Sandie Carner-Shafran recently retired from her position as a Teaching Assistant in the Special Education Program for Washington-Saratoga-Warren-Hamilton-Essex (WSWHE) BOCES, an organization she proudly served for more than 38 years. She served as Chairperson for the NYSUT School Related Professionals State Advisory Committee, held the positon of Co-Chair of NYSUT’s Task Force on School Related Professionals, was a member of the American Federation of Teachers Program & Policy Council, and was appointed to the Advisory Board for The National Skills Standards Instruction for Paraprofessionals. Sandie was awarded the prestigious 2009 AFT Albert Shanker Pioneer Award, the NYSUT SRP of The Year Award, and she represented New York State at NEA for ESP of the Year.

Sandie is currently an At-Large Director serving on the Executive Council of NYSUT, an elected Executive BOD officer of Saratoga Adirondack BOCES Association Local 10-190 and a Policy Board Member of the Greater Capital Region Teacher Center. Sandie serves on the New York State Committee of Practitioners Committee, and is Trustee of the Saratoga Labor Council. She is involved in her community by spearheading and volunteering at Drive-thru Food Banks and making masks for frontline workers.

As an SRP Professional Development Program Trainer with NYSUT’s Education and Learning Trust and a Coordinator for SRP Programs for NYSUT’s ELT Program, Sandie helps develop and conduct workshops. Sandie is on numerous Committees at NYSUT to promote the voice and role of School Related Professionals at work and in their communities. She is always advocating for funding for public education and for NYS Teacher Centers.