Nearly a dozen staff, parents and students recently addressed the Naperville School District 203 Board of Education, imploring officials to increase pay for employees represented through the Naperville Education Support Professionals Association (NESPA).
NESPA’s last contract ended in June, and negotiations for a new three-year agreement have been taking place. Speakers who addressed the board during public comment shared concerns about pay levels for NESPA workers, who include paraprofessionals who assist special education students.
‘We do not feel that we are valued’
This fall, Heidi Ruppenthal is beginning her 25th year of employment at District 203, working as a member of Scott Elementary School’s support staff. Ruppenthal shared with the board her passion for her role in the district, and her dismay with the current pay rates.
“As a member of NESPA, I felt compelled to address you about the ongoing contract negotiations,” Ruppenthal said at the board’s meeting on Monday, Sept. 9. “NESPA members are driven by their dedication and devotion to the students they support. I am so very proud of what I do. I directly make a positive impact on the lives of those students.”…