May Cruising Kendall County
Friday, May 15th was a gloomy, rainy day for our May cruise around the corners of Kendall County. Today’s visits were all in the Oswego School District.
Thompson Junior High School was our first stop with Social Workers Kelly Puppilo and Joy Howard leading our tour. Wow – their new office area and entrance to Thompson is impressive! We loved the office spaces and welcoming feeling! Andrea Phillips, Psychologist also showed us her new office space. We also toured Thompson’s new addition. The new space includes community rooms, classroom spaces for Science and Art and office spaces for staff. The new addition will be ready for students and staff in August. We visited Janet Jones’ office, but missed seeing her- Although we did look for chocolate in her office! We chatted with Tracy Murphy, Principal about her plans for next school year – our ED classrooms are moving back to Thompson.
On to Long Beach Elementary School where we saw Principal, Kevin Lipke. Our first stop was in Colleen Williams Diagnostic classroom. Colleen’s room has great visuals to assist her students’ learning – we loved seeing all of the Wilson reading being utilized. Her students were working on Lexia reading and also participating in their general education classrooms. One of her students showed us her new assistive technology device and provided lots of laughs and entertainments. It is great to see our student’s progress as they transition into new programs! Social Worker, Brenda Gullickson joined us on our tour. We missed seeing Sue Green, Psychologist.
Old Post Elementary School was our next stop. We visited Lauren Miller’s ED classroom – her students were arriving back from their classrooms. Lauren told us great stories about her student’s progress. Our next visit was in Keith Strnad’s ED classroom. Keith’s students were in a break period – playing games and utilizing the computer. Keith gave us an update on his school year and how well his students are doing! We followed three of Keith’s students upstairs to speech and chatted with Jean Hedmark, SLP. She loves her “space” at OP – she even has her own phone and desk! ED Social worker, Ann Volpentesta has a wonderful office also – loved the funky ceiling and space for student groups! We visited Jacob Cafaro, Social Worker’s office, but missed him – he was attending staffings. We missed seeing Tracy Miller, Psychologist.
We ended our day at the Brokaw Early Learning Center. They love rainy days there at dismissal and arrival times! It is amazing to see the planning and implementation it takes to dismiss 350 Pre-K students! The staff works so well together to keep our students safe, yet help them gain more independence! We visited with Nancy Yaros, EC Assessment Team facilitator. Carrie Kovarik, EC Assessment team Psychologist was in the building for Kari Pyle, EC Assessment Team SLP’s baby shower. Kari is expecting twin boys (very soon!)….SLP Kimber Cuthbertson was also at the baby shower – she is expecting twin girls! We missed seeing Jeanette Crowe, EC Assessment Team Social Worker. We saw Jade Hogueisson, Psychologist buzzing through the hallways…Jade has been working on utilizing RTI approaches with our Early Childhood students and building the team process in this new building! Social Worker, Jackie Winter was playing a game with two students about their feelings in her office area. Our first classroom visit was Jessica Roberts’s classroom where substitute Liz Warren was leading songs and dances! (Jessica recently had her baby)….We missed seeing Jeni Bell (out sick), but SLP Denise Duggan was leading the classroom in center activities which included an Art project that we assisted with – love tearing paper and gluing! Lisa Frisch’s classroom was at centers – watched students on the computer, loved seeing the “chatting” girls at the snack table and met their rabbit! We moved onto Kelly Dittmann’s classroom where all of the students were introduced – Kelly had a variety of activities happening including sensory activities, snack and table top activities. Ann Neville’s classroom was finishing circle time and getting ready to move to the motor room – their favorite activity! Each student followed directions which included movement to line up! Barb Menzel’s students were cleaning up and moving to their language group. Speech Paraprofessional, Jen Lill led a story and activity on caterpillars. PT, Angie Kajtsa was working at her desk (probably preparing for upcoming IEP meetings!). Coordinator Lori Coit joined us in the Green Village where Nyah Schaefer and Lisa Circelli’s classrooms were preparing for “graduation” practice. The EC students transitioning to Kdg. practiced a song they will be performing the last week of school – very cute! SLP, Lynn Mathey was assisting in the practice. We missed seeing Erin Zielke (substitute for Aynn Springborn who had her baby recently) and Morgan Shipley, SLP who were in staffings. In case you haven’t noticed a theme at the ELC, it seems like someone is always having a baby, returning from maternity leave, or preparing for a maternity leave! No visit would be complete at the ELC, without stopping into Mary Kay Scholtes, Special Education Secretary's office! She has many, many pictures which include families and friends at the ELC. Our EC students love Mary Kay and stop in to see her daily!
A huge thank you to all of the staff at Thompson Junior High School, Long Beach Elementary School, Old Post Elementary School and the Brokaw Early Learning Center – It was great to see everything that is happening in these Oswego schools!