Paraprofessionals are key to the success of any school

KEY Continued from page 11 students. ey trust me, they come to me for help, and if I’m not here, some of them would fall behind,” said Amy Raebel, St. Peter Middle School special education (SPED) paraprofessional.

Luis Moreno, a paraprofessional at St. Peter Middle School, has been working for the district for four months. Moreno works with students, such as 7th grader, Nicholas Wilmes, to complete classroom assignments when help is needed. (Heather Gordon/St. Peter Herald) Amy Raebel has been a Special Education paraprofessional at St. Peter Middle School since 2012. Raebel has developed strong interpersonal relationships with her SPED students, but also with other students as well. Raebel can often be found assisting several students at a time. (Heather Gordon/St. Peter Herald) Jamila Said, an ELL paraprofessional works hard to break down barriers for the Somali youth in St. Peter schools. Said is well respected and appreciated by many students, and assists any student when they ask for help completing classroom assignments. (Heather Gordon/St. Peter Herald)

Abdulkadir at Hikmah. “Children are children, and I’m a mom, so I get exasperated and he takes some time, he talks to them and he really calms them down. I have seen him turn children from being quite angry or frustrated and turn them around in less than a year into somebody who According to Raebel, the paraprofessional educators in the St. Peter district are in such demand that current paras have to carry twice the case load they would normally cover. On a normal day, Raebel follows six to seven students at a time, recording homework assignments, helping them take notes, assisting them with math and reading, and making sure any homework they have completed has been turned in to their instructors throughout the day. If a student is struggling with an assignment or requires special arrangements for testing, that para will discuss modications with the appropriate teacher. If a student becomes agitated and has an outburst in the classroom, the para will remove them from the classroom or situation, and resolve the issue. Some students tend to take out their frustrations on their paras by hitting, biting, punching, and kicking and until the behavior is deescalated, these paras remain with this student until they can return to the classroom. Lot of work, little pay With the role of paraprofessional, there are duties most could not, or would not want to handle. One would tend to assume such a position would allow for some sort of hazard pay, if you will. One might also assume that with the daunting list of duties and responsibilities these individuals take on each and every day, they would be rewarded with a paycheck that reected their contributions. But at the end of the day, the paraprofessionals within local school districts, and beyond, bring home wages that barely meet poverty level standards. For example, the requirements to apply for a Habitat for Humanity home requires a $25,000/ year income to pay for an aordable mortgage; most full-time paraprofessionals would not meet even that standard on their own. According to Raebel, working as a St. Peter para isn’t the only job many of these educators have. Many have two, even three jobs, just to make ends meet. And even then, they can barely scrape by. In the late 1980s, the wage for local paraprofessionals was between $8-9 an hour, according to retired para, Julie Carlblom. “I was more than happy to nd employment at that time with such a wage,” Carlblom said. “e problem is, despite the increased cost of living and the growth in population in our community today, the wages for paraprofessionals seems to be frozen in time.” While the role of paraprofessional requires no more than a high school diploma, advocates say there should still be some sort of online coursework or additional specialized certication courses available to train these individuals annually, instead of the same generalized training program required at the beginning of each school year. “I recently gave training to the local paraprofessional community and found that my curriculum for elementary level paras would not t the criteria needed for a high school level para,” Carlblom explained. According to Carlblom, paras are in need of age appropriate training and student specic training, in order to meet the standards and criteria of each student. Proper training and accommodations are made through other institutions to ensure personnel are protected and trained properly to do specic jobs, so this should also be the case for paraprofessionals, as well. “Our families depend on us, as these children’s caregivers, to meet the needs of their children while they are in our care. Without proper training and appropriate wages, the demand for these positions will only increase,” Carlblom said. Sick pay and paid personal days do not exist in this line of work, and the cost of health insurance would barely be covered by their paychecks. Most must depend on other means to acquire health insurance. For Jamila Said, becoming an English Learner (EL) paraprofessional meant leaving her 18-year custodial job at Gustavus Adolphus College behind, as well as the benets of sick time, health care, and paid leave. Said made the choice to make this move in order to assist the growing Somali and Muslim community in the St. Peter school district with language and religious barriers. “I am an important pillar in the Muslim community in St. Peter, and I nd it very important to assist all members, both young and old, in learning English and to become more comfortable in St. Peter,” explained Said. Although Said has not been a para for very long, her involvement within the community has been long standing. She has seen her three sons and four daughters through St. Peter schools, since her rst daughter graduated from St. Peter High School in 2012. “I made the decision to become a para when I realized there were no Somali speaking paras to help the younger generation learn to speak English in school and also help with integrating our (Muslim) traditions in school, as well,” she said. A para and so much more Being an EL para is more than being an aide to the teachers, explained Said. When there are language barriers, she will translate. When there are children disrupting a class, or students walking the halls, or a child upset over a particular situation, Said is there to steer that student in the right direction. She has many students hug her in the hallways and tell her how much they appreciate what she has done for them. Said is not just a para to the EL students. She is a friend, a condant, a translator, and a voice for those too afraid to speak up. Many children lack structure or stability at home, and this is why they come to school. Without the help of these paraprofessionals, those children may not have the condence or drive to move forward and would otherwise be at risk of dropping out of school or lacking in the skills needed to meet the standards necessary to graduate. Being appreciated goes a long way, but without the funds necessary to continue to train local paraprofessionals, that passion and commitment to helping students can only last for so long. “Paras deserve appreciation for their unwavering dedication to our children. We, as a community, need to show them our support and continue to progress towards nding the means to make coursework available,” Carlblom said. “If we really want our paras to be good at what they do, we have to show them they are important.” Soderlund agreed. “We need to do a better job retaining the paraprofessionals in our district. As a successful businessman of 34 years, and having raised my own family here, I know business, and I know that the school district is run by the people,” he said. “In order to recruit new paras, changes need to be implemented, and training should be updated.” Paraprofessionals ll the gaps where others cannot. ey work tirelessly, for the love of their students. ey are rewarded with love and hugs on a daily basis, and carry on, because they know they are making a dierence.

