Student success starts with people who care. Our classified employees show that care every day, keeping schools running and students supported. They are the backbone of our public education system. They work with students, educators, families, and partners. They keep offices running and buildings safe. Our community depends on them.
At Clackamas ESD, more than 60 classified job types support this work. To honor their impact, our Board of Directors has proclaimed March 2–7, 2026, as Classified Employee Appreciation Week.
Their work reflects our mission to lead, serve, and innovate for learning. We are grateful for the more than 260 classified staff members and contractors who make a difference every day. Meet five of our classified employees and learn how they serve our community.
On any given morning, Maria Naal-Colli might be building a Play-Doh volcano to bring a child’s dinosaur play to life or reading a book to a student who needs a quiet moment. As an educational assistant in Clackamas Education Service District’s Early Childhood Special Education program, Maria fills her days with small, meaningful acts of care that help young children feel safe, valued, and ready to learn.
Maria supports children who may be experiencing delays or disability and qualify for Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special Education services in three different preschool classrooms at the Clackamas Early Learning Center. She approaches each day with excitement and an open heart.
“I’m one of those people who’s lucky enough to say I look forward to the day,” she says. “I can’t wait to see what’s going to happen today.”
The Power of a Personal Greeting
One of Maria’s favorite parts of the job happens every morning. She greets nearly 60 children as they come through the door, making sure each one gets a personal welcome in English or Spanish, whichever language children feel most comfortable using.
“They all get their special ten seconds,” she says. “A ‘Good morning,’ asking how they slept, telling them I like their coat. I love greeting them.”
A Safe Place to Belong
At the core of Maria’s work is creating a sense of belonging. She knows that for some children, school may be the safest and most consistent place in their lives.
“I like being a safe space,” she says. “When kids see adults communicating with care and love, it creates a home in the classroom. They know they’re safe here.”
Supporting Every Child
Maria started her journey with Clackamas ESD more than two years ago in a Positive, Engagement, Empathy, and Relationship Building (PEER) preschool classroom, an inclusive program where children experiencing disabilities learn alongside their typically developing peers.
One of Maria’s proudest accomplishments is helping a medically fragile child in the PEER class thrive in a preschool setting. The experience required extensive training, teamwork, and trust-building with the child’s family.
“At the end of the year, the child’s mom told us how much it meant to her that her daughter got to experience a typical preschool environment,” Maria recalls. “Knowing she felt safe bringing her child to us — that meant everything.”
Maria also takes pride in learning to support children who use augmentative and alternative communication devices, working closely with speech therapists to build communication skills that help children express their needs and participate more fully in the classroom.
“It felt like learning a whole new language,” she says. “But now I can help a child say ‘help’ or ‘more,’ and that opens so many doors for them.”
Finding Her Path in Education
Clackamas ESD is Maria’s first job in education — her first “big girl job,” as she puts it. Before that, she worked in retail and on a food truck. Encouraged by her sister to apply, Maria took a chance, unsure if she even qualified. That leap opened the door to a career she loves and a field she’s excited to grow in.
“I’ve always wanted to work with kids,” Maria says. “Ever since I was little, I knew I wanted to be a teacher. I love being someone’s safe place at school.”
Working across multiple classrooms gives Maria the chance to learn from different teachers, routines, and teaching styles. She values seeing how each classroom operates and appreciates the calm, supportive environments created for children throughout the day.
Looking ahead, Maria is excited to continue exploring her path in education. She’s considering further schooling, with dreams of becoming a lead teacher or possibly an EI/ECSE specialist supporting children across classrooms.
“There are so many roles in education,” she says. “This job has opened my eyes to what’s possible.”
