The teachers had paraprofessionals, or aides, the past two years but for just half a day. The aides were full-time but spent half their day in one class and the other half in another class.

"That was a problem, especially at the beginning of the year," said Elfreda McRae, principal at the time. "We had a number of kindergartners who weren't oriented to school. The teacher had to call parents ... there were accidents."

But for 2002-03, the City Board of Education added 10 parapros, enough so that every kindergarten teacher has a full-time helper.

"It's a very big help," said Leigh Elliott, who has taught kindergarten at the school for three years.

Monica Carnes, who is seeking her teaching certificate from Brenau University, has just started as a parapro.

"I needed experience in the classroom and I couldn't think of a better way to get it," she said.

Carnes said she doesn't know how kindergarten teachers managed without the extra help.

"I've been here a couple of days and I can see (parapros are) a necessity," she said.

The school system had full-time parapros for kin-dergarten and first-grade teachers until two years ago.

The state Legislature passed Gov. Roy Barnes' education reform act, which called for smaller class sizes. To comply with the law, the city school system ended up hiring more teachers but cutting all but 15 parapro positions.

Earlier this year, the Enota school council was discussing ways to improve student achievement.

Amy Anderson, a teacher representative on the council, said that if the system brought back full-time parapros, the teachers could spend more time working with small groups and on individual tutoring.

As it was, kindergarten teachers only had parapros for about two hours a day in the classroom, she said.

Anderson did a survey of area school systems, including Hall County, and found they all provided full-time parapros for their kindergarten teachers.

The council ended up recommending the new hires and got the school board's approval.

"We're pleased. It's going to be so good for our students," she said.

The extra help is especially beneficial at a young age, Anderson said.

"It puts them on the right path. If we can get them to start achieving well early, then the rest of their career can go well."

The new parapros did come with a hitch, however. Teachers can have as many as 20 students instead of the usual 16 or so.

The number still falls under state mandates for class sizes, McRae said.

"I think it's a great addition," said Superintendent Steven Ballowe. "It's another support. I wish you could give all teachers another pair of hands."