Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/297225
CTA & You A S TA U N C H A D V O C AT E for students, Unit- ed Educators of San Francisco member Janet Eberhardt is dedicated to reaching out to families to effect positive change where needed and to encourage healthy interpersonal relationships for children both at home and at school. Her willingness to talk the talk and walk the walk earned her the honor of CTA Education Support Professional of the Year. "We are only as strong as those who walk the walk," she said. A community relations specialist and ele- mentary adviser, she serves as liaison between families and the school. Janet has been a tireless advocate for more than 25 years. Her many student-centered projects include training stu- dents and parents in conflict management, recruiting adults to mentor students, creating student management programs, and working with public school kids in a collaborative student choir project. See a video of Eberhardt at www.cta.org/espvideo2014. Members honored M O S T E D U C AT I O N S U P P O R T profes- sionals know Paula. Ask any of the 1,000 attendees of NEA's ESP Con- ference in San Francisco about Paula Monroe and just about everyone will know the name or recognize the face. In her 26 years with the Redlands Unified School District in California, she compiled an impressive record of local, state and national association service. Monroe added to her stature by being named the 2014 NEA ESP of the Year. In his introduction, NEA President Dennis Van Roekel praised Monroe for mentoring other school support staff and for her volunteer activities with organizations such as the Girl Scouts of America and the Adopt-a-Family program. "ESPs have never had a greater champion than Paula Monroe," he added, presenting her with a trophy and a $10,000 check. Monroe campaigned for years to have ESPs admitted as full CTA members. In 2006, CTA changed its bylaws and included 5,000 ESPs as full members. "That was a big thing to me," an emotional Monroe said from the podium. "Paula understood for ESPs to have a voice in CTA, there had to be a network of committed members who would be willing to work with teachers and CTA lead- ership as equals," said CTA President Dean Vogel in his written nomination of Monroe for the award. "This is con- sistent with her personal values and those of the union." In 2000, Monroe made CTA history as the first edu- cation support professional to be nominated by State Council for the position of NEA Executive Committee member, and she recently completed her second term. She is a founding member of the National Coalition of Clas- sified Employees, which is a voice for 1 million classified school support employees. National accolades CTA's Paula Monroe is National ESP of the Year Paula Monroe is named 2014 National Education Support Professional of the Year at NEA's ESP Conference in San Francisco. Monroe, a Redlands ESP Association member, is shown with NEA President Dennis Van Roekel. Janet Eberhardt CTA'S 2014 ESP OF THE YEAR IS JANET EBERHARDT 52 A P R I L 2 0 1 4 Educator 04 Apr 2014 v2.3 int.indd 52 4/15/14 12:05 AM