AVON—Secretaries, media techs, special education assistants, and paraprofessionals in Avon Public Schools have joined parents and residents in urging elected officials to guarantee students are not denied a quality education. They came to a rally and march organized by the Coalition of Citizens for Avon (CC4A) last night, and were among the hundreds who packed the High School auditorium to speak out for the Board of Education's proposed budget for the next fiscal year.

"We often hear from our parents, teachers, coaches, guidance counselors, and nurses that we are the 'engine that keep the schools running,'" said Shirley Moy, a secretary in Avon Middle School. "Engines need fuel to run, and without it, will grind to a halt. The board's proposed budget will help maintain a strong, healthy engine," Moy, a member of CSEA/SEIU Local 2001, said. The Union represents educational support staff and paraprofessionals in the district's schools.

The school's educational support employees made clear their commitment to a quality education experience for the students they serve and their support for an increased budget in the next fiscal year. They are concerned about the demands that dramatic increases in the district' pupil population have placed on the dwindling number of educational support staff in Avon Public Schools in recent years.

"Enrollment is up by 50% with 1,100 more students in our schools than in 1998, yet we have fewer support staff to serve them," said Pamela Shand, a guidance secretary in Avon High School. "In fact, the number of students' college applications we help submit has more than doubled since 2007," Shand, Co-President of the CSEA/SEIU Local 2001 chapter representing the schools' 30 educational support staff, said.

Compared to surrounding districts, Avon has a leaner support workforce, with one support staff for every 120 students enrolled in its schools. By comparison, the ratio in Farmington Public Schools is one per 100. Teachers and school administrators are increasingly relying on the schools' secretaries, library and media techs, and other clerical professionals to provide a complete educational experience.

That's why Avon schools' support staff are standing up for the board's proposed budget increase of 6.91%, to ensure the resources needed so all the students they serve have a shot at bright futures.

CSEA/SEIU Local 2001 represents 25,000 active and retired public sector workers serving in state and municipal agencies, as well as local school districts across Connecticut. Visit www.seiu2001.org online for more information about how its members are working to deliver quality services to students in our state's K-12 public education settings.