North Clackamas
School District
From Parent to Paraeducator: A Mom-umental New Staff Member at Oregon Trail!
Laura Premo still remembers how welcome she felt at Oregon Trail Elementary as a first-time mom, nervously walking her then five-year-old son through the front doors for his first-ever day of kindergarten.
“I just fell in love here,” explained the ever-energetic mother of two, who was working at a nearby preschool at the time. “The staff here is amazing, welcoming, kind, friendly…you just come in and you can tell they’re here for the students.”
Fast forward ten years, and with that once kindergarten son entering his freshman year at Clackamas High, Premo thought it was the perfect chance to once again utilize her Early Childhood Education training and re-enter the workforce. But she never dreamed she’d be able to join the same staff she admired for so many years while her children attended Oregon Trail.
“I started as a parent volunteer, then became the school PTO’s volunteer coordinator, and loved that so much I figured why not apply for a temporary job right here at Oregon Trail?”
Premo connected with Education Staffing Solutions (ESS), a company partnering with NCSD to hire substitute teachers and paraeducators, and it didn’t take her long to land a temporary position at Oregon Trail that has continued into this current school year. “I’m with the kindergarten team,” Premo said with a laugh. “It’s busy but super fun. My ultimate goal is to be here and be present and helpful and kind. That’s all we need here in this community is just somebody who cares.”
Oregon Trail Principal Max Whitehouse couldn’t agree more. “Laura has quickly found her stride. Even on the hardest days, she is positive and energetic,” said the first-year building leader. “She has been learning all she can about supporting Oregon Trail students, and we love having her on our team!”
What’s next for the enthusiastic Premo, who teaches spin cycle classes at a nearby gym when she isn’t assisting on the playground or sitting with kindergarten students on the carpet during reading time? She’s really hoping her temporary position eventually transitions to permanent. “I would love that!” she grinned as she shuffled back into the building from recess. “I’m hoping to stay in the community because I’ve just really grown to love the staff a lot. They’re just so caring and they do so many fun things. It would be so great to be a part of it permanently.”
Are you looking for part-time work and interested in following a path similar to Laura? Please contact Melissa Swan, NCSD’s ESS Account Manager at 503-353-5416 or swanm@nclack.k12.or.us.