Mohamed Abdulkadir, middle, was one of 12 candidates that ran for a St. Peter School Board seat in the 2019 election. He was just short, nishing fth, while the top four made the board. (Herald le photo)

NEW WAYS Continued from page 8 Abdulkadir at Hikmah. “Children are children, and I’m a mom, so I get exasperated and he takes some time, he talks to them and he really calms them down. I have seen him turn children from being quite angry or frustrated and turn them around in less than a year into somebody who says, ‘I’m happy I’m here and I’m ready to learn.’” Kremer regards Abdulkadir’s teaching as exceptional because of his patience with children and willingness to help whoever comes through the door. “I think that’s his vision to give the community a good start,” said Kremer. “at’s what the Hikmah program is all about is to close that achievement gap and it’s working. I can go to a student and say I remember you last year you were reading like a kindergartner and now you’re uent just from working and working and working.” For Adbulkadir, with experiences learning and then teaching in Somalia, and now learning and teaching in the U.S., all of this work is becoming second nature. “I can see the potential of the kids that can change,” said Abdulkadir. “If they are given the opportunity, they will grab that opportunity to succeed and that is my hope. I’ve been doing that for years, and I can see the change.”

ers or just kids walking through the line. “Hey, what would you like for lunch one day?” While there are lots of food choices, some kids have special diets: gluten free, no lactose, peanut allergies…for them, they have special lunches on standby. “You just have to know and prepare,” Holicky said. to do now in between gym classes. All agree that Cleveland has great students, and it is them who make being a lunch lady there a rewarding career. “eir honesty…they will just open up to you,” Holicky said, “and they smile in the morning when they see you. A smile and a hi goes a long way.”

e work is physical at times, and kitchen can get crowded, Schuttloffel said, both aspects of the work that make it challenging.

“People always visit us around noon. We get deliveries around noon, we get people from the oce around noon, and we’re going zip, zip, zip.”

