Garland ISD continues to give back to an unsung part of the teaching community, substitute teachers, as part of its longstanding Sub Club.

Formed as a partnership between the Garland ISD Education Foundation and the Substitute Office of Garland ISD, the program surprises one substitute teacher per month with a $100 gift card. 

The Sub Club is made up of every substitute teacher in the district, which is around 1,100. Substitute Office Manager Lisa Clark said the program has existed at least the nine years Clark has worked for GISD.

Starting with the 2020-2021 school year, the Sub Club has offered an extra incentive for substitute teachers in the district outside of the $100 gift card. Every teacher who fills in more than 50 days each semester is automatically eligible for a one-time $350 bonus, and over 200 substitute teachers earned that bonus last semester.

Clark said the incentive began as part of an initiative led by her office to retain the district’s substitutes who were hesitant to return to campuses in the middle of a pandemic. She said the GISD Education Foundation became a partner in the office’s efforts by funding the reward incentives for substitute teachers.

“Other school districts offer incentives, and we want to be at the top of the chain,” Clark said. “We want our subs to feel valued and appreciated and this is a way to do that.”

For the full story, see the Jan. 20 issue of the Sachse News.