Neighbor News
Local Conference Celebrates Paraeducators
Service, Education, and Collaboration the Topics of the Day
Nearly five hundred D300 and U46 paraeducators participated in Parapalooza, a conference for teacher aides, at Jacobs High School on March 1st. The conference included speakers, seminars, and a collaborative arts project.
The NEA website describes paraeducators as " active team members that provide assistance with instruction, classroom management, and other direct services to students and their families." Parapalooza organizer and LEAD 300 Union President Michael Williamson spoke of paraeducators as giving "their hands and their hearts" to their students in the classroom.
This imagery of hands and hearts was also reflected in the day's art project, a 24-foot long mural composed of over 3,000 sticky notes. The finished mural created an image of "Helping Hands", hands forming the shape of hearts, celebrating all that paraeducators do to help their students. Participants added squares throughout the day, working together to create the art piece.
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The completed mural will be displayed at the IEA office in Elgin. It was designed by Sam Sieber from Creative Arts Inc. nonprofit art studio in Crystal Lake. Learn more: www.creativeartsinc.org
