As we celebrate Education Support Professionals Day during American Education Week, it’s the perfect moment to spotlight the paraeducators and other school staff whose dedication makes an enormous difference in students’ lives.

This episode features special education teacher and Killingly Education Association Vice President Lisa Higgins, her partner in running their district's transition program paraeducator and AFSCME Council 4 Local 3698 president Michelle Pion, as well as Tricia Santos, a staff representative for AFSCME Council 4.

Listen to their conversation with CEA President Kate Dias and Vice President Joslyn DeLancey about their work in Killingly as well as how certified staff and paras can best work together to help students thrive.

CEA Aspiring Educators Program Chair Hannah Spinner, a UConn master's degree student, and Cole Brown, a sophomore at Southern and president of his university's AEP chapter, join CEA President Kate Dias and Vice President Joslyn DeLancey on this episode. They talk about the AEP's recent fall kickoff event and other community service, advocacy, and professional learning opportunities planned for the upcoming year.

Find out more about the CEA Aspiring Educators Program, including how to join.

CEA has 52 members running for local office this year, and two of them—South Windsor teacher and Enfield Board of Education candidate Kelsey McGuire-Bruce and Coventry teacher and Town Councilor Matthew Kyer—are guests on this episode of CEA's podcast.

Listen to find out why McGuire-Bruce and Kyer are running, and learn more about CEA members around Connecticut who are running for office.