SAN ANTONIO — Northside Independent School District is hoping to attract more substitute teachers. Last month, they approved an increase to pay subs up to $150 a day.
The district is the largest one in the San Antonio area and the fourth largest in Texas with about 6,000 teachers and 106,000 students.
A message to applicants on the district's website says: "Thank you for your interest in one of the most difficult jobs in education – substitute teaching. Very often, children will rely on the skills and abilities of substitute teachers for over one full year of instruction between kindergarten and twelfth grade. NISD recognizes the contributions made by its substitute teachers and supports their efforts toward maintaining continuity of instruction in the absence of the full-time teachers."
The district requires all substitutes to work a minimum of two days per month. There is extra pay for those working on Mondays or Fridays, too.
"Join our team at Northside ISD where substitute teachers are essential and valued," Northside ISD said in an email recently, trying to target potential subs.
Heidi Christensen, a retired NISD teacher, is quoted on the website saying: "It's the most freeing teaching job I've ever had," "I don't understand why more people aren't doing it."
She added: “The best part of substitute teaching is that you control where and what you teach and when you want to work. And, you don’t have to do any lesson plans or paperwork. It’s great!”
Northside also provides free special education training to all professional and paraprofessional substitutes who want to work with students who receive special education services. Professional substitutes who take the two-part special education training and work in specialized instruction classrooms will get $10.00 additional pay for a full-day assignment and $5.00 for a half-day assignment.
For questions, call the NISD Human Resources Dept. at (210) 397-8600. To apply, click here.