Educators honored for advancing in careers | Palatka Daily News, Palatka, Florida

Palatka Junior-Senior High School teacher Heather Pogue speaks on her experience in the Paras to Pros program at Tuesday afternoon’s Putnam County School District board meeting.
Sheryl Brunke, Samantha Edwards, Sindy Hunt, Oscar Jaimes and Heather Pogue, who completed the Putnam County School District’s Paras to Pros program, were honored at Tuesday’s school board meeting.
Positively Putnam FL

The Putnam County School District honored its first class of paraprofessionals who transitioned to full-time teachers at Tuesday afternoon’s school board meeting.

The district started its Paras to Pros program in late 2019 as a partnership with Saint Leo University. It requires applicants to receive 60 credit hours or an associate degree before they can become teachers.

The first class from fall 2019 started with nine paraprofessionals. Five people from that class who became teachers were present at the school board meeting.

Heather Pogue, who attended and now teaches at Palatka Junior-Senior High School, started as a paraprofessional at Moseley Elementary School. Pogue said she always wanted to be a teacher.

There was a major relief when the program covered most of her expenses, she said.

“I prayed the night before and said, ‘God, this has been my dream,’” Pogue said.

Pogue said she is now where she’s supposed to be. She said her family also consists of the 140 students she teaches and the former paraprofessionals who pushed her to complete the program.

“There’s not one place I’d rather be,” Pogue said as she pointed to program members. “This is my family that helped me get through it.”

Human Resources Director Tonya Whitehurst oversees the program at the district level. She said there are 11 people at different stages in the program. The district’s next step is encouraging more paraprofessionals to join the program.

Whitehurst said the teachers are from Putnam County and displayed dedication.

“We’re going to try to come up with a plan for them to get (associate) degrees and move onto the program,” Whitehurst said.

Board member Jane Crawford laughed about her former students becoming teachers through the program. Board Chairwoman Holly Pickens congratulated Crescent City Junior-Senior High Spanish teacher Oscar Jaimes on completing the program.

“The first name that came to my mind was Oscar,” Pickens said. “I’m just so very proud of him.”

Board member Bud McInnis said helping paraprofessionals with their education is a positive move for the district.

“It’s a great program,” McInnis said. “It’s a great way for them to go further in what they want to do.”