By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
The Olympian reports an educational assistant from Grand Mound Elementary School died on Tuesday while hiking near Mount Rainier.
News reporter Lisa Pemerton writes that Jenny Craig may have had a heart-related incident.
Read more here
So sorry to hear this news. Thoughts and prayers go out to her family. Thank you for referring to her as an educator in the title of your article. Too many times Educational Assistants, aka Para Educators, don’t get the recognition that they deserve. They are indeed educators. Gone are the days of copying, correcting and art projects. They work daily with students, either in small groups or one on one situations. They are crucial to the education of countless students. Not having a teaching certificate should never foster the assumption that these vital people are not educators or in any way, less important than those with teaching certificates. Schools COULD NOT be run without them. I am so sorry for the students whose lives were undoubtedly changed forever by Ms. Craig and her obvious love and commitment to them. Many thoughts and prayers to her co-workers as well.