Poudre School District’s Integrated Services Literacy Achievement for All Grant provides multi-sensory literacy training for general and special education staff. Literacy coaches Janet Klein, Julie Woolner and Teresa Ashton offer different formats for training psychologists, interventionists, para professionals, and general and special education teachers.
On a spring day in May, coaches Woolner, Ashton and Klein challenge a group of educators to think about reading in a multi-sensory way. Through fun activities as well as instruction, these coaches have created a way to share strategies that they have found success. The literacy coaches offer tools for topics such as language comprehension, word recognition, and phonological awareness, coding syllables and reading strategies.
LETRS or Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling training is a
professional development course developed by literacy expert Louisa C. Moats. Literacy coaches Julie Klein, Julie Woolner and Teresa Ashton have become certified as LETRS instructors in the modules 1 – 6 and now will be able to offer professional development training, in collaboration with the ELA and Curriculum Departments, throughout the school year and summer to educators in Poudre School District.
Unlike many trainings, the LETRS training has been designed to be a continuous learning opportunity. With multiple professional development sessions and summer modules, teachers are able to build on and expand their repertoire for helping students become successful.
The collaborative trainings are an interesting, inspiring 
way to disseminate information in an interactive, way that is sure to impact student accomplishments. Teresa Ashton is a calm, supportive presence. Janet Klein encourages the educators through information focused on who it is at the center of everything we do… the students. Julie Woolner’s smile encourages teachers to participate and truly engage to optimize the opportunity. The group together creates an amazing trifecta that Poudre School District Integrated Services is truly lucky to have!
Poudre School District Integrated Services Director: Sarah Belleau 2407 Laporte Avenue, Fort Collins, CO 80521
Nestled in a hallway between two grade levels at Bacon Elementary School is the energetic classroom of Jill Cottingham. When praised for the work she is doing with her students she is quick to shift attention from herself and share the praise with all her colleagues in the Poudre School District autism program. Her care and enthusiasm for her students creates a warm, welcome environment. Here is more about Jill:
something different … something special about the community. The hallways are sprinkled with blue puzzle pieces. On the puzzle pieces are messages of encouragement written by the small hands that fill the school. To the students and staff of O’Dea Elementary, autism is a word free of any stigma. It is a word that may be used to help understand and appreciate their peer sitting at their table or a friend from the playground. Odea Elementary is a place that has a smile around every corner. In the classroom of Megan Conahan, there are an abundance of smiles! “Megan is a bright ball of light at O’Dea! She brings such a level of enthusiasm and love to her position working with our children with autism. There are days that can be very challenging, yet Megan continues to bring positive energy to her work. ” Says O’Dea principal Laurie Corso.
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.
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.
Integrated Services Poudre School District 