Get it in writing: the right job description can make all the difference in how ESPs are viewed--and paid.(education support professionals)

The sleek, L-shaped desk where Madelaine Colas sits is the only one of its kind at her school. The entire unit was raised so that no one who enters the reception area can see material on her desk. Colas also has a privacy screen on her computer so only she, sitting directly in front of it, can see what's there.

In her position, confidentiality is key. As the principal's secretary at East End Elementary School in North Plainfield, New Jersey, every important school document crosses Colas' desk--sensitive files involving salaries, medical leave, and family affairs; school budget items; and personal student records. "Ideal with court orders and restraints," says Colas, …