Substitute plans: [Teacher name]

Room [number] · [Weekday, Month DD]

How to use this template

Most of this rarely changes. Keep Start here, Routines, Helpers, Behavior and Emergencies up to date and you always have emergency plans ready. For each absence, rewrite the date, the schedule, the students to know and the lesson plans. Copy one lesson section, from its heading down to the divider under it, for each class or subject block, and write it so it runs with no explanation from you: the pages, the task, and what counts as done.

Under Students to know, write only what the substitute needs today, as what to do: “Severe nut allergy; medication in the nurse's office. Call the nurse at once; never send her alone.” Diagnoses stay with the nurse and the counselor; accommodations come from each student's IEP or 504 plan.

Before you leave:

  • Two printed copies: one on your desk, one for the front office

  • Seating charts and class lists, one per class, behind this page

  • Every copy, book and file the lessons name is where the plans say it is

  • The emergency folder is in its place, with current class lists

  • No passwords and no diagnoses written anywhere in this document

Start here

  • Arrive by:

  • Sign in and pick up keys at:

  • This folder lives:

  • Help next door:

  • Front office: ext.

  • Technology and logins:

  • Duties today:

Today's schedule

Time

Class

Where

Notes

Students to know about

Only what's needed today, written as what to do.

Student

Class

What to know

What to do

Lesson plans

[Period]: [Course name]

Where we are

Goal today

Materials

Collect

If time is left

  1. Warm-up (5 min):

  2. Directions (5 min):

  3. Work (30 min):

  4. Wrap-up (5 min):

Routines

Arrival

Attendance

Quiet signal

Bathroom

Getting help

Devices

Turning in work

Early finishers

End of class

Lunch, dismissal

Seating charts and helpers

  • Seating charts:

  • Helpers who know the routines:

Behavior

  • Class rules:

  • What usually works:

  • If it escalates, call:

  • Please write down: names and what happened; I will follow up

In an emergency

  • Emergency folder:

  • Nurse: ext.

  • Administrator on duty:

  • Classroom door and key:

  • Fire alarm:

  • Lockdown:

  • Severe weather:

  • Medical:

Notes from the substitute

Thank you for today. Please fill this in before you leave and put it on my desk.

Class

Absent

Got done

Notes

  • Students who helped:

  • Please follow up on:

  • Messages, visitors and calls:

  • Your name and contact: