Substitute Teacher Requests

TimelyChurch includes a built-in substitute request system that allows teachers to request coverage when they are unable to teach their assigned class. Other teachers can view open requests and volunteer to fill in, ensuring every class is covered.

How Substitute Requests Work

The substitute request workflow involves three steps:

1. A teacher creates a sub request for one of their scheduled classes.
2. The team is notified via in-app notifications and email.
3. Another teacher claims the request, and the schedule is automatically updated with the new teacher.

Requesting a Substitute (Teacher Perspective)

Teachers request substitutes from their portal:

1. Log in and navigate to My Schedule from the portal.
2. Find the upcoming schedule entry where you need a substitute.
3. Click Request Sub.
4. Fill in the request details:
   • Reason (optional) -- Explain why you need a substitute (e.g., "Family vacation," "Illness," "Out of town").
   • Urgency -- Set the urgency level:
     • Low -- The date is far out and there is plenty of time to find coverage.
     • Normal -- Standard request with reasonable lead time.
     • Urgent -- The class is coming up very soon and coverage is needed immediately.
5. Submit the request.

What Happens Next

• The schedule status automatically changes to Needs Substitute.
• All teachers in the church receive a notification about the open sub request.
• The requesting teacher's name, the class name, the date, and the urgency level are included in the notification.

Claiming a Substitute Request (Volunteer Perspective)

When another teacher sees an open sub request and is available:

1. Navigate to My Schedule in the portal.
2. Open sub requests appear in a dedicated section of the schedule page.
3. Requests where you were personally invited are highlighted separately at the top.
4. Review the request details:
   • Which class needs coverage.
   • The date.
   • The lesson to be taught (if one is assigned).
   • Who originally requested the sub.
   • The urgency level.
5. Click Claim to volunteer for the assignment.
6. You are now assigned as the teacher for that schedule entry.

After Claiming

• The sub request status changes to Fulfilled.
• The schedule is updated with the new teacher and the status changes to Confirmed.
• The original teacher is notified that their request has been filled.
• If the schedule had supply request conversations (e.g., requests for craft supplies), those conversations are automatically transferred to the new teacher. A system message is added to each conversation to note the handoff.

Declining a Request

If you view a sub request but cannot help, you can click Decline. Declining simply dismisses the request from your view -- it remains open for other teachers to claim.

Invited Substitute Requests

In addition to broadcasting sub requests to all teachers, the system supports targeted invitations:

• Admins can invite specific teachers to a sub request by selecting them from the teacher list.
• Invited teachers see these requests in a separate "Invited" section of their schedule page, making them more prominent than general open requests.
• Invitation tracking records which teachers were invited and when notifications were sent.

Managing Sub Requests (Admin Perspective)

Viewing Open Requests

Admins can see open sub requests through:

• The schedule management interface, where schedules with "Needs Substitute" status are flagged.
• The "Need Attention" system, which highlights schedules without a teacher.

Assigning a Substitute Directly

If no teacher volunteers, an admin can directly assign a substitute:

1. Find the schedule entry that needs a substitute.
2. Change the assigned teacher to the substitute.
3. The schedule status returns to "Scheduled" or "Confirmed."

Cancelling a Sub Request

If the original teacher's plans change and they can teach after all:

1. The sub request can be cancelled.
2. The schedule status returns to "Scheduled."
3. No further notifications are sent for this request.

Urgency Levels

Urgent requests are prioritized in notification delivery and may trigger additional follow-up reminders.

Automatic Reminders

The system automatically sends follow-up reminders for open sub requests:

• Reminders are sent for requests that have been open for more than 24 hours.
• Only requests for upcoming (future) dates receive reminders.
• Each reminder is tracked to prevent duplicate notifications.
• The notification count is recorded so admins can see how many times a request has been broadcast.

Delivery Schedule

Sub-request reminders are sent as part of TimelyChurch's daily notifications:

• When they go out: Each morning at 8:00 AM in your church's own local timezone, so every church gets its reminders at a sensible local hour.
• What's included: TimelyChurch finds every open sub request whose class date is still in the future and that has gone 24+ hours without a response, then re-sends invitations and alerts your church admins.

If reminders aren't going out, check that the relevant sub request is older than 24 hours and the class date is still in the future.

Connection to Teacher Confirmation

The substitute request system is directly linked to the teacher confirmation workflow:

• When a teacher declines a teaching assignment (through the confirmation workflow), the schedule automatically transitions to "Needs Substitute" status.
• The decline reason provided by the teacher is recorded.
• This can trigger the creation of a new sub request or flag the schedule for admin attention.

Sub Request Statuses

Tips for Managing Substitutes

• Encourage early requests -- The sooner a teacher knows they cannot make it, the more time there is to find a substitute.
• Use urgency levels -- Setting the right urgency helps other teachers prioritize which requests need immediate attention.
• Leverage targeted invitations -- If you know which teachers are available, invite them directly rather than waiting for a volunteer.
• Monitor open requests -- Regularly check for sub requests that remain open as the date approaches. If no one has claimed a request within a few days, consider directly assigning a substitute.
• Provide a reason -- Teachers should include a reason when requesting a sub. This helps other teachers understand the situation and may encourage them to volunteer.