Learning: ESP on the Team
Giving ESP a Chance To Grow

Provide employees professional development opportunities, recognize and honor their work--then watch them grow.

Pinellas County ESP like Geneva Kelly took the district's certificate program o learn new job skills.

That's the formula one Florida support staff union has worked out with district administrators for creating an environment that builds staff morale and improves job performance.

Their venture, called the Certificate of Distinction Program, has participants complete coursework in four areas: orientation, district strategic directions, diversity training, and quality concepts.

"It's a wonderful program," says special education teaching assistant Patricia McNeil, who received her certificate last year. "It opened my eyes to new ways to help kids. We have so many different children with so many different needs. The classes helped me understand their needs."

Two years ago, the pilot program was available to secretaries only. Fifty participants were expected; 150 signed up. And of these, 36 earned the certificate.

Pinellas County ESP like Geneva Kelly took the district's certificate program o learn new job skills.

Last year, the program was opened to all 1,040 members of the Pinellas Educational Support Personnel Association. Unit members include clerical staff, teaching assistants, special education assistants, secretaries, and other job categories.

Another 500 support staff earned their certificate in 1999-2000, and more than 2,000 have gone through orientation to begin the program.

The program has become so successful that planning has begun on Certificate of Distinction Level II. "I'll definitely do that, too," says McNeil.

"Program growth has been phenomenal," says Rik McNeill, one of four NEA UniServ directors involved in providing trainings.

"We're concerned about turnover. This program gives staff members a small financial incentive to stay. It also increases self-esteem and causes more employees to stick with employment here and even seek advancement in the district," he adds.

McNeill leads orientations and diversity trainings. "Those who complete the program become stronger advocates for kids. Going through the process gives a sense of empowerment, and they seem appreciative for the opportunity to learn. It's a great experience from a trainer's perspective to work with folks who want to improve their skills."

Several employees who have earned certificates have now shown an interest in becoming trainers and are mentoring others working on certificates.

Gloria Smith helped start the program and now serves as district-wide coordinator. You can't overestimate the importance of support staff, Smith says. "They're the basis of education."

Adds local President Carolyn Smith, "Support staff aren't in these jobs for the money. They're here because they care."

That points to the true reward of the Certificate of Distinction program. Because support staff care, when their caring is recognized and they feel valued, student learning will be enhanced.

--Tom Nordby

What's It All About?

To achieve the Certificate of Distinction, participants must complete coursework in four key areas:

• Orientation
• District strategic directions
• Diversity training
• Quality concepts

When course work is complete, participants receive a $200 check before winter holidays, which they continue to receive annually. Asked if the check is important, Patricia McNeil says, "It is. Support staff doesn't get paid enough. That helped at Christmas time."

Most trainings take place on teacher in-service days, half days that students have off, evenings, or on weekends.

Team Player
Working Together, Solving Problems

School custodian Hilton Malone wants professional development for all ESP.

Name: Hilton Malone

Job Title: Custodian at Shelton Middle School, Shelton, Washington; president, Shelton Education Support Personnel Association.

How we're organized: Many teachers, not all, have gained access and time for high-quality professional development activities.

Opportunities have not been so readily available to support personnel. That's changing in the Washington Education Association's Chinook UniServ area here in the western part of Washington State. The UniServ office serves 44 locals, 12 of which are support personnel locals.

Many of the support locals have formed joint committees with administrators to discuss professional development.

My local began such talks last year. The bargaining unit consists of custodial and maintenance personnel, educational assistants, and food service employees.

Our members wanted help on issues such as stress reduction, crisis intervention with students, and training on various types of equipment.

Offering opportunities: Sometimes people ask: How do adult learning opportunities enhance support members' critical work as part of the team delivering all phases of education to children?

Well, to continue to improve the services we provide, our members must receive access to quality professional development opportunities. It's highly beneficial to us personally and to our students.

By creating a more efficient and more pleasant work environment, we make things better for everyone--including students. Not that it's bad now. We're just always looking for ways to improve.

Setting goals: My goals when I became local president were to get membership numbers up and get ESP involved in the community. We want people in town to know that bargaining unit members are here to support our children and to help in our community.

Sometimes members wonder how the union can help--"What does the union do for me?'' So I sometimes respond by asking, "What do you do for your union?" The union does training programs, and we get to network and meet people in the same boat we're in. They can identify with what we're going through.

As local president, I meet monthly with the new superintendent who started last fall.

Together we encourage ESP staff to be on "solution teams" to help solve problems identified by staff. It's really neat. There are nine members on each solution team, and I believe such teams bring up staff morale by getting more people involved in problem solving.

Our teamwork concept works well in Shelton!

Resources

What's your job?
No matter what your job, there's a Web site, or two, or three for you. Sites may also lead you to other fun and helpful information that can make your job easier as a member of the education team.

Bus drivers: www.nhtsa.dot.gov is the address of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and there's a link right on the home page for drivers.

Cooks: www.asfsa.org is put together by the American School Food Service Association and will help out those who feed kids in schools.

Paraprofessionals: www.nrcpara.org features a wide array of information from the National Resource Center for Paraprofessionals.

Something for everyone: www.ed.gov is the site of the U.S. Department of Education. It's huge.

Cough, Wheeze . . .
Concerned about your school building? Get a copy of the Healthy School Handbook: Conquering the Sick Building Syndrome and Other Environmental Hazards In and Around Your School. Environmental scientists, engineers, and educators wrote this volume that's full of practical advice on dealing with school building problems. Call the NEA Professional Library at 800/229-4200.

Insurance nice to have
Have your ever heard of EEL? We're talking about the but he NEA's insurance programthat protects members on the job--not the fish.

If you find yourself with work-related legal issues, the Educators Employment Liability Program from NEA might just be one of the most important aspects of your NEA membership. Eligible members receive protection from personal financial liability for most incidents arising out of their educational employment activities or duties.

The program is administered through your NEA state affiliate Association. For more information, contact your local Education Associaton UniServ Office or your State Education Association's EEL Coordinator.

Going the Extra Mile

The La Farge Educational Support Personnel bargaining team last fall received the Wisconsin Education Association Council's 2000 Paul Bierbrauer Award for excellence in bargaining.

The team displayed "an intense commitment" and collegiality in reaching settlement on a three-year contract that runs through 2002, according to Coulee Region United Educators Director Gerald Roethel.

This was the initial contract for the union, which includes custodians, paraeducators, and cooks.

The four-member bargaining team included Lynda Fish, Audrey Clift, John Madden Jr., and Marge Strait.

Roethel wrote in his nomination of the team for the award: "They admirably represented the diverse interests of all the classifications and new and experienced employees in obtaining an excellent initial collective bargaining agreement . . . During bargaining, the team presented itself in a calm and decisive manner.

"All team members live in the local community and are well regarded by local citizens. These attributes certainly helped the bargaining team achieve a successful contract."

Fifteen ESP locals received technology grants from NEA last year. Here's what one local decided to do with its grant money.

The Maple Organization Support Team (MOST), which represents all ESP in a western suburban Cleveland district, spent its money on a computer, printer, and training media for leaders.

The local has no office space. By converting its paper records to electronic ones and providing training to interested members, the local expects to improve recordkeeping, communications, and member involvement, explains local President Debbie Salkowski.

NEA will announce the deadline for the next round of grants in the near future, so start casting about for ideas that connect technology with student achievement.