Lynn Witts: Education Support Professional of the Year
“Lynn will just not allow her charges to fail.” That statement from Polson teacher Judie Woodhouse sums up the boundless dedication and determination of Lynn Witts, MEA-MFT’s Education Support Professional (ESP) of the Year.
Witts works with at-risk high school students in Polson. She has worked in the Polson schools for over 20 years in a variety of jobs, including special education, bus driver, study hall proctor, writing lab monitor, suspension supervisor, and even subbing for coaches.
“Anything that comes up, if they need someone to do it, it’s Lynn,” said Woodhouse in introducing Witts at the March 26 gala.
Witts currently works as a resource paraprofessional in Woodhouse’s high school English class, helping at-risk students. “They know she is the one who will help them understand what they need to do to succeed,” Woodhouse said.
Accepting her award, a tearful Witts said, “This has been an incredible journey.” She explained that she works on an Indian reservation, with a high percentage of low-income students. “They are so needy.” She has had kids knocking on her door at 10:00 p.m. asking her to edit their term papers or to tell her they’ve run out of gas.
As education support professionals, Witts said, “we are your support, your secretaries, your paraprofessionals, your bus drivers, your food preparation people. The kids know we’re here for them—to make them feel safe and secure so the teachers can get on with the business of teaching.”
Witts was key in organizing the Polson Classified Education Assoc. and serves as its president. She will now go on to represent Montana in the National Education Support Professional of the Year program sponsored by the National Education Assoc.