It’s not an unfamiliar sight to see Kimberly Mauroff conversing with her high schoolers one day and being on the floor building Legos with her elementary students the next.
Her “adaptability and positive impact” on her students, who affectionately call her “Miss Kim,” led to her award as the Burlington County Education Association (BCEA) Support Professional of the Year, an honor announced in November.
“In every way imaginable, Ms. Mauroff truly deserves this honor,” said school Superintendent Stephen Cappello. “She is a fixture in the Cinnaminson community and possesses all of the characteristics of a successful educational support professional.”
Mauroff has been in the school district for 10 years, both at Cinnaminson High and New Albany School. She works as a paraprofessional and educational assistant, roles that can look different day to day. She describes them as “multifaceted.”
“… It has many aspects or sides, like a diamond,” Mauroff explained. “When we shine in our work, our students shine in theirs. That is the ultimate goal for paras, to be an asset in the classroom, on the playground, in the lunchroom, in hallways at all times.”
Mauroff’s work has gone beyond the classroom, including in several afterschool activities. She has been a coach for track and field, parent leader of the string program, a Cinnaminson High Home and School Association executive board member, football Extra Point Club member and assistant on the high-school yearbook.
Most recently, Mauroff has been a founding member of the Cinnaminson High equity committee, according to the school district. She entered the education field after being a full-time caretaker for her father.
“After his passing, I needed to get back to work,” Mauroff recalled. “The job market lacked options, and I saw a position in the school district. It was a great place to take 25 years’ prior experience working with youth in a variety of school and community settings into the amazing town where I live and volunteer.
“It is a privilege I take very seriously,” she added of her district experience. “The work is hard, but incredibly rewarding. There is never a day when I do not appreciate the gift of helping young people plant and grow their gardens of joy and success. While we have lots of fun – and may sometimes even seem silly – paras know how very important their work is.”
A decade on, Mauroff is glad she took the position, and the BCEA award came as a surprise.
“Quite frankly, I was surprised, as our building principal and co-workers did a great job of fooling me,” she said of the award celebration. “Immediately thereafter, I was incredibly humbled. Trust me, there are so many paraprofessionals in this district who deserve this award.”
The recognition doesn’t change anything, Mauroff added, and she accepted the award on behalf of all the paraprofessionals in the township school district.
“The real reward is the relationships built with co-workers, students, and their families since working in this position.”
