New Faces: Meet the paraeducators of Mary Lynch Elementary

Teachers work very hard to get children to learn and to help them enjoy learning. However, sometimes even a teacher needs some assistance, that’s where a paraeducator comes into play.

Mary Lynch has hired two new paraeducators for the new school year. These people are able to help children in the classroom that might need extra help as well as handle other responsibilities such as recess duty.

Laura Johnson is the new English Language Learners (ELL) paraeducator. She can assist students that might need assistance grasping things in class due to English not necessarily being their native language or their at home language.

“This is my first year doing anything with education. The job worked out, because I was looking for something that would fit my two kids’ schedules and also allow me to go back to school,” Johnson said.

Johnson has aspirations to go to college for business administration. Her position as ELL para is not only flexible but it is also a job that is fun for her to do.

“It will be a challenge because I will be learning as well, figuring out what all of my duties as a para will be. At this point, I know I will be working specifically with the ELL students and helping them out as far as their learning in the classroom, also helping the teachers,” Johnson said.

An ELL para has quite a few duties and helps students with whatever subject they might need assistance in because of their language barriers.

“I’ll be helping out with their math and writing a lot, just helping the kids be able to grasp that is important. It also allows the kids that need that bit of extra attention to actually get it rather than the teacher not being able to help them because they are busy with 15 other kids,” Johnson said.

While Johnson is primarily an English speaker, she is taking online Spanish courses to aid her in being a better ELL Para for the school.

One of the advantages Johnson has is that she is from Kimball and her children already attend Mary Lynch.

“I think it’ll be easier for the kids to connect with me. I have coached soccer and my kids are involved in a lot of activities. So a lot of the kids at the school already know who I am and I already know who they are. So I think it will make it easier for the kids to get used to me and be comfortable around me,” Johnson said.

Currently Johnson’s plan is to get in and learn. She isn’t positive of the school’s schedule at this point and wants to learn the routine before she makes plans for how she wants to approach helping the children.

“I figure once I see the way the school operates I’ll have a better idea of how I can help the kids,” Johnson said.

While Johnson is the ELL para, there is also a another new paraeducator for the elementary school. Missy Moritz will be aiding teachers in the classroom and around the school with students and questions they might have.

“I was a para and a substitute teacher about 12 years ago, and I got out of education. But now I am coming back to education again as a para,” Moritz said.

As an elementary para, Moritz will be aiding teachers much like Johnson. Although where Johnson’s focus was ELL students, Moritz will be present to help any student that might need extra assistance with what is being learned, with a focus in second grade.

“I’ll be there to help out the teachers. Wherever they need me,” Moritz said.

Moritz explained that she is not the only educator in her family, both of her children have interest in the education field.

“My oldest daughter is a para in Bellview, and my youngest is an elementary ed major specializing in special ed, so it’s definitely in our blood,” Moritz said.

Moritz is very excited to be working with younger children, she finds their love of learning and their discovery process both endearing and contagious.

“There is just something so wonderful about watching a child grasp a concept and how excited they get when that break through happens,” Moritz said.

Both Moritz and Johnson expressed their excitement for starting and being able to get involved with the children at the start of the new school year as Mary Lynch’s new paraeducators.