The staff of the special education department gives their thoughts on the program.
Photos by Lauren Abrams
Often overlooked in the mainstream of the school is the Special Education Department, which has served children with special needs for years. The Thomas Jefferson Journal has taken the opportunity to introduce the s taff as well as present each of their thoughts about the program as a whole.
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Kerry Black is the Multi-Intensive (MI) teacher and one of our center program teachers. At the start of the year she was only able to be with us for half days but was still a crucial part of her student’s learning. With a great deal of help for the paraprofessionals in her room, Prabin Risal, Scarlet Molock, Lorrie Armstrong, Barry Meriash, and Michele Lockhart, her students were in great care in her absence. She has also had the time to be the leader in our school recycling program and continues to find more ways to make TJ as ‘green’ as it can be. “I’m grateful for everyone’s help and I’m very glad to be back and working full time,” said Black. |
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Peg Clover-Stipek is the Transitions Teacher. She has revolutionized the way that jobs and job tours reach our students. With the help of our newest paraprofessional, Dan Rule, our department has boards that all students can access in order to drive a more successful post-secondary future. “Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from indomitable will. This is something I try to practive daily,” said Clover-Stipek. |
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Deb D’Andrea is a science teacher in our department who teaches modified and inclusion classes. She is consistently fighting to make sure that all students in her classes are working to their most up-to-date information to department meetings and helps keep us on the cutting edge. “I enjoy working at TJ because the students are great. I love working with the teachers. The Special Education program here is the best in DPS; we are a great team,” said D’Andrea. |
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Loretta Gonzales is a teacher of many hats. She teaches math and social studies as well as keeping the department aware of the newest union ideas and implementations. She is very knowledgeable on the most precise way for teachers to make sure they are getting all their students needs in conjunction with their highest abilities. She is very passionate in her role and strives to do all she can for all students in the department. “All students can excel at a high level given the appropriate environment and educational support. I love teaching; I get up in the morning and think to myself ‘Yay! I get to go to work!’” said Gonzales. |
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Candice Grant is a math teacher in our department that teaches modified and inclusion classes. Not only is she helping us understand the data we collect but finding innovative and exceptional tools for the department to collect data which fit the students’ abilities and needs to better instruct them. In her spare time she is the other half of our dynamic duo of a department chair. “I think we have one of the best special education departments in Denver Public Schools. We are the only school in DPS to offer services for everyone,” said Grant. |
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Suzanna Hurja is not only a new teacher to DPS but a teacher with a very new program. Her students are part of the new Pragmatic Language Affective Needs program (PLAN). Her energetic spirit drives students to learn about social skills and awareness of how their emotions drive their success. She is part of the Gay/Straight alliance as well as a member of the RENT project. With the help of her paraprofessionals, Sean Currey and Mike Kontrelos, they are a team that constantly strives to make TJ a better place for their students and all others. “I enjoy my program because I can make a true impact on students and how they change for their future,” said Hurja. |
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Robert Katz is a social studies teacher and a passionate one at that. He is the teacher that will not only teach about the world around our students but create an environment that connects them to what is happening. He is continuously exerting his efforts to build his class to fit the abilities of his students as well as raise the bar and challenge their ever-growing intelligence. “I believe we have a very dedicated team. We all work very well together, and everything is aimed at supporting the students and their success,” said Katz. |
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Herbert Lynch is an Affective Needs (AN) teacher at TJ. He also does many things in TJ. In conjunction with his role as a center program teacher he teaches a Literature inclusion class as well as being a devoted and enthusiastic men’s basketball coach. His staff of paraprofessionals, Dominic Lucero, Logan Vargas, Michele Lockhart, and Joe Smith, continue to increase the level of rigor and student growth with classes like Character Education and interventions that help them grow intellectually. This also allows students to understand how their demeanor compels their future success. “At TJ, we do not train children to learn by force or harshness, but direct them to it by what amuses their minds so that we will be able to discover the peculiar bent of the genius of each,” said Lynch. |
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Elizabeth Repensek is the Multi-Intensive Autism (MI-A) teacher. This is her second year as a teacher and she is a great advocate for all of her students. She provides her students with incredible experiences while continuously accessing their learning through many different environments. Her staff of paraprofessionals, Leslie Acker, Hilda Babian, Katy Johnson, Lisa Hemmings, Matt Laurita, Delores Leslie, Jason Pound, Breanna Tonjes, Charlene Vanatta, and Jen Weber go all-out when it comes to support. Whether it be taking data, assisting a student in academic work, or leading the class in a great lesson, their teamwork allows the students in this program to gain a wealth of success and a promise to do great things in their future. “It takes a lot of patience and teamwork, but success does come in time,” said Repensek. |
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Jenn Sonheim is the literature/literacy teacher. This is her first year at Tj and she is doing a great job. She really makes an effort to get to know all her students which allows her to get a better idea of what they may needs more support with. Whether it be the help with their studies or fashion sense she is there to make sure they are finding connections with the curriculum. Her ‘always sunny’ attitude on life makes her a great resource when your day or situation with a student is in the ‘glass half empty’ category. She is a great addition to the team and added to the strength of it. “TJ is the happiest, most positive place in the whole world!” said Sonheim. |
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Katie Nethery is our new Disability Access Teacher (DAT). She is the liaison between the special education and general education population in finding their ability level in classes as well as interventions that may help them become successful. Not only is she a great resource for our students but she is also an absolutely wonderful resource for teachers. “This is the first special education department where all of the teachers work as a team. My team members are very supportive which creates a positive environment,” said Nethery. |
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Mollie Pitrone is the Multi-Intensive Severe (MI-S) program director. The students in the MI-S program are students with a great deal of character. Many students participate in in-school and on the job training which take them down the successful path of superior transition into post-secondary education after graduation. Their days are enriched by reading, math, civics, cooking classes as well as vocation training. When asking the students in these classes about their favorite part of the day she gets an extraordinary response of “Unified Sports.” This class consists of students from the MI-S class, the MI-Autism class, and the general education population. All students receive a partner who assists them in activities ranging from sports, like basketball and dodge ball, to crafts for the holiday’s. When having conversations with students from the general education population they say at first they were hesitant to join a class so different from everything else offered at TJ but so rewarding in the long run. Not only do they learn about the differences these students have but how similar they are in friendship. Her students are another element to the TJ community and strive to make TJ the best place it can be. “I have a great time coming into work and I enjoy TJ’s family feeling!” said Pitrone. |
Because of this dedicated staff and all of their hard work, TJ has made its way up to being one of the top schools in DPS to offer an extremely successful special education department. It’s not only this department that benefits from all of their efforts, the entirety of Thomas Jefferson does as well.
Beyond these teachers, they are supported by a superb paraprofessional staff: Prabin Risal, Scarlet Molock, Lorrie Armstrong, Barry Meriash, Michele Lockhart, Dan Rule, Sean Currey, Mike Kontrelos, Dominic Lucero, Logan Vargas, Joe Smith, Leslie Acker, Hilda Babian, Katy Johnson, Lisa Hemmings, Matt Laurita, Delores Leslie, Jason Pound, Breanna Tonjes, Charlene Vanatta, and Jenn Weber.
Look out for more information on Thomas Jefferson’s paraprofessionals in future articles.
