By CHAD COOPER
Buchanan County Public Schools has scheduled two in-service training sessions later this month for substitute teachers, instructional aides, cafeteria staff, custodial staff, coaching staff, nurses and volunteers preparing for the 2026-27 school year.
The first session is for returning substitute teachers, instructional aides, cafeteria staff, custodial staff, nurses, coaching staff and volunteers. It will be held July 28 at 9 a.m. at Riverview Elementary/Middle School.
Attendance is required for anyone wishing to remain on the 2026-27 substitute, coach or volunteer list.
A second in-service for individuals who are new to substitute teaching, instructional aide positions, cafeteria or custodial work, coaching or volunteer service will be held July 29 at 8:30 a.m. at the Buchanan County School Board Office. Attendance is required for all new personnel.
New participants must bring two forms of identification, such as a driver’s license and Social Security card, along with direct deposit information and a voided check. Those with a college degree also should bring an official transcript.
Several fees are required for new substitutes and must be paid in cash on the day of the training. The fees include $27 for Live Scan fingerprinting, $17.05 for TB screening, $96 for a lab service drug screen and $12.30 for a Central Registry background search, for a total of $135.30. BCPS said exact cash and change are required.
The Live Scan fingerprinting must be completed at the Buchanan County Sheriff’s Office, while TB screenings are available through the Buchanan County Health Department.
The substitute pay scale for the 2026-27 school year includes $172 per day for teachers with bachelor’s or master’s degrees who possess a valid Collegiate Professional license and serve as long-term substitutes. Teachers with bachelor’s or master’s degrees working periodically as substitutes will earn $107.25 per day.
Substitutes with associate degrees, two years of college or equivalent coursework will receive $98.25 per day, while high school graduates or those with equivalent credentials will earn $95.78 per day. Cafeteria and custodial substitutes are paid $12.77 per hour.
BCPS said all substitute teachers will be paid on the high school graduate pay scale until an official college transcript is submitted to Becky Harrison, human resources director, at the Buchanan County School Board Office.
The next in-service session for new substitutes is scheduled for January 2027.
For more information, contact Harrison at 276-935-4551.
