New Summit Puts Spotlight on Paraeducators

The unsung heroes of the classroom had their day to learn, network, and celebrate the work they do at the San Joaquin County Office of Education’s  first Paraeducator Summit in July.

The event drew paraeducators and instructional assistants from across the county. 

“Today is all about our paraeducators in San Joaquin County: Celebrating them, appreciating them, and empowering them,” said Angel Weber, SJCOE Continuous Improvement and Support coordinator. It’s important to provide professional learning opportunities for these positions because of the absolutely critical role they play in the classroom. They are in direct contact with students and are a vital connection to students for teachers, administrators, families, and the students, themselves, she said.

This role was reflected in the theme of the day: Helping Students Shine.

The day kicked off with an inspiring message from Stephen Torres-Esquer, special education teacher and inclusion specialist. Throughout the day attendees continued to learn in breakout sessions focusing on everything from strategies to handle student behaviors to tips on working with teachers to a make-and-take session to enhance student engagement in their classrooms. They also learned from one another and made new connections with peers.

Even with 24 years of experience, there is still a lot to learn every year to stay current, said Marth Arguello, a paraeducator who works with students learning English at Villa Lobos Elementary School (Tracy Unified School District).

“I’m excited, I’m eager to learn new ideas and resources so I can implement them at my school site with other paraeducators,” she said.

Veteran paraeducators were joined with newcomers to the field, like Mayceo and Kaylee Preston, twin sisters in their first year as paraeducators at Merrill F. West High School (Tracy Unified). 

They entered the summit thinking about what they could learn that would help their students. 

See more photos on the SJCOE Facebook page.