Special Education Millage Renewal: Student Spotlights
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Meet Anna!
Anna is a 24-year-old Ann Arbor student in WISD’s A2 Downtown Young Adult classroom with an infectious smile! Anna was born with Down Syndrome and will receive special education services through age 26 thanks to Michigan’s special education laws. Before coming to the A2 Downtown classroom, she was a part of the Young Adult classroom at Washtenaw Community College.
Anna’s special education experience has been nurturing and versatile both physically and mentally. The most impactful part of being in WISD’s Young Adult program has been working at various local businesses. She’s explored many different job opportunities and she particularly enjoys working at hotels.
Outside of school, Anna loves to sing and dance, is active in her church community, and she loves connecting with her friends on social media. She also enjoys swimming, playing golf, and painting with watercolors. Skip to end of gallery Skip to start of gallery -
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Meet Jacob & Bryce!
Jacob (18) and Bryce (15) are happy-go-lucky brothers attending Chelsea Schools who both have Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 8. Due to their diagnosis, Jacob and Bryce both have global developmental delays, which include cognitive and physical disabilities and they require the use of wheelchairs. Jacob, Bryce and their family are grateful for the special education services they receive in Chelsea School District - especially their teacher Katy Fillion!
As part of their special education services, Jacob and Bryce participate in job experiences at local businesses like Culvers and Silver Maples and they also helped contribute to the 28,000 lbs. of recycling that Chelsea students saved last year! Outside of school, they both love participating in Special Olympics, especially hockey and bowling.
“We’ve had a wonderful experience with Chelsea Schools,” shared their mom, Christina. “We’ve been very lucky with the services they receive through special education - they go above and beyond!” Skip to end of gallery Skip to start of gallery -
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Meet Anna!
Anna is an 11-year-old Dexter student attending Creekside Intermediate School. She was born with a chromosomal disorder called 1p36 Deletion Syndrome. Anna receives a wide array of special education supports and services that help her thrive in school and in life. She has one-on-one support during the school day, and thanks to this support, Anna is able to learn in general education classrooms next to her same-age peers.
Anna also receives physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech language therapy each week at school. She particularly loves services like music, movement, and cooking therapies that really help bring her other lessons to life. She also loves taking field trips and going out into the community to work on learning everyday life experiences like grocery shopping and ordering food at a restaurant.
Outside of school, Anna participates in Unified Sports where special education students play alongside their typically-developing peers. She plays different sports throughout the year and learns how to work together and how to be a team player. Skip to end of gallery Skip to start of gallery -
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Meet Evan!
We've had so much fun featuring students from all across Washtenaw County, that we have a BONUS spotlight today! 🌟
Meet Evan!
Evan is a 21-year-old student in WISD’s Dexter Young Adult classroom located in the heart of downtown Dexter (Dread Strong). Evan has Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and a mild cognitive impairment, which cause communication challenges for him. Evan’s special education journey started when he was just 2 ½ years old when he was enrolled in Early On. Thanks to Early On, Evan received speech and occupational therapy, plus social work services. “These services were life changing for Evan,” shares his mom, Megan.
As a young adult student, Evan spends his days learning how to be an engaged member of his community. His young adult classroom teaches him how to manage his emails, go grocery shopping and cook healthy meals, review his upcoming tasks and job responsibilities, and engage in meaningful work. On “Fun Fridays,” Evan and his peers go out into the community and practice job skills training at local organizations like the Dexter Senior Center, Ace Hardware, LaFontaine Chevrolet in Dexter, and the Shear Bliss Salon. He especially loves going to his job at Mill Creek Middle School where he helps with hot lunches!
Evan also loves watching and playing sports. He loves field trips like the U-M Victors Day where he gets to meet local college athletes. When he’s not in school, he also enjoys going for walks and working out in his neighborhood park, participating on EMU’s Special Olympics soccer and basketball teams, and hanging out with the U-M Best Buddies program.
