Teaching assistants and other school staff in Syracuse, N.Y., have a strong advocate in the union office this year. Nancy Peluso, a long-time paraprofessional and head of the Syracuse Teachers Association's (STA) teaching assistants unit, is working as one of three full-time release officers. It's the first time a PSRP has worked in that capacity for the AFT-affiliated union.

"For a job that didn't exist before, it seems like I don't have a lot of time to do anything," says Peluso, who has devoted much of her time this fall to helping the union's teaching assistants deal with new Title I job requirements. "With 950 teaching assistants, it would have a tremendous impact on the district if they lost a portion of the work force" because of new education requirements that many current staff don't meet, says Peluso. She has been working closely with the district on the issue and discussing such options as a competency test for experienced staff.

"My heart right now is in trying to make sure that our veteran, seasoned teaching assistants don't have to go back to school to keep their jobs," she comments.

General issues of paraprofessionals' jobs, training and working conditions are close to Peluso's heart, since she has spent 15 years herself in that position. "We are very poorly paid, so it takes a dedicated person to do the job," she says. "I have great admiration for the job and for the people who do it, and I would like to increase the level of respect they get."

Peluso says it was STA president Kate McKenna's idea to propose a full-time release PSRP officer to the district. In the past, the union had three officers on release, but only two recently. The superintendent initially said no to the idea, but once the union proposed that they and the district share the cost of Peluso's salary, because of her extensive experience as a trainer, the district bought in.

"Lots of what I do satisfies both the union and the district," Peluso says, noting that she has had extensive training through New York State United Teachers' programs for PSRP trainers. This year, for example, she is helping organize monthly training for Syracuse assistants who work in special education, ranging from basic issues for new hires to discipline strategies and reading instruction.

Peluso says she has gotten tremendous support and encouragement from her fellow teaching assistants in the district. They, like PSRPs everywhere, appreciate working with someone who knows exactly what their jobs are like. Peluso says she does miss being around small children--her most recent position found her working with kindergartners--but she looks forward to the challenge and opportunity of helping the adults who do the important work with kids.

"I have thought a lot about the things that should be and could be, and I have a lot of ideas," she says. "It's a terrific opportunity to be able to raise the level of professionalism for the teaching assistant position."