Carol Corey is one of many substitute teachers working in classrooms at Portage Public Schools. She is a full-time substitute at Amberly 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 multiple 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 share 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.
How long have you been subbing for the District?
This is my 10th school year at Amberly! I began subbing in PPS in the fall of 2014 with my first guest teaching job at Amberly. I left that day with all of my available days for the following weeks filled with jobs at Amberly. I’ve subbed at almost every school in the district, but fell in love with Amberly and am privileged to be a part of the Amberly Tiger family as the Building Sub!
What is your favorite part about subbing?
Every day is a new adventure! The only constant in my day is knowing that I will be at Amberly working with children. Some days I will be teaching in one classroom, but most days you can find me bouncing all over the building doing whatever needs to be done. Dr. Andy Fuehr introduces me to people as the "Swiss Army Knife of Amberly."
Why did you decide to go into this field of work?
Before I was asked to work at Amberly every day, flexibility! I have been substitute teaching off and on for almost 30 years because it is a job that works with an ever changing schedule. Now I spend every day at Amberly as the Building Sub!
Did you dream of being a teacher when you were younger?
I was that little girl who LOVED playing school! I would spend days making stacks of worksheets, planning activities, and then seeking out siblings and neighbors to teach! Life, however, took me down a different path. I’ve worn MANY hats in the community. Some know me as the arts administrator, chamber music coach, private lesson teacher, orchestra teacher, substitute teacher, and more. If I were to make a Venn Diagram of all the hats I’ve worn and currently wear, the center will always be children. Even though I do not have a classroom of my own, I have been privileged to play an active role in helping to grow amazing humans.
Who was your favorite teacher growing up and what grade/subject did you teach?
My absolute favorite teacher and the person who impacted my life in so many positive ways is Lynn Sten, my elementary through high school orchestra teacher. She moved away during my senior year of high school. We connected years later on Facebook, but it was Amberly that allowed us to connect again in real life after many years. She commented on a post I had made about the Amberly Tiger Trek, and I learned that I had been teaching in her grandson’s class.