Time short for TAs?

When it comes to the education field, the expression "it takes a village to raise a child" might be most applicable to kindergarten.

And an integral part of that village is the teacher assistant.

Dale City Elementary School's Susan Voccio has provided everything from curriculum support to some tender loving care in the nine-plus years she's been at her neighborhood school.

"We are educating these children but also nurturing them," Voccio said.

Unfortunately, Voccio may no longer have a job after this spring as Prince William County Public Schools grapple with an unprecedented $79 million shortfall.

On the chopping block, among other things, are kindergarten teacher assistant positions. The proposed budget cut by Superintendent Steven L. Walts, which would save $4.7 million, would only allow an assistant in a kindergarten class of 25 students or more.

Currently, Dale City has only 72 children in three kindergarten classes with full-time teacher assistants in each class. That's 24 a classroom.

And at schools like Dale City, where a large percentage of the children have no pre-school or day care experience, teacher assistants are even more vital to the teacher's success.

"TA is their job title but they are truly a teacher in that classroom," said Dale City principal Cindy Crowe-Miller. "They're not just wiping noses and getting food. They are doing interventions with the children all day long."

That means pulling aside those students are struggling with subjects like phonics and handwriting and giving them that extra push, said Voccio.

A resident of the Ashdale neighborhood since 1992, Voccio got her start in 2001 when her children were attending Dale City. Both she and her husband wanted to get involved with the school so her husband joined the Parent Teacher Association and she became a TA.

While losing her job wouldn't wreck Voccio's family's finances -- her husband is the breadwinner -- it would impact their monthly budgeting of bills and curtail any planned family vacations. But more importantly to Voccio, not having teacher assistants could negatively impact a child's intellectual development at a critical time in his or her life.

"A child's brain is most open from 4 to 6 years old," Voccio said. "All the data that's been given shows that a child's mind [at that age] is so absorbing of those beginning foundations."

Voccio said it's especially tough to think that the progress these children have made under the guidance of kindergarten teachers and their assistants could potentially be stalled if the latter lose their jobs.

"Cuts are so harsh when things are working so smoothly and progress is being made," Voccio said. "Cuts are so devastating when the child is reading better and understanding math better."

"Our kids make remarkable progress because of the three [TAs] I have here," Crowe-Miller added. "Because it's so much more than a job to them."

Staff writer Kipp Hanley can be reached at 703-878-8062.