April 4, 2018 at 5:30 p.m.
Addition of three teachers' aides eases classroom burdens
The result: happier teachers and smoother running school days.
The Flat Rock-Hawcreek School Corp. Board last week placed on its payroll three aides who have been helping teachers since the beginning of the school year. In doing so, the district took a step toward rebounding from a decision a few years ago to cut most of its aides because of state budget cuts that also affected other districts statewide.
Melinda Barringer helps Elyse Cory in kindergarten, Hannah Moody helps Stacy Kirk in kindergarten and Karen Klips helps both Abby Calendar and Tim Robertson in first grade. All earn between $8.47 and $10.29 an hour, depending on their years of experience, according to Hope Elementary School Principal Jessica Poe.
Unlike teachers, aides do not need degrees in education.
Calendar said this is the first time in five years at Hope Elementary that she has had the benefit of a classroom assistant. She said she has more time now to plan meaningful curriculum that motivates and interests her students.
Her classroom aide, Klips, takes care of such things as making copies for upcoming activities and cleaning up from previous activities, Calendar said. She said Klips also works with children who are struggling with math and reading, as she does with more advanced students who work above their grade level.
"Karen has three small children of her own and is a wonderful multitasker," Calendar said. "She is gifted with the ability to walk in a room and see what needs to be done."
Aides also are making an impact at the kindergarten level.
Cory said having an assistant in her classroom is invaluable for students who have never had the chance to adjust to a school setting. Some have never attended preschool, while others have never been away from their parents.
"Having an aide gives us an extra set of hands to help those students adjust," Cory said.
Cory said her aide, Barringer, helps conduct lessons in the classroom and enables more one-on-one and small-group instruction. She said working on such an individual basis helps her "really get a feel for how each student is doing with the material that is being presented to them, as well as what might need to be gone over in more detail."
Superintendent Shawn Price said he chose to place the aides in kindergarten and first grade, because those are the classes with the greatest need. He said the district does not have enough money to hire at other grade levels.[[In-content Ad]]
