Whether
you're an ESP, Teacher, local Association leader,
or school administrator, ESEA
and Paraprofessionals will help you
deal with the new requirements for paraprofessionals
in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA),
better known as the No Child Left Behind Act
.
Maintain
an easily accessible personal file(s) at home or at
school to contain important documents such as:
Licenses and/or certificates
Diplomas
Transcripts of credits and
degrees
Record
of job-related seminars, workshops and conferences
Letters
of appointment or hire
Employee
contracts, including any supplemental contracts
Record
of hire from the employer's official minutes (Board
meeting minutes)
Record
of accumulated sick leave and other leave days (personal,
vacation)
Copy
of assignment schedule
Log
of tax-deductible job-related expenses
Copies
of insurance policies
Information
from the retirement system
Yearly
salary notice provided by the employer
Documentation
of commendations, awards and honors
Employee
salary or wage schedule; pay stubs
All
evaluation records
Letters
to and from parents and students
Letters
to and from administrators/supervisors and department
heads
District
policies on student discipline, suspension, expulsion,
corporal punishment
Record
of disciplinary methods used in handling student
problems, including date and witnesses involved
Record
of assaults, violence, or workplace thefts
Written
personal reconstruction of events surrounding student
injuries
School
calendar
Fringe
benefit information; claim records
Start
the Job Off Right!!
You were
hired because you are the best candidate for the job.
Keep that positive image going by practicing some
of these tips.
Learn School Policies: You need to know what the
administration expects from students and staff in
regard to areas of school life.
Learn Work Rules: These rules effect and direct
your job and employment, e.g. applying for vacation
time or taking a sick day.
Discuss Expectations: Within the first few days,
talk to your fellow employees. Ask them what their
expectations on the job are. Tell them what your
job expectations are. This helps you as a member
of a positive employee team.
Plan Your Work: You will want to be organized
and have "all bases covered." What you do during
the first week or two will help establish expectations
of your value as a team employee.
Learn Names: As quickly as possible, learn the
names of your unit coworkers. Once this is done
learn the names of other work site personnel.
Be Consistent: Begin the year with confidence
in yourself and in your ability to do your job and
become better at it. Be firm in your belief of yourself
and your abilities.
Deal with Disruptive Student Behavior: Know your
school policies. Ask for clarification of the policies
before events occur. Remember that 89% of violent
acts that occur in schools occur outside the classroom.
These are the areas where ESP employees are found.
By knowing and enforcing school safety policies,
you are contributing to the overall quality of the
school.
In a tense situation, the use of humor might be
the best course of action. When a possible challenge
is perceived, humor can be used to negate the challenge.
Don't be ashamed or hesitant to ask for help.
Association representatives and other school employees
are there to help-use them.
Schedule When Necessary: Many employees are successful
when they regularly plan meeting their work responsibilities.
Your first few weeks are crucial to your career.
Using administrative guidance, plan, plan, and plan
again for this time period. Then follow through.
It will demonstrate your interest and value. As
you gain experience in your job, the planning will
become easier. It will lead to recognition of your
abilities.
Be
a Winner in the Job Survival Game
To
keep from being "voted" off the work site, consider
these association survival techniques.
Make contact
with the association. Become a member. Find out
what the benefits are.
Know your
contract. Many of your job duties and responsibilities
are spelled out there.
Check
out your probationary rights. In this trial period,
your rights may be different or non-existent. Find
out how long you are on probation.
Know
what your benefits are. Sit down with an association
rep who can explain what you're entitled to.
Follow
your supervisor's directions. You may not like the
order but you have an obligation to follow it. Grieve
later.
Check
your personnel file. Take time to look at your file
at least once a year. Make a list of the contents,
sign and date the list, and keep it with your important
papers.
Don't
sign anything until you have checked with the association.
Don't be pressured or persuaded to sign anything
until you fully understand the document.
Take
someone with you. If you think a meeting could lead
to discipline or you are discussing a serious issue
with your supervisor(s), request to have an association
rep with you.
Don't
let problems get out of control. Don't wait too
long to bring up a problem or issue with your association
rep. If you are going to file a grievance, you have
strict timelines to follow.
