At Veterans Park Academy for the Arts, a strong behind-the-scenes team keeps each school day running smoothly. Senior Administrative Assistant Eileen Estevez, who has served the District for more than 16 years, plays a key role in coordinating support for teachers, staff, and students. In a recent interview, Eileen shared how the partnership with Kelly Services—alongside dedicated guest teachers like Natavia Joseph—has transformed the school’s ability to maintain reliable classroom coverage.
Eileen knows the challenges of ensuring every classroom is staffed, especially when teachers or ESE self-contained paraprofessionals are unexpectedly absent. She explains that Kelly Services “provides our District with guest teacher staffing support” and helps make sure coverage is in place whenever it’s needed. Their involvement has been particularly valuable when absences occur on short notice or when multiple classrooms require support at once.
Before Kelly Services began partnering with VPAA, securing guest teachers often meant long hours of outreach. Eileen shared that “my days, and sometimes even evenings, were spent reaching out by phone and text trying to secure guest teachers for absences.” This process required substantial time and often pulled her away from other responsibilities essential to supporting staff and students.
The partnership changed that dramatically. Eileen explains, “Since partnering with Kelly Services, that responsibility has been taken off my plate, allowing me to focus on other important tasks while they efficiently manage guest teacher coverage.” This shift has brought consistency and predictability to the school day, reducing disruptions and allowing teachers to maintain their focus on instruction.
Communication with Kelly Services has also been a major benefit. Eileen describes their team as “very responsive and easy to communicate with,” noting that the TEAMS chat feature allows the school to “get quick replies, fill absences efficiently, address questions or concerns, and keep the school day running smoothly.”
This reliability has had a clear impact on both teachers and students. When classrooms are consistently staffed, Eileen notes, “we no longer need to split classes or ask teachers to work through their planning periods.” This reduces stress on staff and creates a more stable environment for students, especially in specialized settings. Regarding ESE self-contained classrooms, she shared, “Finding guest teachers for ESE self-contained classrooms has been challenging, and splitting these rooms isn’t ideal for students. Thanks to our partnership with Kelly Services, we’ve been able to secure adequate coverage, ensuring students receive the support they need.”
Guest teacher Natavia Joseph, featured throughout the video, represents the dependable support Kelly provides—helping maintain continuity and stability for students each day.
For Eileen, the partnership brings reassurance and a sense of shared effort. “Having this support from HR and Kelly Services means the world to me,” she said. “It feels good to know I’m not doing it alone, and that I have a reliable team backing me up.”
Through collaboration, communication, and consistent staffing, VPAA, Kelly Services, HR, and guest teachers like Natavia work together to ensure every classroom has what it needs to help students thrive.