David Kramer is a retired fourth grade and eighth grade math teacher who started in Berlin and has stayed here ever since. Kramer taught for 34 years, retiring in 2022. He is now a frequent substitute teacher at BHS.
“This is my third year of substitute teaching. I started substitute teaching in 2023. The longest time I’ve substituted is 12 weeks,” Kramer said.
Having taught for so many years, Kramer has seen his students come and go, and seeing them develop new manners and character each year can be a challenge for him because he has to get to know new kids every year.
“For me nothing has been too difficult, getting to know the new kids, getting to know the freshmen every year. That’s just the hardest part, getting to know their behaviors and personalities,” Kramer said.
Teachers get paid a salary that is set by the district, while substitute teachers get paid every week or every other week, by the company Parallel Education, which supplies the district with substitutes. For the 23-24 school year, the high school paid $41,346 to Parallel for the employment of substitute teachers. The budget for the district this year was set to $92,000 and all that has been spent this year was $83,790.
Kramer receives a pension, and substituting is an added benefit on top of that.
“As a regular teacher you get paid a lot more, obviously as you get more years of experience. But, as a teacher who’s retired I do get a pension, so this is just bonus pay on top of that as a sub,” Kramer said.
Substitute teachers can also have jobs they work on the side. For substitute teacher Sue-Z Zenku, she is a business woman and retired teacher as well.
“I also do bookkeeping for businesses and run a cleaning company called Berlin Cleaning. We have been in business for eight years,” Zenku said.
Teachers all have their likes and dislikes about teaching, and it’s the same with substitutes. Zenku says her favorite part of substituting is the authority she has over her work schedule while also keeping the stability of her life outside of work. According to Assistant Principal Kurt Schommer, this year, substitute teachers have worked 1,289 hours out of the 1,816.50 hours that were requested.
“The most enjoyable aspect of substitute teaching is the flexibility and control over my work schedule. I can usually work where and when I choose, offering a balance with other commitments,” Zenku said.
Kramer also has other commitments as a football coach and says it’s a nice way to keep connected with students that he no longer teaches. Maintaining the relationships with old students is one of the things Kramer enjoys most about substituting.
“Staying in touch with them (students), and I’m still coaching football so it’s nice to know the kids or see them in the hallways,” Kramer said.
Kristine Labbus, retired business education teacher, finds the best part of substitute teaching is the variety of students and schools that come with it, as well as being able to be an outlet for students that may be dealing with harsh conditions.
“I really enjoy being at all the different schools and getting to know the many students. As I get to know them and they, me, they get funnier and trust me to help them,” Labbus said. “So many students come from crazy circumstances, so if a student can have even one person they can rely on to help them, that makes it all worth it,”
All teachers face trials and tribulations, and are subjected to huge responsibilities. It’s easy to look past the role of a substitute, when really they hold the same authority and duty as a regular teacher.
“Substitutes are charged with some pretty big responsibilities. They are asked to potentially go into schools that they are not familiar with, to help students they do not know, to be flexible every hour to handle changes, and to know the content and expectations of each class. It is much more than just a body in a classroom,” Labbus said.
Substitute teachers can unexpectedly appear in the classroom. They are giving their time to teach while also learning a new curriculum, the behaviors and needs of students they’ve never met before, and the environment all together.
“If you are in a class on a day that has a substitute teacher, be nice to them and do what is asked of you. They are only trying to do their jobs and be there for you. They will appreciate it more than you know,” Labbus said.
