Swing Education’s mission is to connect schools that serve a wide diversity of students and
communities across the United States with caring, hard-working teachers like you. In support of this
mission, Swing Education aims to meet the needs of schools on its online platform (“Swing Education
Platform” or “Platform”) and also understand the challenges of substitute teaching.
Although the specific protocols and rules of schools can be different, we have prepared a list of suggestions that we have found will help teachers be successful in most situations across all schools.
In the event that the school or you are not satisfied with your experience at any assignment, the
school or you can request to be unlinked from each other. When a school requests to unlink you, we
strive to provide you with any actionable feedback we receive so you can reflect on and improve
your practice.
We want you to succeed on the Platform, and we are happy to support those who
indicate that they have a desire to continue growing as an educator through the Platform.
There are some behaviors, however, which are safety concerns and never acceptable at any school.
They, therefore, can be grounds for immediate removal from the Platform.
Obligations Concerning Student Safety
Some behaviors are never acceptable at any school and can be grounds for removal from the
Platform. They could also result in schools or parents pursuing legal actions. Any educator
involvement in any one of these behaviors will be taken very seriously, both by Swing Education and
the schools. We caution you to avoid the following behaviors to be successful at a school:
● Physical contact with a student or their belongings
● Interaction with a student or staff that can be considered lewd or sexual harassment
● Use of inappropriate language (socially offensive/lewd) or verbal abuse of a student, staff
member, parent, or member of the public while on school property
● Commenting on a student’s personal appearance/characteristics, identities, abilities, or known
disability
● Sole custody of a student in a private setting
● Leaving students unattended or not actively monitoring the class (ex: sleeping, being engaged
with electronic devices, ignoring safety issues)
● Leaving the school grounds during school hours without notifying school administration
● Bringing or showing unauthorized movies (including but not limited to internet clips) or
photographs to the students
● Transporting students in a vehicle
● Providing medication to a student (either intentionally or through negligence)
● Attempting to contact or be contacted by a student outside of the assignment
● Removing school property from school grounds or fail to return school property
● Sharing or otherwise disclosing confidential information about a student or school employee
with any unauthorized third party (including but not limited to photographs, recordings, social
media posts, or discussing a student's information - especially about a student’s disability or
learning accommodations.
Keys to Succeeding when Accepting Assignments
Reliability is extremely important to schools. By following these expectations, you have the opportunity to earn Star Sub status.
● Come to and complete all accepted assignments according to all the dates and times listed o the assignment
● Use the Swing Education Platform to cancel an assignment, if you are no longer able to meet the assignment requirements
● Avoid canceling any assignments less than 24 hours before the assignment start time
Keys to Succeeding On the Day of an Assignment
First impressions matter, you may find yourself developing your network! Follow these tips to make a great first impression.
Checking In:
● Arrive on time or earlier than the expected start time to give yourself some time to prepare
● Contact the school immediately via phone if there is an emergency cancellation or tardy
○ Contact Swing Education Support (support@swingeducation.com) to explain the
nature of the cancel or tardy. This also helps us confirm any appropriate changes to the
assignment.
● Follow the school’s dress code
● Follow the school’s check-in procedures
● Ask questions to understand how you can fill the school’s needs
● Communicate professionally with all school staff.
○ Do not use curse words or derogatory language
○ Avoid discussing controversial or polarizing topics such as politics, religion, drugs,
sexuality, etc.
Before Class Starts:
● Read over lesson plans and prepare materials needed to execute the plans
● Familiarize yourself with the school’s behavior management policies and style
● Familiarize yourself with all school safety equipment, including but not limited to emergency
exits, fire extinguishers, and eye washes, as well as emergency and other safety protocols
including but not limited to lockdown procedures, codewords, fire/earthquake/tornado
procedures, and medical emergencies
● Make sure you know how to communicate with your point of contact while in the classroom
During Class:
When executing classroom duties,
● Never leave students unattended
● Make sure all students are accounted for by following procedures for attendance, hallway
passes, and transitions
ICSS.KSS.061423
● Actively monitor students - do not use personal electronics, read, or sleep
● Follow the lesson plan and/or instructions provided by the school
● Commit to remaining objective with students and the learning material, without bias or prejudice
● Communicate promptly with staff if there is a safety concern in the classroom
● If you are working as a substitute teacher’s aide or paraprofessional, follow the directions of the lead teacher
When interacting with students
● State and uphold behavioral expectations so the class maintains a safe learning environment
● Treat all students with courtesy, kindness, and respect at all times
● Engage with students by doing things such as answering their questions and walking around the classroom.
● Understand and respect the values and traditions of the diverse cultures represented in the
community and in their classroom
● Avoid discussing controversial and polarizing topics, including but not limited to: religion, race, politics, sex, drugs, etc.
Passing Periods / Lunch / Planning Periods / Recess:
● Follow all hallway, transition, and dismissal procedures
● Only dismiss students at the bell or designated dismissal time
● Follow any break, lunch, planning period, or recess procedures
● Do not leave students unattended; wait until a qualified adult is present
● Ask permission and inform staff if you need to leave campus