Miller, Russell join Lind Elementary staff paraprofessionals: Joneel Russell

The Lind-Ritzville Cooperative Schools hired two staff members to serve as paraprofessional educators at Lind Elementary School, Alicia Miller and Joneel Russel.

Miller and Russell will serve in a variety of roles at Lind Elementary, focusing primarily on working with special education students.

Joneel Russell

Joneel Russell was born and raised in a small town in southeast British Columbia. After she completed high school, Russell moved to the United States to attend college.

She graduated from Brigham Young University-Idaho with an associate degree in elementary education. Russell has also earned a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Maryland, a master’s degree in history from Eastern Washington University and a master’s degree in education from Whitworth University.

Russell moved to Ritzville in 2013 after she married her husband, who is a lineman for Big Bend Electric Cooperative. Between the two of them, they have five children, four grandchildren and three cats.

After college, she taught English in Japan for two years and was a substitute teacher at the elementary school level. Russell taught English at EWU for 18 years. While she loved her job, she felt it was time for a career change.

She became a paraprofessional educator because she loves working with children and strongly believes in the importance of education.

Russell said she may complete her teaching certification as a paraprofessional educator over the next couple of years. She is currently enjoying her role at Lind and said the transition has been good for her.

She is excited to work at Lind Elementary and is honored to spend time with the children in the school.

For Russell, the most rewarding aspect of being a paraprofessional educator is bringing joy to others.

“If I can make one child’s day brighter, then I feel like I have been successful that day,” Russell said. “Success in life is not about money and prestige, it is about making a positive difference in the lives of others.”