Puyallup School District
Student Teachers
Overview
Puyallup School District is dedicated to contributing to excellence to future educators by offering quality practicum and student teaching experiences. Student teaching is considered to be the single most important experience in a teacher preparation program. By working together, we hope to nurture the professional growth of teacher candidates, support the continued professional development of cooperating teachers, and provide for quality learning experiences for the children in our school.
Student Teacher Placement Application Process
Student Teacher Agreement/Contract
If a college/university wishes to place a student in their education program in Puyallup School District for observation, practicum, and/or student teaching, the following must be on file with the district:
- Current Student Teaching Agreement/Contract
- Proof of Liability Insurance
Requesting a Placement
After a contract has been established and an insurance policy is on file, university placement officers may contact placement coordinator Shelly Teele to request practicum and student teaching placements. Per district policy, placements are not made by students or college/university personnel contacting a teacher or principal directly.
The placement request must include the following information:
- Student’s name, subject area/endorsement requirements, and duration of placement
- Student’s resume
- Student’s requested school(s), grade level(s), and/or host teacher(s)
Prior to beginning their practicum or student teaching experience, the following must be verified (placements will not be finalized until it has been verified that the student has met all requirements):
- Proof of Fingerprinting*
- Proof of Puyallup SD Volunteer Approval Status
- Washington State Pre-Residency Certificate of Clearance**
*The state of Washington requires that everyone who has contact with students in the school setting be fingerprinted prior to starting their assignments. Request for placement will not be processed and student teachers will not be allowed into the classroom without proof of current fingerprints.
**OUT-OF-STATE UNIVERSITIES ONLY: Placement requests will need to obtain a pre-residency clearance prior to placement. For details on the documents needed and application process to obtain this pre-certificate clearance, please click on the OSPI link below:
When placement has been confirmed, the University Coordinator will be notified with the student teacher placement information, including school location, grade level, host teacher and administrator contact information, and further instructions if needed.
The Puyallup School District strives to meet the needs of the many requests received throughout the year, however not all requests can be accommodated so it is encouraged to seek placements at multiple districts in the area and submit requests using the following timeline:
By November 30th for Winter quarter/semester By January 31st for Spring quarter/semester By May 4th for Fall quarter/semester
Puyallup School District Paraeducators
If you are a current Puyallup SD paraeducator seeking a student teaching placement in the district, please click here for guidance on requesting leave and bargaining agreement requirements. The process for requesting a student teaching placement is the same as above.