Special Needs Initiatives
The Medina County Schools’ Educational Service Center provides a Special Needs Initiatives program for the schools in Medina County. This program is designed to help the schools with the development, implementation, and coordination of the Educational Service Center’s Pre-K through graduation special education programming. The program is also designed to effectively assist the schools in the task of providing leadership in developing, achieving, and maintaining the best possible special education programs and services for the Service Center’s customers.
The program includes assistance with the following personnel.
Educational Paraprofessionals
Our educational paraprofessionals help individual students to achieve their greatest potential, learn to become independent, make successful transitions, and to interact with their peers.
English Language Learner ELL
Teachers of English as a Second Language work with children whose first language is not English. They work in a range of locations to help learners develop linguistic and cultural competence to participate fully in education, work, and cultural environments.
Inclusion Specialist/Hearing Impaired
The inclusion specialist/hearing impaired teacher facilitates by providing access to first person communication and promotes instruction skills for children who are deaf and hard-of-hearing.
School Psychologist
The school psychologist conducts individual evaluations to assist school staff and parents; effectively meets the academic, behavioral, and social emotional needs of children; consults with educational staff to develop individualized learning for all of our districts.
Speech/Language Pathologist
The services of the speech/language pathologist includes the diagnosis and identification of children with speech and/or language difficulties and the development/implementation of appropriate services as indicated in the individualized education plan for each student.
Staff Members Responsible:
N'ecole Ast — Director of Special Needs Initiatives
Sheryl Menke — ELL Teacher
Elaine Semper — School Psychologist
Molly Ryan — School Psychologist
Audra Spring — ELL Teacher
Deborah Huefner — Speech/Language Pathologist
Jessica Wilbraham — Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing Teacher
Amy Belles — Adaptive Physical Education Teacher
Bea'te Fisher — Educational Paraprofessional
Nadine Biebelhausen — Educational Paraprofessional
Kaitlyn Zimmerer — Educational Paraprofessional
Sarah Handy — Educational Paraprofessional
Ashley Kemp — Educational Paraprofessional
Carole Lintner — Vocational Training Aide
Teresa Rifle — Educational Paraprofessional
Julie Heath — Educational Paraprofessional
Heidi Houzenga — Educational Paraprofessional
Annette Galbincea — Educational Paraprofessional
Danielle McLaughlin — Educational Paraprofessional
Molly McHugh — Educational Paraprofessional
Beth Whitman — Educational Paraprofessional
Nancy Baldwin — Educational Paraprofessional
Michelle Paul — Educational Paraprofessional
