Angie began her career in education with a simple desire to provide all children with the opportunities her own children had. Angie’s personal experiences with not fitting in as a child provide her a unique lens into the struggles of the students she serves as a paraeducator in the resource room at LaVenture Middle.
Angie’s students move between the resource room and general education classrooms, so she is frequently on the move as she works to offer the strategic support students need to be fully integrated into gen ed. As a student, Angie struggled with an undiagnosed case of A.D.H.D. and had to overcome a reading disability, so she has a unique ability to empathize with her students. She also knows that all students need an opportunity to feel part of the larger community. To facilitate this, Angie coordinates an outdoor school experience for all her school’s 200 sixth-graders at Camp Orkila. This annual tradition creates a powerful bonding experience for a group that comes from different elementary schools. Angie also works occasionally in the jail with juvenile offenders as a guard and counselor.
“The commitment and passion that Angie has shown as a paraprofessional in the Mount Vernon School District is nothing short of spectacular,” says Principal Dave Riddle. “She is hard working, selfless, and utterly devoted to the students of LaVenture Middle School, and especially to those who don’t quite fit in . . . the consistency, compassion, and dedication with which she serves the students and staff is truly exemplary. She is the real deal.”
