Substitutes are an important educational component in Moorhead Area Public Schools. Teachers and paraprofessionals occasionally need a substitute for either professional or personal reasons. Principals, teachers, parents and students value a good substitute teacher or paraprofessional. Skilled substitute teachers and paraprofessionals can have a significant, positive impact on the quality of education while the permanent teacher or paraprofessional is away.
To ensure that the district has a large pool of qualified substitutes available, the district's Human Resources department continually recruits substitute teachers and paraprofessionals. The district uses the automated Substitute Employee Management System (SEMS) to contact substitutes who have registered with the system about available positions. District employees enter their absences in the SEMS so employee leave records can be maintained, substitutes can be called, and substitute pay can be determined.
Becoming a substitute for Moorhead Area Public Schools
In order to be employed as a substitute with the district, please provide Human Resources with the following forms before the start of each academic year:
- Current substitute application,
- Substitute profile,
- Completed W-4 form,
- I-9 form, documentation of ability to work required,
- Photocopy of valid Minnesota Teaching Certificate for teaching substitutes, and
- Background check at the cost of the employee.
Once the completed forms are returned, substitutes are entered into the Substitute Employee Management System. Substitutes must then register themselves with the system to receive their Personal Identification Number (PIN).
For assistance or more information contact Human Resources at 218-284-3350.
Receiving Job Assignments
Substitutes have two ways of receiving assignments.
- They can call into the Substitute Employee Management System (SEMS) 24 hours a day to accept jobs in advance. This allows the substitutes to fill their schedules ahead of time instead of waiting for the system to call them.
- The SEMS will call with jobs that have been entered into the system. The system calls out from 5-10 p.m. for jobs the next day or for the future. The system begins calling at 5:30 a.m. for jobs that day.
Working as a substitute in Moorhead Area Public Schools
Substitutes should plan on arriving at the building where they will be working at least half an hour before the students arrive to familiarize themselves with the routine for the day.
Substitutes should check in at the school's office when they arrive at the building and again when they leave for the day. Substitutes planning to eat a school lunch should purchase their lunch tickets in the office in the morning.
Payment is made on the 15th and the last working day of the month, unless otherwise noted by the district payroll calendar.