LAKEPORT, Calif. – On Wednesday a longtime Lakeport Unified School District education support professional was among those honored at the White House as “Champions of Change” for their extraordinary work in pre-K-12 and higher education.
Doreen McGuire-Grigg, a special education paraeducator with Terrace Middle School, was among the 12 education support professionals honored at the Wednesday ceremony.
Education support professionals make up one-third of the nation’s education workforce, according to the National Education Association. Approximately, 2.8 million school support staff work in the nation’s public school systems, with more than 75 percent working at the K-12 level.
The White House issued a statement the ceremony that read, “Educators, including school support professionals, often go above and beyond to meet all of the needs of students so they can achieve success both inside and outside of the classroom. The White House is excited to honor and celebrate the incredible work of school support professionals.”
Of the 12 honored, five are members of the National Education Association.
“Congratulations to these individuals on this incredible honor,” said NEA President Lily Eskelsen García. “NEA applauds their commitment to helping students succeed in school. ESP are our public schools’ unsung heroes. They are dedicated professionals who serve their students; willing and generous role models who makes a difference in students’ lives inside and outside of school; and advocates for public education.”
In March McGuire-Grigg was named 2016 Education Support Professional of the Year by the National Education Association, and was named the California Teachers Association Education Support Professional of the Year for 2015.
McGuire-Grigg has worked in the Lakeport Unified School District for 28 years.
In a 2015 interview she told Lake County News that she started as a room mother when her son was in kindergarten. She was hired by the district a few years later when her son was in the fourth grade.
She said she loves her work with children. “Witnessing my students experience breakthroughs is one of the many rewards of my work,” she said. “Having the opportunity to see those 'aha moments' is huge.”
She is a member of the NEA Board of Directors and represents the Education Support Professional chapters of CTA in 16 counties. She helped to organize the Lakeport Unified Classified Employees union in 1993.
She's credited for her advocacy for paraeducators and support staff. When the husband of one of her education support professional colleagues suddenly died, McGuire-Grigg helped raise funds to pay for the burial. She also used her community connections to help get supplies to the victims of last year's wildland fires.
In addition to honoring education support professionals, the White House has honored Champions of Change for climate equity, living wage, the Affordable Act Care and expanding fair chance opportunities, among others.
Lakeport Unified education support professional honored among White House ‘Champions of Change’
- Lake County News reports
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