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Smithfield ESP Wins Top Award

When you devote your career to children and you have five of your own, you neither expect nor seek to be the center of attention. This is what Smithfield's Darlene Carr finds so unnerving about her recent rise to fame.

Carr was introduced as the NEARI 2009 ESP of the Year at the Annual Children's Fund Dinner and Auction held on National ESP Day, November 19. Her co-workers at Winsor School immediately set out to make sure everyone noticed.

Twelve teachers burst out of a closet at the dinner, as her name was announced. There was an after-party at a nearby friend's house. The next day the school held parent conferences, and many signed messages on a huge poster board card. On Friday of that week, it was presented to Carr, who they made parade through the halls wearing a ribbon and a crown. "It's like I was Miss America," she chuckled. "I humiliated myself a little."

At the next School Committee meeting, Carr was recognized and presented with a framed certificate. She will become NEARI's nominee for NEA ESP of the Year.

Although she originally prepared for a job in the business world, Carr credits the love she has for her own kids as the driving force behind her para-professional career. She sees it as the best of both worlds - working with children but not having the paperwork at the end of the day.

"I get paid to come to work at a job I love," she said. "There's nothing better than that."

Carr works with special education students, "where the challenges are." During her nine or so years in the district, she has held a variety of para-professional positions, including one-on-one assignments.

"You learn from the students," she said. "There are so many aspects of how they think and who they are. I'm a nurse, a mom, a teacher. I get to know them at a different level. There's time for casual conversation."

Not all Carr's contributions to the school are centered in special education. She's a member of the school improvement team, the school culture team, and the school safety team. She is co-founder and co-chair of the fifth grade student council, along with two other para-professionals. And she has led her local association as president for four years and secretary for the two before that.

Carr is quick to praise all her Winsor colleagues. "None of this would have been possible without this great, great bunch of people. Their support is incredible."