By gubernatorial proclamation, the week of Jan. 20-26 is Paraprofessional Recognition Week. This week celebrate and honor your educational assistants, student support staff, lunch room staff, playground assistants, media assistants and all district paraprofessionals.

"Education support professionals are an integral part of our union," said Education Minnesota President Tom Dooher. "They are important to the vitality of Education Minnesota, our schools and our communities. Minnesota schools thrive in large part because of the strong connections our school personnel make with our students."

Strategies for recognition include the following:

• Say thank you and acknowledge contributions of these invaluable co-workers.
• Award priority parking to a paraprofessional for a day or week.
• Highlight a bulletin board or newsletter with names and photos of paraprofessionals.
• Organize an appreciation lunch, served by school administrators and teachers.
• Encourage parent groups to recognize their school paraprofessionals.

A downloadable certificate to award to paraprofessionals is available at  http://ici2.umn.edu/para/New/pdf/Paraweekcert.pdf.

For additional information on paraprofessionals and to nominate a “Paraprofessional of the Year,” visit http://ici2.umn.edu/para/.