Holding the Center: Celebrating Paraprofessionals and the People Who Sustain Our School Communities

At The Teaching Well, we are guided by values that center our humanity and a deep commitment to collective liberation. That means recognizing that every adult in a school community contributes to the conditions that allow students to thrive.

Paraprofessionals are an essential part of that ecosystem, but so are many other classified staff members who help sustain the daily rhythm of a school. Sometimes the people who know the community best are not the ones in formal leadership positions. In many schools, paraprofessionals have been there longer than administrators or teachers. Many had supported multiple generations of families. They knew the parents, siblings, and extended family members of the students in the building. Their institutional knowledge and community relationships hold deep value.

Think about the people who quietly keep the school functioning every day. The cafeteria manager who makes sure students are fed. The custodian who keeps the building clean and safe. The noon supervisors who watch over students during unstructured times.

Paraprofessional Appreciation Day (April 1st) invites us to pause and recognize the people who often hold our schools together. While their titles may say “paraprofessional” or “support staff,” their impact reaches far beyond those labels.

In many ways, they are the thread that keeps the fabric of our schools intact. The unfortunate reality is that the salary of many paraprofessionals does not equate to the value they bring to a school community. While compensation structures may not always reflect their impact, we as educators and community members can still ask an important question:

How do we show appreciation not just during this week, but throughout the year?

Honoring them can start with simple, intentional actions. Here are few ideas:

• Leave a note of appreciation or a small goodie to say thank you. 

• Keep your classroom tidy so the custodian does not have to carry extra work. 

• Take time to notice and appreciate the people who support the school behind the scenes.

Even more importantly, build real relationships.

• Do you know the custodian’s name?

• When was the last time you asked them about their family?

• What do you know about the people who share the building with you every day?

Showing the same care and respect from classified staff to credentialed staff reminds us that we are all contributing to the same mission: supporting young people and their futures.

When we begin with appreciation for paraprofessionals and extend that recognition to the broader network of support staff, we strengthen the culture of the entire school community.

Because when every adult in a building feels valued, students feel that care too.

And that is the kind of community that allows schools to truly thrive.