Support Person of the Year is a school secretary in Alaska who travels by snowmobile and dog sled to recruit parent volunteers and new members. She serves on the Alaska Labor Relations Board, the Kenai Planning and Zoning Commission, and the Local Central Labor Council. At this elementary school paraprofessionals work with students to resolve conflicts, teaching fourth and fifth graders to act as mediators and help their classmates resolve conflicts. Students bring their problems to the mediation center, and with the help of peers negotiate agreements that are written and signed.
Paraprofessionals also help educators integrate mediation into their classrooms.
It defines the duties for different levels of paraprofessionals and gives examples of available training and career development opportunities. NEA's Educational Support Personnel Workplace, hosted by the 281,000 support educator members of the National Education Association.