“We’re everyone other than the teachers,” said David Cramer with a laugh when asked how he feels about being recognized during educational support professional’s week March 9-13. Cramer has been a printer in Kent School District’s Central Administration Center Print Shop for almost 25 years and is one of many education support professionals who help support our mission to successfully prepare all students for their futures. 

By supporting the learning environment, education support professionals are crucial partners with teachers, parents, administrators, and our school board.  

“We do not have ‘one-size-fits-all’ students,” Karen Flick explained. She’s a paraeducator at Emerald Park Elementary School and the President of her bargaining group, the Kent Association of Paraeducators. “We have to be patient, flexible, creative, and have a sense of humor,” she added. 

Flick is one of more than 600 paraeducators who help support teachers and students in KSD. She said her role depends on building connections with students and developing strategies to help them learn.  

“We have to think analytically, creatively, and logically to meet the diverse needs of our students,” flick explained. “We are constantly adapting lessons when a student does not ‘get it’ until we find what works best for them.” 

Cramer said those same traits apply to the print shop.  

“A lot has changed since I started in 1996, but we still print, bind, copy, and mail most of what goes out to our families,” he explained. “We’re a vital asset, but it’s a good thing that people don’t realize what goes into printing and mailing thousands of report cards and letters home, it means we’re doing our jobs right.” 

Paraeducators and printers aren’t the only education support professionals who work in multiple buildings.  

We rely on nutrition services staff to prepare and serve thousands of meals daily, our bus drivers to transport more than 10,000 students each day, our customer support and IT staff to keep technology working in our classrooms, our Safety Services team to keep staff and students safe, our administrative support teams at both schools and district offices, and our custodial, maintenance, and grounds staff to keep all of our schools clean and maintained. 

“Having a safe and clean school helps students learn and teachers teach,” explained Pao Heu, a custodian who has worked at schools throughout our district. “I have six kids of my own, so I know that sometimes leading by example is the best way to help and support them.” 

Please join us during the week of March 9-13, and all year long, in thanking our educational support professionals for their dedication to both our students and our community. 

Article Source: Kent Meridian High School