High School teachers are so much more than just classroom teachers. They are mentors, cheerleaders and advocates for what a student’s future holds. They are constantly looking toward the future.
Named after the town in which it resides, Fort Collins High School is no stranger to preparing for the future. Stacy Sidebottom, teacher in the program for students with autism, is a shining light for the students she works with. Her colleagues recognize her dedication and love for her students. Here is what a few had to say about her:
“Stacey… cares for her students. She is little but mighty. Stacey takes on the day’s challenges head on. Every day, she strives to be a better teacher than she was the day before”.
“Stacey’s enthusiasm and positive attitude creates a wonderful learning environment.”
“Stacey stays calm and looks ahead for her students.”
“Stacey always looking for the positives in students! You’ll frequently hear her say “I just love that kid!” – She doesn’t make excuses for them; she rationalizes their behaviors and consequences, and is constantly modifying what will best serve that student. And when a student is having a particularly good day, she occasionally surprises them with a quick walk to Sonic for a treat!
“Stacey… is passionate about data collection and uses it expertly to make decisions about learning plans for her students. She is one of the coaches of our Unified team and puts her heart into giving her students the most positive high school experience possible. Her patience and resiliency enable her to manage any situation.”
Who is Stacy Sidebottom? Here is her story:
“I grew up in Littleton, Colorado. I attended the University of Northern Colorado for my undergrad and received my degree in special education in 2011. I started working at Fort Collins High School the semester following graduation as a long term sub in the autism classroom. Following my long term sub position at Fort Collins High School I took another sub position as an autism teacher at O’Dea Elementary School. These experiences made me realize that I want to pursue a career in working with students with autism. I was hired full time as an autism teacher back at Fort Collins High School the following year.
Through my teaching experience, I gained interest in shaping behavior and teaching independent living skills. I am currently finishing my master’s degree in applied behavior analysis at Arizona State University and plan on pursing Board Certified Behavior Analyst certification after graduation. My favorite part of my job is witnessing my student’s grow and gain skills that will allow them to live a happier life.”
“Every child deserves a champion- an adult who will never give up on them, who understands the power of connection, and insists that they become the best that they can possibly be.” Rita Pierson.
Poudre School District Integrated Services Director: Sarah Belleau 2407 Laporte Avenue, Fort Collins, CO 80521
I was hired as a teacher in the program at Boltz shortly thereafter and I absolutely love it here. Since then, the other autism teacher, Bonnie Beach, the ILS teacher Stacy Denham, paraprofessionals and myself have worked together to support all of our students with extensive needs as a team instead of as separate programs. What I love most about my job is that there is never a dull moment and not one day is ever like another. I love watching my students learn, have fun, laugh, and seeing them take pride in what they have learned. We all have so much fun together, and students and staff really just work as one big team here.”
awesome boys, Aiden (14) and Avery (12). In my free time I love spending time with my family, riding my road bike, being outdoors and reading. My favorite part of my job is watching the progress in students as they grow and learn. Sometimes having the privilege of hearing their first words and being a partner with parents on their journey as they enter school and as they support their children. I love helping to build their foundation! As a Behavioral Consultant for the district I have recently gained experience in all grade levels and love supporting teachers in their learning about autism and providing them with supports for challenging behaviors in the classroom.”
“Tressa displays the finest qualities we look for in special education teacher. She has passion for her students, partners with parents to help students progress in all environments, is highly motivated, looks for solutions all of the time, believes that data tells a story to help make change, is fun, creative, has a great sense of humor and shows that she loves her job! It is a pleasure watching and working with Tressa!” Sarah Belleau, Director of Integrated Services for Poudre School District.
As the world becomes more familiar with autism, huge strides are being made at an educational level. We are constantly learning and evolving in the ways we educate each child as the wonderful individual that they are. Leading the charge in Poudre School District are an amazing group of educators whose passion for teaching have lead them to programs designed to support students all over the spectrum.
people who give their hearts to the children they serve each week. These teachers work with countless dedicated people to ensure each child is striving for their full potential, constantly pushing and growing. Follow along as we share their stories.
It is not uncommon to hear someone talk about being overstimulated. Have you ever considered that there may be an amount of stimulation that is just right? The team at Lincoln Middle School did just that. School social worker, Whitney Bennett-Clear saw a sensory need that was not being met, so she and Integrated Service teachers Sara Thompson and Mathew Bruno took on the challenge. Their goal was the integration of sensory tools within their classroom and out in student’s general education classrooms.
The philosophy behind the sensory smart classroom incorporates our need for sensory stimulation and depression. Think about it, there are times that we may be sluggish and think to have a cup of coffee or bounce a foot while concentrating. The purpose of these aids are to ramp-up energy or decrease sensory stimulation in order to focus. A target group of students, are working toward being able to identify and facilitate these needs. Mr. Bruno, Mrs. Thompson and Mrs. Bennett-Clear have streamlined the use of socially appropriate tools for students. The goal is for students to identify what they need to be successful and access it independently. Does someone feel that rocking would allow them to focus on the task at hand? Grab a rocking chair. Does someone feel that holding and manipulating something pliable would help them relax? Grab a fidget. The only way this is possible is if they are available. That was the vision for the Lincoln Middle School staff.
also known as “the real world”. Here is the thing, the real world looks different for different people. Sometimes it leads to continued education, sometimes vocational work, other times it can be entrepreneurial work. As educators it is our responsibility to help guide students to where they can be most successful.
The ACE Supported Employment program has wonderful success stories of students finding, keeping and loving employment positions. Often, these positions continue after the students formal education with Poudre School District has concluded. Even with great success stories, there was a piece of the puzzle missing. There needed to be a place for students who were not emotionally prepared for work in the community. Sarah Belleau, Director of Integrated Services, challenged Mr. Woodruff and his team to create an environment within the safety of Poudre School District where students could explore what it is like to be self-employed, with a real monetary product. This environment would allow students with more significant needs to be in charge of all of the ins and outs of running a business including time and money management, ordering, roasting, grinding, bagging, labeling and distributing an end product – coffee!
O’Dea Core Knowledge, like most schools, is a school full of smart boards. However there were a few classrooms who were hanging out in the dark ages of 1990 with chalkboard, whiteboards and books.
Epson- M600, 2 projection units and installation. The interactive whiteboards are light sensory vs touch sensory which allows for accessibility for those with decreased fine motor skill strength. It is a multi-touch unit which can accommodate two users simultaneously.
Integrated Services Poudre School District 