Kelli Purington, who has been a substitute teacher at Center Woods Elementary School for five years, says her favorite part of being a sub is being able to see students every day and watching them progress from kindergarten to third grade.

“I get to see how they grow through the years,” Purington said.

What prompted Kelli to switch careers from dental assistant to substitute teacher?

“As a mom with two kids in the district, it makes so much sense,” Purington said. “I drop my kids off at Weare Middle, finish getting ready for work, and head off to Center Woods Elementary School. No commute.”

When she gets to school, she checks the sub board to see where she is teaching that day. She often wears many hats, covering multiple positions.

“I’ve joked with Principal Jess Potter that I’ve subbed for every position in this building except hers,” she laughed.

The flexible schedule is the prime reason Purington has stayed on as a substitute teacher. As a soccer mom who drives kids to games, she’s able to coordinate with the school when she needs to leave early.

“If I have an appointment or something else on a given day, I just let them know I can’t work that day,” she said.

While Kelli has received offers to switch to a paraeducator role, she likes the flexibility of being a substitute teacher. Not committing to working every day gives her what she needs and wants as a mom with two kids in middle school.

“If you have a sick kid or just want to work part-time, it is a great position within the district to work,” Purington said.

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