Learn more about the special education millage renewal at www.washtenawisd.org/specialedrenewal. Skip to end of gallery Skip to start of gallery -
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Meet Malik!
Malik is a 9-year-old Brick Elementary student in Lincoln Consolidated Schools. Malik is a 4th grader with mild to moderate hearing loss in both ears and he wears bilateral hearing aids.
Because of his hearing loss, Malik has been receiving special education services since he was just a baby in the Early On program! After transitioning out of Early On, he attended an Early Childhood Special Education classroom at Model Elementary before finding the perfect fit in the WISD Deaf and Hard of Hearing Preschool classroom. His mom, Katie, shares that Malik’s time in the DHH Preschool classroom was life changing: “His teacher Caitlin Scollin went above and beyond for him! She spent two years modifying her classroom so she could find the right support for him, and that made his transition to kindergarten at Brick Elementary so smooth.”
Today, Malik receives speech therapy, occupational therapy, and social work services, and he spends most of his day in the high-needs resource room at Brick. His mom continues, “Our speech therapist Gil Williams is such a rock star! Really, the whole team at Brick is so accommodating and supportive of Malik and his growth. They work really hard to make all the students - not just students with special needs - feel genuinely included and accepted.”
Outside of school, Malik loves all things baseball! He would play baseball all day long if he could, and he loves playing on the Lincoln Little League team. When he’s not playing baseball, he's just like any other 9-year-old who loves playing video games and watching TV! Skip to end of gallery Skip to start of gallery -
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Meet Wil!
Wil is a 17-year-old student attending Manchester Jr/Sr High School loving everything about his small school community and country life. Wil was born with Down Syndrome and has received special education services since birth, starting with the Early On program. Through Early On, he received physical therapy services, and since then, he has also received occupational and speech therapy.
Today, Wil spends part of his day in a special education classroom and part in specials alongside his general education peers. His favorite specials are art, sculpting and marketing - where he gets to flex his creativity and writing skills! Wil has his sights set on working in the school store, known as the Dutch Den, later this year as part of his marketing class. He also loves reviewing the menu and taking orders for their coffee cart. It’s his time to shine!
Outside of school, you can find Wil listening to music, singing, golfing, or “going on adventures” outdoors on his family’s 10 acres. He especially loves country music and playing his guitar, which also helps him work on his fine motor skills.
“Wil is like any other country boy who loves being out in the fresh air and moving, and we love that everyone knows him in our small town,” shares his mom, Christie. “I have so much gratitude for the opportunities and services Wil has access to here. He has so many friends and being around him brings out the best in people. He helps us all readjust our perspective about things.” Skip to end of gallery Skip to start of gallery -
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Meet Nathan!
Nathan is a 10-year-old student attending Milan Middle School! Nathan has Down Syndrome accompanied with a mild bilateral hearing loss. Thanks to special education services provided by his school, Nathan has been receiving support since he was an infant, starting with the Early On program where he received in-home occupational, physical and speech therapy. Today, he continues to receive occupational therapy and speech therapy in school, and a Deaf and Hard of Hearing Teacher Consultant helps school staff learn sign language and other classroom adaptations so Nathan can thrive at school.
“Nathan’s service providers have always been responsive, interested in opportunities to learn more about how to best support Nathan, and collaborative with a team approach to supporting Nathan’s education,” his mom Andrea shares when thinking about his special education experience. “This open approach to support and learning has made a positive impact on Nathan’s education and it all contributes to his success in school.”
Outside of school, Nathan stays active in sports, sports, and more sports! He has been a part of the Milan Little Reds basketball program since kindergarten, which gives him the chance to play alongside his typically-developing peers. Nathan also participates in Special Olympics swimming, track, basketball, and Challengers baseball. He’s also part of Liberty Athletic Club’s adaptive tennis and basketball, Wide World Sports adaptive TopSoccer, Calvary Church’s Awana program, and a number of social and learning programs at Work and Play Special Needs Resource Center. When he’s not busy with all his sports and social groups, Nathan enjoys spending time with his friends in the neighborhood, playing board games, and doing typical backyard things like playing tag, soccer, and hide and seek. Skip to end of gallery Skip to start of gallery -
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Meet Lily!
