Salnave Elementary presents Saralynn Kerr with Cheney schools classified employee of year award

Earlier this month Salnave Elementary paraeducator Saralynn Kerr was surprised on the playground with flowers and balloons and the news that she had been selected as the Cheney Public Schools Classified Employee of the Year.

“I’m still a little bit blown away,” Kerr said. “It was very fun. The kids thought I was getting married, which was cool.”

The role of a paraeducator is to do whatever is necessary to help teachers, which includes helping students get on and off school buses and supervising recess.

“It’s often a million hats,” she said. “It also makes it fun because every day is different. I think that’s why I like working at the school so much. I like helping people.”

Kerr was nominated for the award by Principal Celina Brennan and the school’s entire front office. They wrote that Kerry is a “cheerleader” and always supports her co-workers.

“Saralynn brings consistent and positive energy to work with her each and every day,” they wrote. “She is always the first to volunteer to support students and staff, and she is a consummate problem solver. Saralynn’s dedication and passion is contagious, and she is a treasured member of our staff.”

Her nominators also wrote that Kerr has been flexible in the face of new systems and routines in the past year.

“Most importantly,” they wrote, “we all want to be Mrs. Saralynn Kerr when we grow up!”

Kerr said she was surprised by the award because she believes many others at the school are equally worthy of the recognition. “Every single person could have won this award for sure,” she said.

Her 14-year career as a paraeducator at Salnave almost didn’t happen. Years ago, she was working as an environmental educator at YMCA Camp Orkila in the San Juan Islands in Western Washington. Her younger of two son’s diagnosis of leukemia at age 4 forced the family to change its priorities, and Kerr chose to stay home with her children.

Her son later recovered from his illness.

“He’s a thriving 24-year-old now,” she said.

The family moved to Cheney, and her sons both attended Salnave. Kerr was highly involved in the school, often volunteering with the PTO and as a room mom. When her boys graduated from the school, she didn’t want to leave and decided to take a job as a paraeducator.

“I’ve attached myself to this school,” she said. “I really do have a passion for kids. I’ve just stuck with it.”

The past year has been a struggle, as the school building was sometimes empty or with few students. But Kerr still kept going to work, doing things like making copies for homework packets that would be sent to students confined at home by the pandemic and other behind the scenes work.

“Our district has been really cool,” she said. “All the paraeducators kept their jobs.”

Her dedication even in the face of adversity caught the attention of those who nominated her for the award.

“Saralynn has embraced the challenges and changes of the past year,” they wrote. “She continually reminds us that ‘we can’ and offers solution-based plans on a regular basis.”

While Kerr was pleased and surprised by the recognition of being named the district’s Classified Employee of the Year, it doesn’t change how she does her job.

“I look forward to going to work every day,” she said.

–––

Nina Culver can be reached at nculver47@gmail.com