Ignorance
is no excuse. Claiming, "I didn't know!" usually
won't get you out of trouble.
Be on time
and do your job to the best of your ability. If
there are problems accomplishing this, see your
association rep.
The
Cafeteria Staff
It seems that food service employees come with their
own built-in reputation of being mean and never
smiling. Yet every day they try to please everyone
with a nutritious meal that many times relies on
limited resources. If your work takes you into the
food service area, know the rules and help these
employees keep a safe and happy and work environment.
The
Paraprofessionals
In comparison to other support staff employees,
this group probably has the more direct daily contact
with students. The parapro may be your direct contact
into a teacher's classroom when there is a question
or concern about a student or a classroom need.
Find out who they are and what they do.
Library
or Media Specialist
They are in charge of one of the most used areas
in a school building. In addition to being a storehouse
for all books and magazines, the media center may
also be a place for meetings, to house technology
and to serve as a classroom. The media specialist
may also be the only person doing that job in the
whole district.
The
School Nurse
If your district or school is lucky enough to have
a nurse on staff, you can help keep them informed
of health-related situations you encounter. Many
times support staff employees are more aware of
bruises, upset stomachs and bloody noses than classroom
teachers are.
Any
additional duties and responsibilities
such as catering, dispensing of medicine,
athletic events, field trips
The
district's and/or school's policy on
Dispensing
medication E-mail and Internet usage Fire
drills and lockdowns
Know
how and when you are paid.
How
to handle a sick day, personal leave day
or an emergency for you
Who
to contact in case of a classroom or school
emergency
When
and where regular staff meetings are held
and if you are paid for attending
Where
and how to get supplies
How
to fill out school forms
How
and when you are paid; payroll deductions
What
insurance coverage you have
Have:
Required
district forms such as W-2, insurance
enrollment,
license/certificate, bargained contract
Calendar
of school events
A
copy of the student handbook
Fitting
In
Regardless
of what job you do in your school district,
it's important to build relationships
with your fellow workers--and that's not
only the support staff. Getting to know
the other staff members and the administration
can only help to make your time at work
be more pleasant. Knowing what staff members
do can help you better understand their
specific needs.
The
Supervisor
Assess your supervisor's style as soon
as possible. Talk to your colleagues to
get some idea of what he/she is like.
At the same time, don't take everything
you are told as the absolute truth. Don't
make hasty judgments. Probably the best
advice is to try to deal with as many
things as possible on your own or with
the help of the association. Reserve going
to the supervisor for major issues.
The
Principal
The principal may or may not be a factor
in your daily work life but he/she is
still someone to know. Follow the same
advice for the principal as you would
for your supervisor.
The
Teachers
"Make friends before you need them," is
good advice with the teachers in a school
building. Getting to know who teaches
what and what their classroom rules are
can make doing your job easier. It may
sometimes feel as if teachers are just
another level of supervisors above you.
Remember-you all share the same concern-kids.
Doing what's best for the teacher can
also be what's best for the students.
The
School Secretary
Many people consider the secretary to
be one of the most important staff members.
Secretaries can hold things together and
keep the school running smoothly, even
when no administrator is present. They
can answer school-related questions, handle
your paperwork for the district, and help
you with emergencies. It's a good idea
to get to know the secretaries. You can
help them do their job by doing everything
they request in a timely fashion.
The
Custodian
Like many other support staff employees,
good custodians don't get paid nearly
what they're worth. With their help, the
building runs smoothly and efficiently.
Find out what their specific job duties
are. Can you change a light bulb or is
that in their job description? If you
have a concern about the cleanliness of
a room, talk to them first before going
to their supervisor.
The
Bus Driver
Each day they perform the miraculous job
of getting students safely to school and
home again while driving a massive piece
of machinery. Since their job demands
that they stick to a schedule, their needs
are usually urgent. Safety is their primary
concern and they will do everything necessary
to make sure that their bus is in the
best working condition possible. Realize
that the school bus is their classroom.
The
School Board
They are your ultimate employers. They
decide the rules and policies that run
the school district. Find out who your
board members are. Did you vote for one
of them in the last election? Find out
how he/she is doing by going to a board
meeting.
