C. Zanesville Office. While the August 16, 2017 fair will be located at the New Lexington office. For more information contact Krystal McFarland at (740) 452-4518.