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NEA Communications 202-822-7200

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 15, 1998

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Some 700 representatives of the National Education Association's Education Support Personnel (NEA-ESP) units country-wide gather in East Rutherford, N.J., April 16-19 for a conference that will explore expanding roles they can play in moving America's school reform agenda forward.

The 280,000 ESP members of the national union are employed in such campus occupations as teacher aides, security and office personnel, custodians, school bus drivers, and cafeteria and maintenance workers. These support workers are often described as the "unsung heroes" of public education because of the multiple roles they play in helping create and maintain a nurturing, secure educational environment for students.

The convention's theme is "Quality Public Education: It's Everyone's Job."

NEA Vice President Reg Weaver is among speakers at the event, held at the Sheraton Meadowlands Hotel in East Rutherford. He will deliver the keynote address to the group Friday, April 17, at its annual banquet.

The banquet will also serve as the setting for the presentation of the NEA's seventh annual ESP award to a member who has contributed significantly to his or her school and community. This year it includes, for the first time, a $10,000 winner's check contributed by the Gardner Rich & Co. brokerage house headquartered in Chicago. Gardner Rich is a frequent contributor to educational causes.

The winner will be announced at the banquet. Half of the sum will be for the recipient's personal use; the remainder is to be designated to improve the local educational environment.

This year's conference offers sessions ranging from creating stronger family-school-community partnerships and school bus safety to others exploring skill-building and career-development opportunities for members. For the first time, a leadership development session will be conducted in Spanish.

Support personnel represent one of the fastest-growing segments of NEA membership. Barely ten years ago, NEA had fewer than 20,000 members who worked in the education support fields.

The National Education Association is the nation's largest professional employee organization, representing more than 2.7 million elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty, education support personnel, school administrators, retired educators, and students preparing to become teachers.