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2895 W Pike Rd Indiana, PA 15701 724 463 5300

Guest Teacher Program

Guest Teacher Program

Two in-person Guest Teacher Orientations are offered annually. Two online, asynchronous sessions through Google Classroom will also be offered.
The next in-person two-day Orientation will be held on January 10th and 11th, 2024. An asynchronous online Orientation will also be offered from January 22nd to February 2nd, 2024. Applications and registration fees will be accepted for these sessions beginning December 4th, 2023.
    

 What is a Guest Teacher?

A Guest Teacher serves as a substitute to replace teachers when they are absent from their classrooms.

Those with PA teaching certificates (or its equivalent from another state) are NOT eligible for the Guest Teacher Program and should directly contact school districts in which a person wishes to substitute. ARIN IU 28 provides Guest Teachers for both member districts and intermediate unit classrooms and is responsible for their recruitment, training, and certification.         

The primary requirements for becoming a Guest Teacher in ARIN Intermediate Unit 28 Guest Teacher Consortium are:

  1. Completion of a Bachelor’s degree program conferred by a regionally accredited college/university (a teaching certificate is NOT required).
  2. Completion of the Guest Teacher orientation training provided at ARIN IU 28.
  3. Completion and submission of all required forms.                                   

ARIN Guest Teacher Consortium members for the 2023-24 school year include:

  • ARIN IU 28
  • Apollo-Ridge
  • Armstrong
  • Homer-Center
  • Indiana Area
  • Marion Center Area
  • Penns Manor Area
  • Purchase Line
  • River Valley
  • United                                                                                                                                                   

All prospective Guest Teachers must submit an application and $35.00 fee.  Prospects must also complete the Guest Teacher Orientation. The Orientation is held at ARIN IU28 Central Office at 2895 West Pike Road, Indiana, PA – click here for directions. Orientation will be from 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Please note that if necessary, this training will be moved to an online format.

A participant must submit a check or money order made out to “ARIN IU 28 Guest Teacher Program” for $35.00 to cover costs related to the program, including the Emergency Permit fee. No cash please. If a check is returned due to insufficient funds, the applicant will be charged an additional $30.00. In the event an applicant is unable to attend the Orientation, the $35.00 check will be returned ONLY by contacting the IU at least 48 hours prior to the date of the orientation.

NOTE: ARIN reserves the right to cancel a scheduled Guest Teacher Orientation if fewer than 10 participants apply by the deadline. In the event of cancellation, all checks/money orders received will be mailed back to the applicants.  In the case of inclement weather we may cancel and reschedule the trainings.  Please check ARIN's SchoolCast page at HERE prior to driving to the IU.

To apply for the next orientation, click on and print the following documents: 

  • Guest Teacher - Directions and Checklist (below) includes all items required for program
  • Guest Teacher Application (below)
  • Official college transcripts requested by the applicant, showing earned bachelor's degree must be mailed and received directly from applicants college in a college-sealed envelope or received electronically from applicants college

Additional requirements to begin working on:

Note regarding clearances and health record:
Verification of clearances is required before you are eligible to teach in a classroom, and all clearances and health record must be less than one (1) year old at the actual date of hire. Completion of TB Test should not be done prior to the Orientation Program due to PA Department of Education requirements. Each applicant is to be approved at board meetings by each district in which you choose to substitute. This may take up to three months, please make sure your clearances are no more than nine (9) months old at that time.
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When can an applicant expect to start subbing, following participation in the orientation?

It depends on the following criteria:

  • All of an applicant’s clearances and other required forms are submitted to ARIN
  • Completed Observations
  • Verification of applicant reference checks
  • Approval at board meetings by each school district in which an applicant chooses to substitute (Board Meeting dates vary per school district)
  • Guest Teachers may be able to begin subbing 2-3 months following orientation (This is dependent on how quickly all documents are returned to us)