Libby Wotipka – Third-Grade Hand-in-Hand Paraprofessional

Location: Island Park Elementary

Job description: “I imagine my job is what being a grandparent is like,” says Libby, “We get the fun stuff, while the teachers and counselors, like parents, have the hard work.” But a paraprofessional’s job is more than just fun – it’s hard work, too. Hand-n-Hand Paraprofessionals are unique to Island Park Elementary. The positions are funded entirely by parent donations. They help in classrooms providing learning support and friendship support. “I work with students in small groups and observe things that teachers don’t always have time to see. I catch wind of problems and report my concerns to the teachers and counselors. We brainstorm together to come up with solutions.”

Typical day: “We rarely sit down during the day,” says Libby. “I’m lucky if I get a minute to check emails in the morning!” Libby rotates between all of the third-grade classrooms, where she helps small groups with reading, math, computer lab, or science. “Our third grade has 107 kids and you actually do get to know each of them pretty well.” In addition to her assistance in the classrooms, Libby conducts ‘recess camp’ for 3-5^th graders once a day. Children who are struggling, having trouble making friends, or are simply quieter souls looking for alternatives to the playground, thrive with the TLC provided in recess camp.

“Working quietly on a project in camp will often help children with behavioral issues improve without negative intervention,” Libby says. For her recess camp, Libby started a sewing group that caught on like wildfire with the girls, but not many boys were interested so she started a Lego project for them. “Sometimes we have 30 kids crammed into our little workroom!” Wanting to teach her kids to reach out beyond themselves to those less fortunate, Libby developed the ‘pillows for homeless kids’ project. Both girls and boys took to this sewing project. “On weekends while watching the football game with my husband, I’d cut shapes out of polar fleece – aliens, birds, fish – for the kids to use in their pillow designs.” They pin their creations together, and, until recently, Libby took their pieces home to sew together on her mom’s old sewing machine. But after the PTA granted her request for an inexpensive sewing machine to use at school, they can now do their own sewing. “The kids like the idea of helping others and are okay with not keeping their pillows for themselves. They can always make their own at home,” says Libby.

Best part of the job: While Libby cites the creativity and variety of her job as major perks, she concedes that the best part is “when you connect with a child and they have that ‘aHA’ moment. It’s a terrific feeling.”

Something people may not know: During college, Libby worked in fish canneries in Seattle, the San Juans, and Alaska. “They were smelly, long hours and it was a lot of hard work,” says Libby, “but it paid great. I am not big on cooking fish today but if someone else cooks it, I’ll eat it.” The same goes for donuts, due to a high school job at Winchell’s, which was located on the present-day site of the downtown Bellevue Park.

Years in district: This is Libby’s sixth year with MISD.

Outside interests: Skiing and knitting are two of Libby’s passions. She often, surprisingly, pairs them together – knitting during weekend drives to the mountain passes to ski. “I’m a novice knitter.” Libby confesses, her New Years resolution was to learn to make Norwegian hats.