Occasional Teaching and Long Term Occasional Teaching

How do I apply for Occasional Teaching?
You are required to submit an on-line application at no charge to you. Applications may be found on our website under careers, and then opportunities at our board. The York Region District School Board does not accept paper applications, fax transmissions or e-mailed applications. Applications e-mailed, faxed or given directly to Hiring Managers will not be accepted nor acknowledged.

To whom should I address my cover letter?
Cover letters should be addressed to Hiring Committee, Human Resource Services, York Region District School Board.

Should I send in hard copies?
No. We do not accept hard copies of any documentation sent via fax/e-mail/mail as you must submit an online application. Please note that copies of letters of reference, transcripts, diplomas, résumés and evaluations may be provided at the time of interview or provided as attachments in the online application.

I applied on-line last year. Do I have to re-apply every year?
Yes. Each year is a new hiring year and all applicants will need to re-apply as your application will expire at the end of each school year.

How do I get on the Occasional teaching list?
The occasional teaching applications are separate on-line applications. Once you have submitted an on-line occasional teaching application, the Board may invite you to participate in the occasional teacher selection process. In order to be placed on the occasional teaching list, you must be successful in all components of the selection process (interview, practicum, reference checks and training).

Do I need a teaching certificate to be an occasional teacher?
You are required to be a member in good standing with the Ontario College of Teachers. At times, the York Region District School Board will consider those who do not have qualifications with the Ontario College of Teachers for specific high need subject areas i.e. French Immersion and Music.

Is it true that you must be on the occasional teacher list in order to be considered for a permanent teaching position?
We understand that some teachers may only be interested in permanent teaching opportunities and that occasional teaching may not be an option. However, Administrators are encouraged to give current occasional teachers the opportunity first when filling their vacancies.

I am an occasional teacher with the York Region District School Board; do I need to reapply every year?
If you are looking for permanent (full-time) employment you will need to fill out an on-line application every year. As you are already hired as an occasional teacher, there is no need to reapply for occasional teaching every year. Near the end of the school year, a renewal package will be e-mailed to you by Human Resource Services asking if you still wish to be on the occasional teaching list. If you are interested in remaining on the occasional teaching list, you are required to complete the required documentation and send it into Human Resource Services by the deadline noted on the letter.

How do I apply for Long Term Occasional teaching positions?
You must be on the occasional teacher list to be considered for Long-Term Occasional teaching positions. These opportunities are posted internally through the Board’s intranet site and are only available to internal candidates.

If I accept a Long-Term Occasional teaching position, does that stop me from getting a contract teaching position?
No. If you accept a Long-Term Occasional teaching position and at a later date are offered a contract teaching position, you may accept the contract teaching position and the Long Term Occasional assignment will be re-posted.

I have been hired for a Long Term Occasional teaching assignment, but I am not on the Occasional teaching list, does this mean I will automatically be placed on the Occasional teaching list?
At times, candidates are hired as external Long Term Occasional teachers when we are not able to fill internally. Getting a Long Term Occasional teaching position does not automatically get you placed on the Occasional teaching list. Once your Long Term Occasional teaching assignment ends, the Occasional teaching department will review and determine whether there is a need to have you placed on the Occasional teaching list. Typically, this only pertains to the high need subject areas.

What is the status of my application?
Your application will remain active throughout the hiring season. Only those candidates who are selected to move forward in the process will be contacted via e-mail. You will be informed electronically when a new application is required.

I keep getting messages from yrdsb@recruitingsite.com. Who is this?
Workstream manages the on-line application database for the York Region District School Board. This address allows us to send messages to you at the e-mail address provided in your on-line application. Applicants are encouraged to reply to and send messages and responses to careers@yrdsb.edu.on.ca

How many references do I need?
You are required to submit the names of 3 professional business references including their current address, telephone number, e-mail address and position title. Also, please ensure that one of your references is your most current employer, if applicable.

What do I do if I need to make changes to my on-line application?
Please e-mail Recruitment and Retention Services at careers@yrdsb.edu.on.ca and request a link(s) to your application(s).

Should I apply at each individual school?
No. Do not send your applications to individual school locations. Applications e-mailed, faxed or given directly to Hiring Managers will not be accepted nor acknowledged.

How do I access the names and addresses of school locations?
Schools at a Glance provides the names, addresses, and telephone and fax numbers of all York Region District School Board schools.

How do I get an interview?
If you are invited to attend an interview, you will be contacted via e-mail or telephone to coordinate your interview. All applications will be screened based on the required education, experience and qualifications as noted in the posting and/or job description as reflected in the application. Only those candidates meeting these criteria will be eligible to participate in the selection process and only qualified candidates will be contacted.

What two attachments should I include as part of my online application?
Applicants may include any documents you feel would be relevant to your application or the position you are applying for. Common attachments include formatted versions of the cover letter and résumé, and reference letters. Only files with the following extensions are accepted and accessible by the York Region District School Board: jpg, rtf, doc, gif, jpeg, pdf, txt, zip, wpd, wpe.

I submitted my application, how do I know if it went through?
When you submit your application, an acknowledgement message will be sent to your e-mail account indicating that we have received your application.

What does the “SKILLS” section on the application mean?
The “SKILLS” section is the area for you to tell us about your additional skills or qualifications that may not have been identified in the application’s screening questions. It also gives you the ability to rate yourself on those skills/qualifications. (example: data entry, Excel, Word, customer service, etc.)

My résumé doesn’t look good when I copy and paste it. Did you receive it okay?
Your résumé may look different to you but it formats properly when received by us. The on-line application has an option of including attachments, allowing applicants the choice of also including a formatted version of their résumé.

Do I still need to copy and paste my résumé and cover letter if I have attached them?
Yes. It is still necessary to copy and paste your résumé and cover letter into the appropriate fields in the application for search purposes. The data in these fields is searchable data, whereas the information provided in the attachments is not included as searchable data.

How do I add/delete attachments?
You first need to request a link to access your application, and then when you open up the link, you will be on page 1 of your application. Scroll down to the bottom of the page and type in a reason for updating your application, click update and you will be directed to the next page where you may add/delete attachments as needed.

What documents are required by the York Region District School Board?
As a condition of and prior to commencing employment, successful candidates will be required to provide a vulnerable sector screening obtained within the last six months, and a satisfactory medical examination report obtained within the last twelve months. Dependent on the position you are being considered for you may/will be asked to supply your teaching evaluations and/or practice teaching reports and/or proof of education.