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On the last day of work for over 500 school aides, Chancellor Joel Klein delivered a speech at the aides’ union headquarters that made no mention of the layoffs.

Speaking at District Council 37′s Quality of Work Life Employee Recognition Ceremony this morning, Klein said that “this is a tough time,” and the work school aides do is more necessary than ever before. Then he reminded the aides that “it’s not how much you get, but how much you give.”

“I’m here today to call on all of you to make sure you and all of your colleagues continue the work you’re doing. Our children will depend upon it,” he said.

Though the union sued the city after it targeted 530 aides for layoffs, the D.C. 37 decided against paying the court-ordered $800,000 bond that would have held off or simply postponed the layoffs. The union is still pursuing the case in court.

Students at P.S. 181 in Queens wrote letters to their school aide, Danna Nelson, saying they would miss her. They also penned a few notes to Mayor Bloomberg, expressing frustration with his decision to dismiss the aides.