a teacher smiles in a classroom

Superb Subs: Ms. Domanski always felt called to teach

Kayla Miller

March 14, 2024

Grace Domanski is one of many substitute teachers working in classrooms at Portage Public Schools. She is a full-time substitute at Central Elementary. 

Substitutes come to our District through EduStaff, a third party substitute management company. They play a vital role in the continuous education of our students in every building. We heard from four substitutes to learn more about why they started this career and how they feel working with students every day. We will be sharing a series of Q&A articles to highlight their stories. 

If you or someone you know would like to become a substitute at PPS, please visit portageps.org/page/employment-at-pps to learn more and apply. 

  1. How long have you been subbing for the District? 

    1. I started subbing in Portage at the beginning of the 2023-2024 school year! 

  2. What is your favorite part about subbing?

    1. I am a building sub, and I have enjoyed it so much! I’m lucky enough to get to see the students every day - whether I am in their classroom or not. It has allowed me to create relationships with all the students in the building as well as the teachers, which has led to such a positive experience whenever I step into their classrooms. 

  3. Why did you decide to go into this field of work? 

    1. I have such a passion for working with children, and before I took a teaching position, I wanted more experience working with all different age groups. I also wanted the opportunity to learn from a wide variety of different teachers! 

  4. Did you dream of being a teacher when you were younger? 

    1. I always knew teaching was for me, however I did not start pursuing it until I was already a semester into a marketing degree. I knew I wouldn’t be truly happy until I switched over to education. 

  5. Who was your favorite teacher growing up and what grade/subject did you teach?

    1. My favorite teacher growing up was Mrs. Portnova, a high school social studies teacher. She had such a passion for teaching and it showed within her lessons. She always made everything so fun and engaging. You could tell how much she loved what she was doing.