Many students have started their school year of virtual learning, and we’re all prepared to support our teachers in any way we can. But did you know that 50% of education workers are not teachers, but support school staff? And they are working under the same immense COVID-related pressures as classroom teachers.
A lot has been written about how parents can help their teachers in this difficult year – but what about the administrators, office workers, and other support staff that make a school community work?
Even schools that have gone virtual require support staff
Jennifer Logan Sheridan is an Attendance Office worker at Granada Hills Community Charter High School, in the Los Angeles area. “In addition to attendance, we handle enrollments and check outs and seem to be the information hub for many people calling in,” she told Mom.com.
With COVID numbers still high in L.A. County and the Los Angeles Unified School District announcing that the Fall semester for all schools in the district would begin with all instruction online, GHCCS teachers are mostly working from home. But support staff like Jennifer are needed on the physical campus to ensure that both students and teachers have all the tools they need to have a successful school year.
“We have also been continuing to process new enrollments and checkouts, providing technical support with the Chromebooks, testing students with IEPs, answering the many, many phone calls that come in each day and calling the parents of students that have been regularly missing classes,” Jennifer said.
And whether a school’s classrooms are in session or just the administrative offices, custodians are needed to keep things clean and hygienic — often deploying sophisticated cleaning equipment to keep the coronavirus at bay.
“Custodians are on the front line of defense at school,” said Juan Ramos of Maple Brook Elementary School in Naperville, Illinois.
“We need to make sure our schools are thoroughly cleaned and disinfected throughout the day, after the students leave, and before they come each morning — now more than ever in history,” Ramos told NEA.org.
How one small community acknowledged their school’s support staff
Carey is a mother of three in a small Vermont town that went into COVID lockdown back in the spring.
“We had a couple of different days where the community got together to put out signs or thank you notes for the bus drivers and staff who delivered meals every day for kids,” she told Mom.com. “As we had all put out coolers, this was an easy way to leave a note or sign for them.”
Carey says the families in her town have also put out printed yard signs to acknowledge the school’s para-educators and other staff. But she feels that nothing says appreciation like a personalized note to an individual who has helped your child succeed.
“Reaching out with handwritten notes is, I think anyway, a very personal, kind gesture. It means a lot when someone reaches out in that way being in such a digital age.”
Another vital way to support these hard-working individuals: Have patience and empathy when asking for help. “Honestly, I think when someone tells you how much they appreciate how you helped them or that you took the time to answer their questions or that the school is doing a good job in a bad situation that means a lot,” Jennifer said.
“So many people have unreasonable expectations or take out their frustrations on whoever answers the phone so when someone tells you they appreciate you, it feels really good.”
Five ways to show appreciation to school staff
Here are four other easy ways to say “thank you” to the school staff for helping your kids and your community:
1. Make as sign, send a note or a drawing from your kids.
Follow the lead of Carey above, and make some yard signs, chalk drawings or leave out personal letters to say “thank you.” Enlist your children to draw a picture or card to supplement your personal note of appreciation.
2. Send a gift.
“A Starbucks gift card is never a bad thing,” Jennifer said. Appreciative parents can also brighten up an office worker’s day by sending flowers, candy, or dropping by in the morning with donuts or bagels – or ordering a nice lunch to be delivered to the school for the staff.
3. Make your appreciation public.
Write a testimonial on a school rating site or give the person you want to thank a shout-out on social media
4. Give your school a donation honoring that worker.
It could be cash or something that benefits the school, like a book for the library. Either way, the entire school community benefits.
5. Above all, be kind and respectful.
Say “thank you.” Be patient. End with a kind word after you’ve asked for help. And be respectful and emphasize with how hard your school staff is working to make a safe learning environment for your child.
