
First full week in May every year (May 1 – 5, 2023)
How to show your
subs you love them!
National Substitute Teacher Appreciation Week (SubWeek) is five days dedicated to the hundreds of thousands of wonderful individuals that fill in for permanent teachers everyday in the United States. This week is meant to be celebrated in conjunction with Teacher Appreciation Week. The dates coincide with the first full week in May. The success of this week is all up to you, and here is what you can do to keep your best individuals as substitute teachers.
View the How to Prepare for SubWeek Webinar at: STEDI.org/Webinars/
STEP 1: Invite your subs to enter the contest!

Please invite your substitute teachers to participate in our great giveaway. If you don’t invite them, they won’t be entered to win. Send them to:
STEDI.org/giveaway
Dear Substitute Teacher:
As part of national Substitute Teacher Appreciation Week (SubWeek) we invite you to participate in STEDI.org’s Giveaway. You may win an Apple Watch or one of many other prizes to be given away. There is nothing to buy, but it’s available to you to sign up for free.
The SubOffice
STEP 2: Download these free ideas!
Download these FREE documents loaded with ideas, activities, and resources to help you implement recognition for your substitute teachers.
- SubWeek Planning Schedule
- Activities for schools, administrators, and faculty
- Activities for parents, students, community
- Activities for districts and personnel offices
- Featured daily activities for SubWeek
- Helping substitute teachers feel appreciated
- National Substitute Teacher Recognition Week
- Public service announcement – 30 seconds
- Public service announcement – 60 seconds
- Sample “Letter to the Editor”
- Sample press release
- Listen to an interview with Tricia Griffeth of Hays CISD (below)
STEP 3: Tell us what you are doing!
Tell us how you have recognized your substitutes or
what you plan to do this year.
Why you must recognize your substitutes
- Bolsters morale of substitute teachers.
- Fosters a sense of loyalty to the district
- Increases activity in substitute teachers.
- Helps permanent teachers become more aware of the contributions of substitute teachers.
- Provides incentives for permanent teachers to keep lesson plans current and interesting.
- Often motivates new individuals to apply for substitute teacher positions.
- May facilitate a survey of substitutes’ needs and announce training planned for the coming year.