The job of securing substitute teachers will soon be performed over the Internet and through the use of interactive voice response technology.
The program, known more commonly as AESOP (Automated Educational Substitute Operator), uses the internet and a telephone system to enable the district's teachers to record their absences and its substitute teachers to be notified of those absences either by the Internet or telephone.
Dr. Richard Hill, assistant superintendent for personnel, says the AESOP system is intended to accomplish several objectives. Foremost among them is a desire to relieve teachers from having to secure a substitute when they are sick or when they are needed to care for a family member who is ill.
"Helping to attain a 100 percent fulfillment rate when teachers are absent, filling openings more quickly, and ensuring that those substitutes called to work are of the highest quality are other outcomes the AESOP system is anticipated to provide," Hill stated.
Hill examined several programs providing services similar to AESOP. After contacting approximately twenty-five school districts in Georgia who used automated programs, Hill narrowed the choices to two.
A committee consisting of Mrs. Jennifer Randall, principal of Lanier Elementary, Dr. Aaron Turpin, Davis Middle School principal, and Mr. Gary Brown principal of North Hall High School , attended presentations made by the two final companies.
In considering the committee's recommendation, Hill remarked that "one of the reasons AESOP was chosen was because it did not require the purchase of any computer equipment or additional telephone lines. The system is Web-based and uses a bank of toll-free telephone lines maintained by AESOP. Also, there is no long-term commitment or capital investment expense if the program does not meet the needs of the school system. The service can be cancelled at any time."
A specialist from AESOP will be in Hall County to introduce the program to substitute teachers on Tuesday, December 10, at Flowery Branch High School . Sessions are scheduled at 12 p.m. , 2 p.m. , and 7 p.m. , and will last approximately two hours each. Substitute teachers are encouraged to attend one of these three sessions.
On Wednesday and Thursday, school administrators and secretaries will attend training sessions at the school system's Technology Center . Administrators will then instruct their teachers in the use of the AESOP program.
HOW IT WORKS
To use the system, teachers simply log on to the Internet and post their absence. If they prefer, they can call a toll-free telephone number to record their absence.
As soon as a vacancy is posted, the AESOP system begins telephoning substitute teachers until the position is filled. The school system's approved substitutes can also log on to the Internet using a personal identification number and view openings as soon as they are posted, or they can telephone a toll-free number to peruse vacancies for a particular day. Only the district-approved substitutes have access to the system.
Approximately 180 school districts in the United States utilize the services provided by AESOP.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2002/12/186779