What do you suppose the requirements are in our county to substitute as a lunch/recess monitor? Let me tell you... this job must be risky, or challenging, because it appears the requirements are many! In order to step foot in the lunch room as a substitute, you must have graduated from high school - furnishing that old, dusty high school diploma, provide a written application including 8 references they can call, have at least three of those references sent in a written reference, get fingerprinted, have background checks.... and chances are there are more, but they have not yet revealed them to me! Just when I'm thinking the process is complete, HR notifies our school secretary of all the things they haven't had me do yet. It's all a bit.... humorous? shocking? what's the word..... ludicrous?? Or should it really be relieving, knowing that the people who are paid in my children's school have jumped through all these same hoops. I'm choosing the later out of pure frustration!
Why, you ask, would I subject myself to this? Well, because I love our lunchroom aides and they asked me to do this for them. I've volunteered in the lunch room for years and this year nobody is on the sub list for them. Hmm.... is that any surprise??? Not really, but the truth is, it's a great gig for someone like me. Once in a while, make a few extra bucks, help out some friends and spend a little time with my kids. And I figured if I'm going to go through all this hassle, I might as well sign up to substitute teach while I'm at it!
As a teacher, these were jobs I completely swore off. I've never been interested in subbing, ever, anywhere! And here I am, being crazy. Of course, the real frustration is with the office of HR, which has already lost one of my reference forms, and has given me wrong information about the "status" of my application. Today, on my list of things to do (along with entertaining 4 4th graders and my 1st grader on their day off of school), is to have my college send transcripts. Yes, you need that to substitute teach! I'm having transcripts sent to me as well, because frankly, I don't trust this office!
Maybe it was the three blue crates, with papers sticking out of them every which way, containing, somewhere in the middle, the copies of my two references they had received! Hmmm... and when she handed those "confidential" references to me for viewing, well, I invisibly rolled my eyes in the back of my head. I promise you, she didn't see that! And the third that they couldn't find? That I know was sent to the exact same office because I provided stamped, addressed envelopes myself? Just a complete mystery... or is it?
I'm thankful that I will soon be qualified, National Honor Society sticker and all, to be a substitute lunchroom monitor! I will be certain to proudly list this prestigious position on all my further applications for employment, as it appears to be a highly skilled, much sought after job. Oh, and the college diploma, for whatever reason, would not suffice in place of that all-important high school diploma. Last I knew, you couldn't even get into college without a high school diploma! Crazy!
4 comments:
oh my gosh i am totally laughing because you were one of the intimidating blogger friends i was referring to!!!!
LOL - how silly! I'm such a complaining blogger - not an intimidating one! hehe
No kidding, here's an email I just got back from the HR department - and I'll just have you know, I saw my employer fill out and fax my reference yesterday:
"I have not received anything over our fax today. If you have your third references and you bring that up to me today, I can have you go and get your fingerprints done and you can just bring your third reference when you bring your receipt. You are going to go to Fingerprint Services at:
XXX
I would suggest calling before you go to make sure they are going to be open. It's going to cost you $10.00 you are going to pay for it there, they will give you a receipt. You will being to this office (your third reference), that receipt, 2 forms of ID; driver license & birth certificate, drivers license& social security card, or a passport & divers license, a copy of your driver license, and voided check if you want direct deposit. You will bring of of that back when you have about 30 minutes of your time to fill out your payroll papers. If all of this is done today you'll be able to work on Monday."
And I ask, is this really worth it? For $10.50 and hour monitoring screaming school children? I must be absolutely insane. I'm off now to find that social security/birth certificate/passport stuff. UGH!
I am sympathizing AND laughing over here....only because I am all too familiar with all of the paperwork needed to work in the school system! :0)
I was finally placed on the sub list last week, after being a certified teacher's assistant for a year and a half, and I am now having to face the HUGE task of preparing all of the paperwork to interview for a long-term sub position at my school. I will be sending for my transcripts also....we have to request those in writing, don't we? (and not in email form either, right? It would be so much easier that way....or just a phonecall would be even better!) ) I also have to locate my official certification--even though it has been filed electronically for years at the ROE (hope I can find it!) And have my 10-15 page online application submitted, do my online teaching profile, write my teaching and disipline philosophy, and complete a large portfolio to present at the interview. (These weren't even talked about when we graduated! When I found out about this, I was like, a portifolio?? Are you kidding me? )
Anyway--I feel your pain. :0(
This sounds almost worse than France! Here we practically have to file paperwork to go to the grocery store :)
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