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Marquette-Alger RESA and a majority of its constituent local school districts have contracted with ESS/willSub to provide substitute teacher (and substitute aide) services.  Substitute applicants become employees of ESS/willSub.

Qualifications for subbing as a teacher are a valid Michigan teaching certificate or minimum of 60 semester credit hours from an accredited two or four year college or university (2.0 grade point or higher), and be able to pass a criminal history background check. Substitute aides must have a high school diploma and pass the same background checks.

Before starting the application process, you should review the Frequently Asked Questions for more complete details concerning qualifications, background checks, reporting of future offenses, and permits.

HOW TO APPLY:

1)Get Fingerprinted:

Pick up or request a Background Check Packet from the Marquette-Alger RESA Admin Office (321 E Ohio St., Marquette), OR print all the forms below.

Required Documents in packet:

• LiveScan Fingerprint Request*
• Outside-of-District Waiver
• Michigan Waiver Agreement
• Authorization and Release

*Complete the LiveScan Fingerprint Request Form and bring it, along with a picture ID, to a local live scan operator. Applicants are responsible for the fingerprinting cost. Listed below are some options in Marquette. Out-of-area applicants can check with their local police department or use IdentoGo to find other locations.

Marquette City Police Department - (906) 225-8435
Address: 236 W Baraga Ave, Marquette, MI 49855
Hours: 8:00 AM - Closes 4:30 PM (walk-ins welcome)
Cost: $80.00

IdentoGO (two locations - schedule appointment online)
Address: 228 W Washington St. Ste 4, Marquette, MI 49855
Hours: Tuesday & Thursday: 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM & 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Address: 201 Rublein St. Ste C, Marquette, MI 49855
Hours: Monday-Friday: 9:00 AM - 12:30 PM & 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Cost: $68.25

NMU - 906-227-2151
2073 Sugarloaf Ave. (Services Building)
Hours: 7 days a week, 24 hours a day - call prior to coming to make sure an officer is available
Cost: NMU Students - $55.00, Non-NMU Students - $80.00

Once you have been fingerprinted, the LiveScan form will be returned to you and the results of your fingerprinting will be sent to the Marquette-Alger RESA via a secure website. Save your LiveScan Form, as you are required to return it to the agency. It provides your consent for the school district to use your fingerprint results. 

If you have been fingerprinted for employment at another Michigan K-12 school system on or after January 1,  2006, and there hasn’t been a lapse of service of 12 months or longer, you can complete the attached  Fingerprint Waiver Form, and Marquette-Alger RESA will request your print results from your previous school. If the previous  school does not have your fingerprint report or has implemented a policy of not releasing this information, you  will have to get re-fingerprinted. 

2) Return the Documentation to Marquette-Alger RESA

Please return all originals to Marquette-Alger RESA. You may scan and email mpeterson@maresa.org to get the process started, but we will still need the originals on file. You can also mail the originals to 321 E. Ohio St., Marquette, MI 49855.

3) Sign Up with ESS Online

1. Visit the ESS Online Website
2. Click on the GREEN START button.
3. Create an account, making sure that your password shows as STRONG.
4. Check the email address that you used to create the application—search for noreply@willsub.com.
5. Open the email and click on START APPLICATION.
6. Re-enter the password you used to create the account.
7. Finalize the information and then click CREATE APPLICATION.

Application Tips:

You must have a valid email address to apply. WillSub uses emails as a frequent mode of communication.

Official transcripts are necessary to be a substitute teacher and obtain a substitute teaching permit. You are eligible to sub teach if you have 60 credits from an accredited college/university.

Make sure you list references that have VALID email addresses. You must provide at least 3 references. If you choose to upload reference letters instead, the letter must have valid signatures.

Make sure you get fingerprinted as soon as possible per the instructions above, as you cannot begin working until your background check has been approved.

You will be required to provide valid IDs for the I-9 form; normally a driver’s license and your social security card OR birth certificate (a valid passport will cover both of these IDs).

4) Pay Your Permit Bill (If Applicable)

ESS/WillSub will apply for permits for non-certified sub teachers, including those with expired Michigan teaching certificates. Permit bills are emailed directly to applicants from the State and the $45 fee must be paid by the applicant prior to inclusion on the active sub teacher list. Substitute aides do not need a permit to work.

Special Circumstances

MPSERS Retirees: Retired school employees who are collecting a pension from the Michigan Public School Employees Retirement System (MPSERS) should not sign up for subbing through ESS/willSub, and are paid via local district payroll.

Those who have unexpired Michigan teaching certificates can sub on a day-to-day basis by contacting the schools at which they want to work. Those who do not have teaching certificates or have expired certificates will need an annual sub permit in order to serve in this capacity.

Please contact your local school district or the Superintendent’s Office at Marquette-Alger RESA, (906)226-5100, or mpeterson@maresa.org, to request a permit, as the school could be penalized if you work without this coverage.

Additional Information/Instruction Documents

• Facts on Substitute Teaching
• School District Contacts
• Sub Rates of Pay
• Report Arraignment Form

Please return completed application forms in person or by mail to:

Melissa Peterson
Marquette-Alger Regional Educational Service Agency
321 East Ohio Street
Marquette, MI 49855
906-226-5100
Email: mpeterson@maresa.org

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Become a Certified Teacher! Talent Together is an innovative partnership led by 48 Michigan Intermediate School Districts, supported by the Michigan Educator Workforce Initiative in collaboration with 9 Michigan Colleges and Universities.  Website Link

What we offer

• Competitive wages.
• Excellent benefits including health, dental, vision, retirement, paid time off, and more. 
• Professional development. 
• Opportunities for advancement. 
• And more!

Who we serve

• 13 local school districts throughout Marquette and Alger counties.
• Over 9,000 students. 
• Students in Special Education, Early On, Great Start Collaborative, Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP), Career and Technical Education (CTE), and Marquette-Alger Middle Technical College (MAMTC). 

Our values

We value education, childhood development, providing accessible resources, removing barriers, community involvement, advocacy, collaboration, and innovation. 

How we fit into our larger educational community

• We provide the twelve school districts and one public school academy of Marquette and Alger counties with the supports necessary to enable them to develop communities filled with learners prepared to be successful, productive, and responsible citizens.
• We offer Early Childhood Education, Career and Technical Education, Transition Classroom Programs, and more!

Who we work with in the larger U.P. community

• Lake Superior Community Partnership (LSCP). 
• Superior Health Foundation. 
• Upper Peninsula Health System. 
• Superior Alliance for Independent Living.
• Pathways Community Mental Health. 
• Great Lakes Recovery Center. 
• Teaching Family Homes of Upper Michigan. 
• And more! 

Working in Marquette

• Beautiful location of the Upper Peninsula.
• Two blocks from Downtown Marquette.
• Two blocks from Lake Superior.
• Biggest city in the Upper Peninsula.
• County seat of Marquette County.
• Home to Northern Michigan University.

Links to community tools/resources

Travel Marquette Website & Travel Marquette 2023 Digital Magazine - Recreation, dining, and entertainment opportunities.

LSCP Living Here – Resources for real estate, rentals, education, and Marquette's awards. 

LSCP Why Marquette County - Marquette statistics, demographics, history, and recreation.

Invest UP – Information about living and working in Michigan’s beautiful Upper Peninsula.

List of Local Businesses - Marquette County.

Marquette County Data Booklet 2021 – Interesting facts, figures, and statistics about Marquette County.