Albuquerque Public Schools
It Takes an Army: Honoring Our Educational Assistants
In her weekly message, Superintendent Blakey thanks the district’s 1,800 educational assistants for their many contributions.
Today is National Teacher Assistants’ Day, and I want to recognize the dedicated educational assistants who work at Albuquerque Public Schools. Their contributions to our students and to our schools are invaluable, and I’m grateful for all that they do.
Since becoming superintendent, I’ve often marveled at what it takes to serve 65,000 students. Of course, there are the teachers, principals, counselors and administrative staff that everyone thinks of when the phrase "APS employees" is mentioned.
But that’s just scratching the surface. We have bus drivers and police officers, cafeteria workers and custodians, locksmiths and painters, social workers and behavioral interventionists, nurses and mechanics.
It truly takes an army to serve our students, and a vital component of that workforce is our roughly 1,800 educational assistants.
The vast majority of our EAs work in our special education classrooms, supporting students with special needs. They also work in health rooms, kindergarten and pre-K classrooms, computer labs, libraries and a variety of other areas. Across the district, they’re helping teachers, providing one-on-one support to students and filling in wherever they’re needed. That includes everything from accompanying a student at recess at an elementary school to helping students put together the yearbook at a middle school.
They make our schools better.
Take Sylvia Cordova, an educational assistant at West Mesa High School, who routinely goes above and beyond. School leaders say she supports students both academically and emotionally, works one-on-one when needed, and is quick to step in to cover classes or lend a hand.
“Sylvia is a true team player and a cornerstone of our community,” says Assistant Principal Adriana Kerr, who notes that Sylvia previously served as a custodian and cafeteria worker before becoming an EA.
Austin Fenner, another educational assistant at West Mesa, provides focused support for one student and consistently steps in wherever help is needed, covering classes, supporting special needs classrooms, and keeping West Mesa running smoothly.
And then there’s Arielle Cortez, a West Mesa graduate and Educators Rising alum who returned to the school as an EA.
“Arielle is compassionate, positive, and always ready to help, inspiring students with her smile and energy,” Assistant Principal Kerr says. “We are deeply grateful for Sylvia, Austin, Arielle and all our EAs who make West Mesa a safe, supportive, and inspiring place to learn and grow.”
These are the types of amazing educational assistants we have, not just at West Mesa but at every school throughout the district. They enrich our students’ educational experience, and we’re lucky to have them!
Enjoy your weekend.