Easton elementary school employee named state paraeducator of the year

TRUMBULL, Conn. (WTNH) — State officials announced the new paraeducator of the year Tuesday morning at an elementary school in Trumbull.

Paraeducators assist teachers, students and sometimes families with instructional support and much more.

At Tashua Elementary School, leaders were singing the praises of someone whose job does not always get a lot of recognition. Keysha Evans is the new paraeducator of the year.

“So, what we do is we support students and teachers in the classroom,” Evans said. We help with bringing them to specials that they have, outside resources that they go to. we also help that teacher, we might do small groups.”

Evans used to work at Tashua Elementary School, and now works at Samuel Staples Elementary School in Easton.

Trumbull Public Schools Superintendent Martin Semmel called her “a shining example.”

Now, the state is recognizing her. They even wrote a proclamation.

“Really, what it says is that you are great, we are thankful, and we’d like you to have it,” state Rep. David Rutigliano (R-District 123) said with a laugh.

Evans said she needed one-on-one help to learn some things when she was in school. Now, she makes sure kids who need that same help can get it from her.

She goes above and beyond what is expected of a paraeducator all the time, but when the COVID crisis hit and schools were empty, she took her job a step even further.

“I sent around and asked people, ‘What do you need?’ and they said support with homework, support with reading, support with math,” Evans said. “So, I offered virtual learning through Grace Learning Academy. I charged very little to nothing.”

She said is still in those students lives, and the lives of the students at Tashua Elementary School, even though she is now working in another district.

“I cannot wait to hear and see who you become, because you can do hard things,” she said to her former students. “You do it every day. The sky’s not the limit for you.”

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WTNH.com.