Marlene Bucci, a paraeducator at Middle Gate Elementary School and Newtown's 2014 Paraeducator of the Year, was recently appointed by the State Department of Education to co-chair the commissioner's Paraprofessional Advisory Council, according to a release from the school district, March 3.

The design and the intent of the council is to work in partnership with the state department and to appropriately give paraeducators a voice in the ever-changing job description of their work.

Ms Bucci is a longtime employee of the Newtown Board of Education and currently serves in district as the co-chair of the Paraeducator Climate and Culture Committee. She also serves as the president of the paraeducators' union.

In an e-mail on Tuesday, March 7, Ms Bucci wrote, "Over the past two years the district Paraeducator Climate and Culture Committee has worked with the Board of Education and [Superintendent of School's Joseph V. Erardi, Jr's] office to develop a systems approach to establish best practice for the students. Through collaboration with various levels of administration in the district it is realized the role of the paraeducator has changed significantly over the past few years. Using the model that Newtown is creating and through the work of the Paraprofessional Advisory Council we will make proposals to the Commissioner of Education for legislation that will support the professional development needs of paraeducators across Connecticut."