School-Related Professionals from across the state gathered this past weekend to share how they are rising to the challenge every day in New York’s public schools.
"SRPs Rise to the Challenge: Our Work Matters” is the theme of the upcoming SRP Recognition and during the 46th Annual NYSUT School-Related Professionals Leadership Conference, that message was loud and clear. During the three-day conference at Albany’s Crowne Plaza – Desmond Hotel, SRPs from across the state attended sessions designed to build respect in their workplaces and tackle common workday issues.
“We want this weekend to be enlightening, an engaging weekend, and also very entertaining,” said Ron Gross, second vice president. Gross noted that SRPs had much to celebrate, including three hard-fought civil service bills, which expand access to employment; expansion of the Workplace Violence Act, which will now include schools in the list of employers that are required to develop and implement programs that prevent workplace violence; and toileting legislation, which will now require the state to issue guidelines to school districts regarding toileting and diapering of students. “This is what they’ve been asking for. This is what they’ve raised with legislators at SRP Lobby Day. This is what happens when our members work together and speak with one voice,” Gross said. “These bills are the fruits of their labor.”
The conference welcomed 177 participants from 51 different locals, including 58 first timers.
Conference workshops tackled emerging issues like active violence, implicit bias, customer service, toileting, and youth mental health, as well as important union staples like contract negotiation, member activation, and internal communications. Sessions also included numerous opportunities to earn Continuing Teacher and Leader Education hours.
One of the newest offerings, Youth Mental Health First Aid, was a two-part course that addressed the rising rates of depression and anxiety in young people – an issue that SRPs are only too aware of.
“I have 12th grade students coming in and reporting that their friends are threatening suicide, and these are students I’ve known for a long time,” said Gayle Cameron, a member of the Rochester Association of Paraprofessionals (RAP). Cameron said she wants to become a resource for her students, someone they feel comfortable talking to. “I want them to know I’m here for them, when they’re ready to talk,” she said.
Another member of RAP, Terry Spiva, who works mostly with younger children, said she is alarmed by the shift she sees as they get older. “You see a change in them when they hit seventh or eighth grade. They’re confused. They don’t know who to trust. They need someone to talk to, but someone who won’t be judgmental,” she said.
During the training, which was presented by the Mental Health Association of New York State, Cameron, Spiva and the other SRPs learned how to spot students in crisis, and how to offer students support and information, without being critical or pushy.
SRPs also took part in customer service training where they learned how to de-escalate angry situations and make their work environments more cooperative.
“It was really helpful,” said Donna Salerno, a member of the Dryden Educational Support Personnel Association. “It was great to hear about the different things that people face and see just how much we have in common.”
“I learned so much from the other districts. It was interesting to hear how they’ve bargained some of these issues into their contracts and policies, like PPE and professional development,” said Laquana King, Hempstead Teaching Assistants Association.
NYSUT President Melinda Person addressed participants at lunch Saturday and gave out VOTE-COPE awards, and Executive Vice President Jaime Ciffone spoke at dinner, thanking attendees for all they do to make schools run smoothly.
American Federation of Teachers Secretary-Treasurer Fedrick Ingram delivered a rousing keynote address after dinner on Saturday where he thanked SRPs, who despite staffing shortages and many other challenges, continue to exemplify professionalism.
The group honored NYSUT SRPs of the Year, United Federation of Teachers member Mashantuck Bell, a paraprofessional at I.S. 364, during lunch; and James Chaney, a teaching assistant at Albany High School and member of the Albany Public School United Employees, during dinner.
Sunday, SRPs presented a donation check totaling $2,650 to the NYSUT Disaster Relief Fund to help fellow members impacted by hurricanes, fires, floods and other catastrophic events. The group also collected and donated more than 370 new books to the Wyandanch Administrative Professionals Association/Wyandanch Union-Free School District.