Special Ed Teacher Receives Regional Top Teacher Honors

DENTON — Jill Fitzpatrick, a lead special education teacher at High Road School at Caroline County (303 Sharp Road, Denton), was recently named a regional winner in Specialized Education Services Inc. Teacher of the Year Program. “Teaching is my profession but moreover it is my calling … there are always setbacks and frustrations but overcoming them is part of the enjoyment of teaching. I have the philosophy that there are no hopeless cases. The more challenging the behavioral and academic hurdles, the higher the rewards when that student succeeds,” Fitzpatrick said. Teacher of the Year honors outstanding, innovative educators who [...]

Special Ed Teacher Receives Regional Top Teacher Honors2022-06-07T13:01:03-04:00

Middle school teacher, Aatiqah Ali, named divisional winner in Teacher of the Year Program

Aatiqah Ali, a teacher at Excel Middle Years Academy, was recently named a divisional winner in Specialized Education Services, Inc. (SESI) Teacher of the Year Program. “My personal philosophy of learning and education is that every student brings something to the table – their own genius and uniqueness,” Ali said in a statement. “My job as an educator is to identify them and help students’ growth.” Teacher of the Year honors outstanding, innovative educators who lead by example with an unmatched level of dedication to supporting all students. The annual recognition program celebrates teachers who exemplify high-quality, evidence-based instruction at [...]

Middle school teacher, Aatiqah Ali, named divisional winner in Teacher of the Year Program2022-06-07T13:09:52-04:00

Graham Academy students honored for Light It Up Blue Day

WILKES-BARRE — In celebration of “Light It Up Blue Day” and World Autism Awareness Month in April, Graham Academy student Billy Norton had the opportunity to serve as the city’s honorary fire chief for the day. Norton, 18, climbed into a fire truck outside Wilkes-Barre fire headquarters and learned how to operate the aerial ladder. He said his favorite part of the experience was honking the horn. While touring fire headquarters, he said, “This is great!” “This is a good life experience for him to see something like this and do something different,” Wilkes-Barre Fire Chief Jay Delaney said. “He [...]

Graham Academy students honored for Light It Up Blue Day2022-06-14T12:07:14-04:00

QC students make, sell key chains to raise money for Uganda playground

Students make a difference while they help other children far away. And there’s a business lesson in this as well. Students at High Road of the Quad Cities make and sell key chains to raise money for a playground in Uganda. So far, they’ve raised more than $500. According to its website, High Road School of the Quad Cities provides academic and therapeutic services for children, adolescents, and young adults, ages 3 through 21, with extraordinary needs. Landon Montgomery and Nathan Mansell work as a team. One cuts, the other colors. Tara Gonzalez said every key chain they make raises money [...]

QC students make, sell key chains to raise money for Uganda playground2022-04-22T13:41:23-04:00

High Road School of Peoria celebrates neuro diverse learners and the power of music

Children in the classroom learn in a variety of different ways. However, catering to each child's preferred or necessary learning style can be not only difficult, but sometimes impossible in a classroom of over 20 students. That’s where High Road School of Peoria comes in. The organization teams up with local school districts, such as East Peoria #86, Pekin #108, Dunlap #323, Limestone #310, and several others to provide custom designed education plans for students who may benefit from them. The goal is to create a nurturing and stimulating environment that allows for learning and staff and student relationships to [...]

High Road School of Peoria celebrates neuro diverse learners and the power of music2022-04-05T17:03:12-04:00

Community gardens help students blossom and grow. As a therapist, I’ve seen it firsthand.

The garden teaches students about nutrition, stewardship of the earth, collaboration of neighbors and more. Leiser is an occupational therapist at the Sierra School of San Diego, which focuses on special education and is located in San Carlos. She lives in North Park. I distinctly remember the first time I stepped foot into the San Carlos Community Garden. It was a hot San Diego summer day four years ago and I was touring the campus as an occupational therapy student for my level two fieldwork rotation. I was ecstatic being able to implement outdoor therapy for my students in a [...]

Community gardens help students blossom and grow. As a therapist, I’ve seen it firsthand.2022-04-05T11:02:21-04:00

Excel Academy Englewood students inspired by women’s empowerment brunch: ‘The sky is the limit’

When the young women at Excel Academy Englewood encounter challenges in the future following their passion, they're going to remember the women's empowerment brunch at their school. "I learned that the sky is the limit and you can do anything," junior Melody Terry said. "It was good hearing from somebody who started from the bottom and work their way up top and hearing them saying keep going," senior Traviyunna Williams said. In honor of Women's History Month, female students heard from women who have had their share of setbacks, but still accomplished their career goals. "You should always put yourself [...]

Excel Academy Englewood students inspired by women’s empowerment brunch: ‘The sky is the limit’2022-03-28T13:10:05-04:00

4 Essential Components of Behavior Support in the Classroom

Diane Myers, Ph.D., Senior Vice President, Special Education - Behavior, March 22, 2022 -- Expectations that are clearly established, and reinforced regularly will contribute to a consistent, positive experience for students. The 2021-2022 school year began full of promise. Students, families, and educators were ready to get back to pre-pandemic learning routines. Almost no one was prepared for how the landscape had changed – many educators had left the profession, staffing needs were at an all-time high, and students were engaging in more frequent and more severe challenging behaviors. The disruption wreaked by Covid dramatically impacted our students, especially those who were [...]

4 Essential Components of Behavior Support in the Classroom2022-03-28T11:59:21-04:00

Sierra School of San Joaquin Now Open and Enrolling K-12 Students

New Non-Public School Provides Needed Community Resource for Those with Behavioral and Social-Emotional Challenges SAN JOAQUIN, Calif. , Feb. 02, 2022 -- Specialized Education Services, Inc. (SESI), a premier provider of education services for K-12 students who require additional educational and positive behavioral supports to overcome challenges that impede success in a traditional school setting, today announced the opening of the Sierra School of San Joaquin (2106 Cherokee Rd., Stockton, CA). Programming at Sierra School of San Joaquin is designed to meet the unique academic and social-emotional learning needs of each individual student. Sierra School of San Joaquin is a California Department [...]

Sierra School of San Joaquin Now Open and Enrolling K-12 Students2022-02-03T16:28:01-05:00