When he retired after 30 years in education, Robert Bonhomme didn't expect to find himself bored at home.
The longtime math and physics teacher returned to the classroom one year later and rarely misses a day, he said Friday, Nov. 21. Friday is National Substitute Educator Appreciation Day, and Bonhomme is one of the many who serve a critical role in the District.
"Schools everywhere are really in need of substitutes, he said. "Plus, I really love teaching."
Bonhomme's career in public education began in 1993 as a bus driver for PPS. He drove for five years while attending college to become a teacher. He would then go on to teach in Decatur Public Schools for nearly three decades before hanging up his teaching hat.
But he didn't stay away long.
The State of Michigan requires retired teachers to not work in public education for a period of time before they can return as a substitute. When a job in the private sector didn't pan out, Bonhomme found himself bored at home.
He took classes at Kalamazoo Valley Community College and later answered a job posting for a long-term math substitute at NHS.
"It's better when students can have the same sub in a class because they start to know you," he said.
He prefers those longer-term assignments, but said he will show up where he's needed. Earlier this week, he taught in a 6th grade math class, where the students' obsession with the trend "6-7" was hard to avoid when teaching about numbers.
Friday, he was helping out in an English class at PNHS.
Substitutes serve in this critical role at buildings across our District. If you or someone you know is interested in working as a substitute educator, please visit the PPS Employment Webpage.