Next year, the kitchen will move into larger facilities in the new addition basement. It won’t have windows, but they can leave the tables set up, something they have

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PREVENTION Continued from page 10

River’s Edge oers classroom training and resources for preventing diabetes, living with Parkinson’s, arthritis exercise, women’s pelvic health and other health related courses open to the community or through doctor referral. (Heather Gordon/St. Peter Herald) Diabetes is one such course. Being predispositioned to the onset of diabetes, such as being overweight, or having other pre-risk factors, such as a blood sugar of 120- 125, or an A1C blood test between 5.7% and 6.4% are the only requirements for this 12 month course. Students cannot have diabetes already, and can attend with a referral from a physician or a self-referral to stay ahead of the curve. Jen Donkin, registered dietitian and certied diabetes educator, and Boelter conduct two-to-three continuous groups for 12 months, starting in February and August. eir next class will start Aug. 26. According to Donkin, the hands-on activities they provide build the tools these students need to be successful in the prevention of diabetes. e activities, such as the weigh-ins, group, as well as individual work, are designed so participants do not need to purchase gym memberships or purchase specialized food. Demonstrations, using resistance bands for exercising, reading food labels,and using food models, such as weighing cereal, or measuring banana bread, teach each group how to make changes that t into their individual lives. “We submit data to the Center for Disease Control, (CDC) twice a year, and have full recognition as one of their national programs,” said Donkin, “Data has shown that teaching these skills in a certain order is most benecial to improve overall health and prevent diabetes.” According to Boelter, the communication and generation of support, as well as the friendships that develop over the course of the year, is very rewarding for all of the students. “Discussions become more than just instructors talking. ey become more about the personal challenges and successes each student experiences; the response is so supportive and benecial to each person’s success and growth,” Boelter said. Keep moving Living with Parkinson’s, has been keeping patients moving at River’s Edge since 2015. Deb Mattson, lead physical therapist, became certied in the internationally recognized LSVT-BIG course to help her patients stay as active as they can, for as long as possible. “I’ve been a therapist for almost 30 years,” Mattson said. “We used to do similar exercise routines, but not with as much intensity, and didn’t realize how much we can aect the brain neuroplasticity, to actually help them learn to move better.” More than 10,000 people in Minnesota have been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, according to Mattson, and that doesn’t take into count those who have not been diagnosed. As a neuro-degenerative disease, Parkinson’s patients no longer produce dopamine, which causes the loss of neurons to the center of the brain, which controls movement. Medications can provide relief in varying ways, and most Parkinson’s patients can live very long lives with the progressive disease. While most Parkinson’s patients show classic signs of tremors and joint stiness, as well as slowness of movement, some may deal with non-motor symptoms, such as dif- culty sleeping, night terrors, or urinary issues. Very early onset patients have even shown symptoms such as loss of smell. Most Parkinson’s patients are diagnosed at 60 years old or older, but early onset can happen around 30 years old. “As a physical therapist, we oen don’t see Parkinson’s patients until they start to fall, and oen, without a proper team of specialized health care providers, these patients can even be prescribed the wrong type of walker, causing more falls than necessary,” said Mattson. “e earlier (we) can work with these patients and build a solid team of professionals, who can monitor their progress and follow them every step of the way, these patients can live normal lives for much longer.” Exercise is as important as taking medication for Parkinson’s patients. Exercise keeps patients moving correctly, since Parkinson’s makes movements smaller. e way the body senses how they are moving and how much energy it takes to make normal movements is altered with the disease. Since the inception of the LSVT-BIG for Parkinson’s exercise class, Mattson and Boelter oer the class twice a week and stay up to date on the latest research and resources for their patients. Gustavus pre-physical therapy and occupational therapy students work alongside Mattson and Boelter during classes, assisting patients with standing, sitting, or just spending time with them, in order to have social interaction within the community and with friends. “I have been working with the Parkinson’s community for six years now, and I am continuously looking for dierent ways to keep them interested,” Mattson said. “e LSVT-BIG courses are certied internationally, so students can attend BIG FOR LIFE courses wherever they are in the world and know the exercises being taught.” Every LSVT-BIG exercise class conducts the same core exercises, allowing those with cognitive or memory decits, as well as physical decits, the ability to keep their body moving. ese classes encourage bigger movements, better posture, and strengthening for a better quality of life. New courses, such as modied TaiChi and boxing classes are currently in the process of being added to the broad spectrum of courses held at River’s Edge. “Having a therapist to guide and get patients plugged into eective programs to keep them from being isolated and improve their quality of life, is key to making the lives of our patients and students successful,” said Mattson. Everyday is double Coupon Day! Up to 50¢ Le Sueur 125 N Main Street - 665-2630 Le Center 110 S. Lexington Ave - 357-4424 www.radermachers.com Jen Donkin and Nicole Boelter teach a 12-month course, ‘I can prevent Diabetes’ covering a wide range of helpful tools for their students to incorporate into their lives for healthier living. (Heather Gordon/St. Peter Herald)

