Arguably, the most effected people were students, and history will tell us how the two years disruption to their young life will be manifested.
As a substitute teacher, my situation was considerably better than most people’s. I was paid to the end of the school year while happily settled at home.
When the next school year started and it was clear that life is still far from back to normal, I decided to retire, with a plan to be back when better times return.
It felt like a good a long break from hard work, and I dedicated the time to build a new program to teach algebra, as well as engaging in other projects.
Another whole school year passed by, and at last, when things looked better for the following school year I decided to feel my way back. It was the end of May 2021.
In an email conversation with a nice district recruiter I checked what documents do I have to submit and which documents I may assume are still in the system.
The first communication from the recruiter invited me to go on line and enter an application with updated details. A second communication was “I am out of office” with a promise to get back to me at the beginning of June. The third, replying to my inquiry, came in July. It did let me know that the district prioritizes filling full time vacancies, and won’t review substitutes until an unknown date in the Fall.
Now, that I realized I am not a priority I relaxed and waited for better times. In September, however, when phone calls from schools that know me started to come, requesting my service, I wrote another letter to ask to move the process faster.
Few days later I received a phone call, and a follow-up email, from a new recruiter. After back and forth emails regarding forms and documents I was invited to a Zoom interview. The interview consisted of questions that would prove my competency as an educator. That was held toward the end of September.
Following the remote meeting I received an email with a long list of steps I need to complete before the next stage, thus the better parts of October and November were dedicated to filling more forms, adding clarifications, more questions and answers, finger printing (why again?) and doctors’ signatures. At the beginning of December I announced to the recruiter, by email, that I completed all the steps.
By the beginning of January, I realized that there was no visible progress in the process so I wrote to the recruiter again, reminding him that I have not heard from him in a while. My email, he replied, confused him as he thought he had already sent me the list of the steps, but would send it again. I told him I do have the list, I followed and completed it, and that I told him so a month ago. And I could not resist adding that in the current personnel shortage they should be moving faster.
It so happened, that at the end of the long steps list there was a comment in small letters telling applicants to report, when done, to the sub unit head. I missed it.
So, few days into January, I started a new correspondence, this time with the sub unit supervisor. After more clarifications he announced, ceremonially, that I was added to the processing list. He also warned me that my fingerprints are valid for only 60 days so I should hasten my steps (to which I had to ask him which of these, exactly, depend on me). The new correspondence detailed further steps I need to take before “The interview”. When those were done I received a new email, this time scheduling The Interview, and instructions what to bring. Surprisingly, a new form, needing a doctor signature, was added. The interview had to be postponed.
Two weeks later the big day arrived. I had all the forms ready, made sure my passport is with me, the tax forms that we worked on the night before were carefully arranged. I woke up early, dressed up, drove almost an hour and a half and got there on time.
When I finally found the (closed-door) office, I earnestly announced to the window my name and the purpose of my visit, The Interview. The lady behind the thick glass was somewhat puzzled, but when realized it is for substitute processing asked for the forms, made me sign the pages I missed, took photocopies, added few more details, and then told me it will take few more days, but promised to update me.
I waited, then, patiently, to be invited into the office for the highly anticipated interview. When it did not come I timidly asked about it. “Interview?” she asked, “There is no interview!” she stated. “You came here just for the forms…”
