Public Education Matters

Education Support Professionals are the glue that holds our school communities together. They're the paraeducators, cafeteria workers, bus drivers, secretaries, custodians, security professionals, and more who serve our students every day. And one paraeducator in Maple Heights, Andrea Beeman, is being honored for her work that goes above and beyond the normal duties. The Ohio RISE Award recipient and national RISE Award finalist shares her perspective in this episode.

• Andrea Beeman, 2021 Ohio RISE Award recipient
  • Andrea Beeman is a special education paraeducator at Maple Heights High School in Maple Heights, Ohio, and the 2020 National Education Association (NEA) Education Support Professional (ESP) of the Year. 
  • For over 20 years, Andrea has worked to support students with severe developmental disabilities, fiercely committed to giving her students three important things: love, laughter, and learning. She works one-on-one with students by supporting them in inclusion classes, providing job and career development training, and assisting with physical, occupational, and speech-language therapy. 
  • Outside of the classroom, Andrea is staunch political activist and advocate for her community, especially when it comes to addressing the needs of those struggling with hunger or food insecurities. 
  • Andrea is president of the Maple Organization Support Team, a member of the Ohio Education Association’s Board of Directors, and an NEA ESP Board of Director-at-Large. She was recently awarded the Southeast Ohio Education Association’s Friend of Education Award and is a 2021 Ohio RISE Award Recipient. 

• OEA is also proud to have another national finalist among our ranks. Kurt Russell is the Ohio Teacher of the Year and is a finalist for the National Teacher of the Year title. Click here to hear our earlier podcast episode with him. 

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• The Ohio Education Association represents about 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.
• Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May, 2020, after a ten-year career as a television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students. She lives in Central Ohio with her husband and two young children.