The Office of Special Education is delighted to announce the initiation of the Special Education Paraprofessional Training Series. This comprehensive training program aims to equip 600 per diem and 250 full-time paraprofessionals with the essential skills required to excel in their respective roles. The training curriculum encompasses a wide range of topics, including effective management of challenging behavior, fostering positive relationships, providing support to students in crisis, creating an optimal learning environment, and more. Furthermore, the program emphasizes the significance of trauma-informed teaching strategies when assisting students who may have encountered Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES). The full-time aides will undergo eight training sessions, four of which will be conducted on Staff Development Days, and the remaining four will be virtual sessions held after school. Each per diem aide will participate in one virtual session, which will be available multiple times per month throughout the school year, after school and on a Saturday.