Andrew Kirkpatrick

Andrew C. Kirkpatrick has worked in K-12 education since March 2013. Andrew has held a variety of positions such as: account clerk, teacher aide, teaching assistant, and substitute teacher. Andrew enjoys reading. Andrew lives with his wife Katie in northern New York.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHykfO9F8wk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0-hXW2k2yg

https://www.pressrepublican.com/news/local-author-highlights-school-support-staff/article_4d41d648-40fa-11ed-bd2e-3f8fe2ed40e4.html

https://www.wcax.com/2022/10/28/north-country-support-staffer-pens-book-about-job/

Booklife Review

Schools are made up of more than just students, teachers, and a principal. There are bus drivers, cafeteria staff, custodians, office staff, and more, and Kirkpatrick highlights some of these lesser-often-celebrated but no-less-appreciated school staff in The Support Staff at Your School, a quick introduction for younger readers still getting used to school and its people. Paired with Marsee’s colorful digital illustrations of smiling faces, this book offers a chance to recognize and better know all the different roles and jobs that go into keeping a school functioning, even if they’re not seen on the day to day, like a bus mechanic.

Simple descriptions of what each job entails give context to the position, but may not be particularly useful if readers don’t already know the meaning of certain words, like “Coordinator” and “Administrative.” Context clues assist in understanding, and Kirkpatrick clearly lays out the distinction between “teacher aides” and “teaching assistants,” but at times some further explanation would have been welcome. The book is also relatively short, meaning only a few jobs are highlighted, which could perhaps be a function of it being crafted to serve as an introduction, but there are even more jobs that could have been named, inviting a chance for discussion.

These staff members deserve to be spotlighted, and giving kids names for the people they see in the school every day helps to build a feeling of community—and is a good step toward teaching respect. In fact, the book in many ways is a conversation starter, inviting readers and grownups to discuss the variety of functions a school serves, the variety of needs students and teachers have, and how it takes many people’s work to make it all happen. Best suited for young readers still getting used to the school environment or for parents and guardians looking to broaden their student’s understanding of the school environment, The Support Staff at Your School is a worthwhile starting point.

Takeaway: This picture book spotlights jobs within a school to show how much work goes into education.

Great for fans of: Lindsay Ward’s Helping Hospital, Kathryn Heling and Deborah Hembrook’s Clothesline Clues to Jobs People Do.

Production grades

Cover: A-

Design and typography: A-

Illustrations: A

Editing: A-

Marketing copy: A-