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Behind-the-Scenes Heroes in Public Education Honored
Baltimore County celebrates Education Support Professionals Day, Nov. 19

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NEA Executive Committee Member Paula Monroe, paraspecial educator Sarah Stevens, Baltimore Association of Clerical Employees president Gloria Collins, Baltimore County Office Professional of the Year Marlene Secoski, and Maryland State Delegate Steve Lafferty at Baltimore's Ridge Ruxton School appreciation breakfast held on Education Support Professionals Day, Wednesday, November 19, 2008.

Teachers, as well as county and state leaders, donned aprons and served breakfast to support professionals at Ridge Ruxton Middle School as part of the National Education Association’s Education Support Professionals Day celebration on November 19. The appreciation breakfast was sponsored by the school and members of the Teachers Association of Baltimore County (TABCO), and was part of a nationwide effort to recognize and honor individuals who take part in nearly every “behind the scenes” school day activity.

Edward Bennett, principal of Ridge Ruxton, State Delegate Steve Lafferty, and NEA Executive Committee member Paula Monroe were among those who congratulated the support staff for consistent commitment and diligence in serving the students. “We are proud to be the very heartbeat that makes great public schools in Baltimore County,” said Gloria Collins, president of the Baltimore (County) Assistants and Clerical Employees (Association), known as BACE. Ridge Ruxton has more than 128 special education students, serviced by a number of dedicated education support professionals (ESP) who are BACE/MSTA members.

Also present at the breakfast were the Baltimore County Paraeducator (formerly called Instructional Assistant) of the Year (Sarah Stevens) and Office Assistant of the Year (Marlene Secoski), the two major job categories represented by BACE. “We are committed to bringing our members out of the invisible workforce and emphasizing their importance to providing quality instruction and service to our students,” said Collins.

“ESPs devote countless hours to students and are critical members of the school team, yet they are not often readily recognizable to the general public,” said Paula Monroe, a high school secretary. “ESP Day is about taking the time to thank individuals who so greatly impact the lives of the students on a daily basis.”

Education Support Professionals Day is part of NEA’s 87th annual American Education Week celebration, taking place this year November 16–22. Education Support Professionals Day was first celebrated in 1987 after NEA’s Representative Assembly—the Association’s annual conference of 10,000 member delegates—called for the creation of a way to honor contributions of school support staff. Education Support Professionals Day is observed on Wednesday during American Education Week.

American Education Week’s tagline, Great Public Schools: A Basic Right and Our Responsibility, represents NEA’s vision of making public schools great for every child and the shared responsibility of all Americans to provide students with quality public schools.

To find out more about American Education Week, visit www.nea.org/aew or contact your local public school.