to determine the feasibility of providing some of the campus’s energy needs with a wind turbine.

ey secured nancing for a single turbine. But, bending to pseudoscientic claims by detractors, Nicollet County passed regulations that made the project impossible, he said.

Physics Professor Chuck Niederitter, in hat, shows high school students how to prepare a weather balloon for launch as part of Gustavus Adolphus College’s High Altitude Balloon Camp. The students studied atmospheric physics, programming, electronics and predictions on balloon direction and landing. The camp launched its balloon with two computers to take weather readings on Thursday. (Herald le photo) Niederriter and others then turned their eorts to solar panels. Aer four years of negotiation, the college has yet to secure the necessary city permits because of complications with the city’s power provider, Southern Minnesota Municipal Power Agency. “I continue to be frustrated by the setbacks. It seems like it should be easier to do the right thing.” When it comes to ghting climate change, “the nancial bottom line seems to be more important,” he said. e wind project, he said, is dead, aside from the small 2 kilowatt turbine installed in 2012. While ne gotiations for solar energy collection “drag on,” according to Niederriter, renewable energy currently provides a just a fraction of the campus’s energy needs – far short of the some 80 percent that could be provided by full-scale projects. Teaching in the community Niederriter’s dedication to teaching extends beyond the hill. For the last 10 years he’s been involved in St. Peter Area Robotics [https:// www.saintpeterrobotics.org/], an organization that promotes interest in science, engineering and technology among youth ages pre-K to 12th grade. Niederriter describes it as a way to show kids practical applications for science. He counts these successes as some of his most meaningful. For instance, the FIRST® Robotics Competition team Nordic Storm won a place in the 2016 World Championship in St. Louis, not long aer detractors said St. Peter was too small to eld a competitive robotics team. Local teams at other levels have won regional and state competitions. Niederriter’s commitment to education and service extends to his faith community, as well. “Chuck is a great family man, very dependable, loves what he teaches and [being] a teacher,” said Kay Osborne, one of Niederriter’s fellow parishioners at the Church of St. Peter. He helped Osborne, who was on sta at the church for 25 years, with numerous projects and worked with her on many parent activities as they raised their families. He has served as a reader for services, as a teacher of religious education and as a member of the board for the church’s K-6 John Ireland School. “He is a faithful person,” Osborne said. The world as classroom Come January, teaching turns Niederriter’s and his wife’s world upside down when they lead a group of students to study astronomy in Australia and New Zealand. Familiar constellations appear inverted in the Southern Hemisphere, he said. But they faced meteorological inversion in 2011, too. ey were staying in Cairns, Queensland, Australia, when Category 5 Cyclone Yasi threatened Australia’s eastern coast. Local ocials deemed their location safe, so the students spent much of the day helping to sandbag. In the end, the cyclone hit south of their location and they were able to return home as scheduled. Niederriter’s leisure activities – teaching, traveling and being outdoors – echo his professional activities. He and his wife enjoy sailing the local lakes, paddling along area rivers and taking road trips to national parks. e breadth of Niederriter’s educational eorts speaks to his passion for his chosen profession. “Passing along information, skills, techniques, etc., is a part of my job as an educator,” he said. “But I think there are other things that are important as well, like instilling curiosity in students, giving examples of good work ethic [and] showing how to think critically.” In his community roles, he emphasizes asking questions, encouraging bigpicture thinking and demonstrating diversity. Osborne summed up Niederriter’s wide-ranging contributions the best. “Always present and supportive of the students, parents and teachers,” she said, “Chuck is the person who is making a dierence in all he does.”

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