Lily is an energetic 10-year-old High Point student from Saline. Lily was born with Ring Chromosome 4, which is considered one of the rarest genetic disorders. There were only 17 documented cases when she was diagnosed! Lily also has a chromosomal deletion syndrome called Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome.
Lily started receiving Early Intervention services when she was 4 months old, including occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech therapy, and an early intervention teacher. Today, she attends WISD’s High Point School, a center-based program for students with severe and multiple disabilities where she receives many of the same services, plus the addition of music therapy and aquatics therapy. High Point’s curriculum is made to cater to her unique needs as a learner. The school also has two nurses who assist with the medical needs of Lily and her peers, and they ensure her teachers and teaching assistants are trained in her daily care requirements.
If you ask Lily what she thinks about school, she’ll probably tell you that it's boring. (After all, she’s just like other kids!) If you ask her how she feels about her teachers, therapists, and other staff though, she’ll make her voice and opinions known! Lily will answer with words like funny, silly, favorite, love, and more.
Outside of school, Lily LOVES being outside. She likes going for walks in her wheelchair, camping, fishing, and the rare opportunity to spend a day on a boat. Lily also enjoys people and music. Her favorite toy is a cat piano, her favorite movie is “The Little Mermaid,” and her favorite show is Curious George. She likes to be around people, especially her family and friends. Skip to end of gallery Skip to start of gallery -
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Meet Drew!
Drew is an 11-year-old Whitmore Lake Elementary School student who has Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Sensory Processing Disorder. Drew was diagnosed when he was 3 years old, and was quickly enrolled in an Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) classroom. This special classroom helped him prepare for elementary school by developing skills like communication, language, fine motor skills, gross motor skills and social skills.
“We are very thankful to the early childhood special education staff at Whitmore Lake. If Drew had not been identified and joined the ECSE classroom, we could have missed vital years of development where specialized services made a real difference,” shared Drew’s mom, Gail.
As a Whitmore Lake elementary student, Drew is fully integrated into the classroom where he is given all the services and supports necessary for him to learn. In fact, he “graduated” from physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy earlier this year! As he prepares for middle school, Drew will continue to receive social work and many other supports from his teacher, teaching assistant, and teacher consultant. Gail expressed, “The Whitmore Lake Elementary School staff are absolutely wonderful, amazing, and compassionate!”
Outside of school, Drew likes traveling and visiting new places. He also likes football and is excited to join the Whitmore Lake Middle School football team this year. He also enjoys boating, swimming and music. However, Drew’s special interests are cell phones, electronics and technology - he loves spending time learning about technology! Skip to end of gallery Skip to start of gallery -
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Meet Nik!
Nikolas, a.k.a. Nik, is an Ypsilanti Community Schools young adult student in WISD’s Red Oak program for students ages 18-26 years old. As a student with Down’s Syndrome, Nik has been a part of the WISD’s special education programs since he was 6 years old! He attended local-based programs at Abbott Elementary, Eberwhite Elementary, Scarlett Middle School, Milan Middle School, and Dexter High School before coming to Red Oak. Local-based classrooms help build an important sense of inclusion and community so special education students can learn next to their general education peers.
Over the years, Nik has benefitted from physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech language therapy, and now he only needs occupational and speech therapy. His mom, Melissa, shares how his local based classroom at Dexter High School was a game changer: “When he started going to Dexter, he became a whole different person. The whole community was such an inclusive place where he wasn’t a person with disabilities - he’s just a regular person.”
Today, Nik receives occupational therapy and speech therapy during the school day at Red Oak, a program for young adults ages 18-26 with disabilities. He especially loves engaging in the vocational room where he practices essential life skills like sorting groceries, vacuuming, recycling, and doing his laundry. Outside of school, he loves music and singing, as well as swimming and playing on his tablet. Skip to end of gallery Skip to start of gallery