Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools will enter into an agreement with ESS to recruit, hire, train, and place substitute teachers throughout the district. ESS, a leading provider of educational managed service solutions for K-12 school districts, will manage the district’s substitute program in its entirety. The agreement, approved by the WS/FCS Board of Education, went into effect July 1 with the option to renew the contract through June 30, 2024. At that point, both parties will evaluate the partnership and determine the ongoing participation in the partnership.

The partnership requires ESS to recruit, screen, train, hire, and manage applicants looking to serve as substitutes in WS/FCS. “We feel ESS is the right partner for WS/FCS because of their implementation strategy that includes a smooth transition for current substitutes because these substitutes were some of the heroes that helped the district navigate COVID over the past year,” said Jevelyn Bonner-Reed, chief human resources officer for WS/FCS.

ESS will place daily substitute teachers, daily substitute teacher assistants, secretaries, and long-term substitutes. The company will continue to utilize the district’s online substitute management program that allows full-time teachers and staff to log their absences electronically. Those absences are then immediately visible to the substitutes interested in accepting the vacant positions.

ESS complies with state-mandated requirements regarding the credentials needed to work in public schools and has experience working with 750 districts in 29 states.

“ESS believes that through community involvement and thoughtful leadership, our partnership with WS/FCS will yield consistent, qualified substitutes and staff for years to come,” said Kayla Garner, ESS regional manager.

To become a substitute employee for WS/FCS, applicants must have a clean background check and drug test. Substitute candidates must have 60 college credit hours, which may be in any area. Interested applicants can apply at ESS.com.

Established in 2000, ESS is a leading national provider of managed solutions in K-12 education. It recruits, hires, trains, places, and manages qualified substitute teachers, paraprofessionals, and other support staff for school districts in 29 states throughout the United States. Each day, the organization fills more than 15,500 daily, long-term, and permanent school assignments for more than 750 partners serving 3.5 million students. For more information, call 877-983-2244 or go to ESS.com.