Marana Unified School District is hiring substitutes and temporarily raising their pay because of a shortage of substitutes during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The temporary increase for certified substitute teachers this school year is raising the pay rate to $140 a day and $165 a day for long-term commitments.
Most school districts are suffering a shortage of subs due to less people willing to work in the classroom and more people needed to cover for those who are sick with COVID-19 or in quarantine due to exposure.
“The district is experiencing a critical shortage of substitutes due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which impacts our ability to properly staff classrooms,” said Assistant Superintendent Carolyn Dumler. “We hope that this temporary pay increase is an incentive for certified substitutes to consider the Marana District who are seeking employment at this time.”
The temporary increases will be funded by the district’s allocation of federal relief dollars.
To learn more or to apply, go to tucne.ws/maranasub.
Department of Ed to hold statewide virtual job fair
The Arizona Department of Education is hosting a statewide education virtual job fair for candidates interested in working in K-12 public schools.
The fair, hosted by the department’s Exceptional Student Services Section, is on Saturday, Feb. 27, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
“The past year has been a tremendous struggle for many Arizona students, but through the support of highly qualified teachers, many students have continued to succeed in the classroom,” said Schools Chief Kathy Hoffman in a statement. “We know that schools only function with the hard work of our teachers and school staff.
“This year especially, we have seen a devastating number of teachers leave the profession. Events such as these job fairs are incredible opportunities to not only find a job, but a new community of professional support within Arizona’s public schools.”
As of Monday, 110 public school districts, charters and Bureau of Indian Education schools are registered to attend the job fair, along with about 1,500 candidates.
Applicants will be able to search for available positions, upload their résumé, visit employer booths to chat with employers via text, audio or video. Representatives from the Department of Education will also be online to tell attendees how to become a certified teacher in Arizona.
The attending schools will be able to issue letters of intent and job offers to prospective teachers, pending background checks.
“I am hopeful this event will offer potential educators the opportunity to leave with an excellent job and an opportunity to have a profound impact on their community and their future students,” Hoffman said.
To register or learn more go to azeducationjobfair.com.
Pueblo HS student Almazan earns $25,000 college scholarship
Pueblo High School student Yakeleen Almazan earned a $25,000 college scholarship, out of tens of thousands of applicants.
The TUSD senior is one of 106 students nationwide to receive the 2021 Horatio Alger National Scholarship from the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, Inc.
The scholarship recognizes students from low-income families who have a high GPA and “who have remained committed to continuing their education and giving back to their communities while overcoming great personal adversities and navigating the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic,” a news release said.
In addition to the scholarship, Almazan will get a trip to Washington, D.C., once it’s safe to do so to meet fellow scholarship recipients and the Horatio Alger Members who fund the scholarship programs.
Almazan is also one out of 251 Coke Scholar Finalists, selected from over 99,000 applicants. If chosen she could receive a $20,000 scholarship. Almazan will be attending Yale University in the fall.
