# data[].attributes.body
Hi, my name is Janna Cockrell. I have worked in the Salmon School district in various positions on and off for the past eight to ten year. I worked in the Developmental preschool for two years. This was my first real experience working with children with autism. For the past five years I have worked for Lemhi Valley Social Services as a CBRS provider in the schools. I for the past year, I have an autistic client I go to school with in the seventh grade. I am hoping to gain a better understanding of my client and how to help him succeed in the regular classroom. I do have a K-8 certification.

# data[].attributes.body
My name is Melissa Brady and I currently teach at St. Marks Catholic School in Boise. I have been there for eight years but this is my 17th year teaching. I started teaching in 1998 but took a few years off to stay home with my three children. I have taught fifth and first grade at St. Marks but I am currently the reading specialist and coordinator of our Child First Team. This is our team of teachers, administrators, counselor and school psychologist that support students that need accommodations in the classroom. This is includes students with dyslexia, ADHD, autism, etc. I work closely with teachers and parents to support these students. I have also taught third grade and middle school math, science and literature in Idaho, preschool in Oregon, and second grade in Texas and Missouri. I look forward to learning more about how to support students on the Autism Spectrum and other resources that I can recommend to parents and teachers in my school.

# data[].attributes.body
My name is Lindsay De La Cerda. I have worked for the Boise School District in a few different roles first as a substitute, then as a part time paraprofessional, and now as a special education teacher. I have worked primarily with at risk youth. I have been working at Frank Church High School since 2019 and I love my job. I have worked with a few students with ASD in my current role as well as my role as a substitute.

# data[].attributes.body
Hi. My name is Cara Butler. I have been teaching for over 20 years now! I have taught Kinder, First and Second grades! I am teaching in the Vallivue School District! I am always wanting to learn more about how I can help my students that need a little extra care.

# data[].attributes.headline
Hello! My name is Sarah Woods and I have taught for 15 years. I have taught 2nd and 3rd grade and I am currently teaching 1st grade in the Middleton school district. I have had students throughout the years on the spectrum and I would like to learn more about how to make their time in my class beneficial. I want them to learn. I also have a daughter who was diagnosed last year. I want to be able to help her as well. 

# data[].attributes.subject
Hello! My name is Sarah Woods and I have taught for 15 years. I have taught 2nd and 3rd grade and I am currently teaching 1st grade in the Middleton school district. I have had students throughout the years on the spectrum and I would like to learn more about how to make their time in my class beneficial. I want them to learn. I also have a daughter who was diagnosed last year. I want to be able to help her as well. 

# data[].attributes.body
My name is Tristan Mayer and I am a 5th grade teacher in the West Ada School District. I have taught for 14 years and have had many autistic students in my classroom; both diagnosed and undiagnosed. I would love to have more tools in my box to help kids that can struggle with various aspects of classroom life. Whether the obstacle be social, emotional, academic, or a mixture of some or all, students deserve to thrive at school. I'm excited to learn new ways to help my students.

# data[].attributes.body
My name is Brandi Urie. I teach kindergarten in Moscow and have been blessed to work with a variety of neurodiverse students. My wonderful husband Ryan and I share two children, Alora (11) and Taran (5). Taran is autistic and has taught me most of what I know when it comes to working with kiddos on the spectrum- and while it helps in specific instances, it isn't enough! I know there are a variety of strategies out there, and exploring on my own has been like trying to drink through a firehose. I'm looking forward to working through this material and learning how to make our learning environment accessible for all learners!

# data[].attributes.body
Hello everybody!

It is Lisa Dollar, I have been teaching since 2011 in the Nampa school district. I have some family members that are on the spectrum, have had several students in the past, and want to be able to understand how to help them. I teach 8th grade social studies and geography so what happens often is that I get students and then they are taken out of my classes for help with math or reading. Other times, I am given students because they need the structure and socialization of my classes. Either way, I want to be able to impact their learning.

# data[].attributes.body
I'm Sheila Gropp.  I graduated from Arizona State in 1994 then completed my Masters degree in 2000. Over the years, I have witnessed the increase of students diagnosed on the spectrum.  I believe I had my first student in 1998, but he didn't have an official diagnosis.  This year, I have a student who, by all indications, is on the Spectrum. His parents have not allowed for testing. It is also believed that he has Tourette's. It's heartbreaking for me this is why I want to learn more so I can be as effective as I can as an educator as well as and advocate.

# data[].attributes.body
My name is Sheila Pote. I have been a teacher for the past 28 years. I taught mainly Junior High and High School Resource Room students with a variety of disabilities over the first 18 years and for the past ten have had the awesome experience of being a Consulting Teacher in our district which allows me to work with staff and students from all of our buildings/programs. My absolute favorite students to build relationships with and help grow as individuals are my students on the austim spectrum. I am always eager to read or participate in classes that I can grow in my understanding of children and young adults with autism, so I can learn how to best support them in the educational setting and hopefully build skills that they can carry with them throughout life, both socially and academically.

# data[].attributes.headline
My name is Tammy Kern I am a Special Education teacher at Eagle High School. This is my 12th year in education. This is the first year I have worked directly with students with autism. I am hoping to find the tools I need to help my students be successful.

# data[].attributes.subject
My name is Tammy Kern I am a Special Education teacher at Eagle High School. This is my 12th year in education. This is the first year I have worked directly with students with autism. I am hoping to find the tools I need to help my students be successful.

# data[].attributes.body
Hello,
My name is Katie. I am a second grade teacher. I have been teaching for 8 years: 3 in 4th grade and 5 in 2nd. I have had many students with autism over the years. I also have a son who was diagnosed with autism about 2 years ago. I am interested in learning more about how to help my students in the classroom, as well as my son.

# data[].attributes.body
Hello! My name is LaNae Robinson. I am a retired elementary teacher from southeastern Idaho. I still substitute teach on occasion and am working to keep my certification current. My granddaughter was recently diagnosed with ASD. I am eager to learn how I can help her as well as the students I encounter while subbing.

# data[].attributes.headline
Hello, My name is Danielle Bogard.  This is my 15th year in education and my 14th year in special education.  I always have at least one student that is on the spectrum.  This year, I started with a non verbal student on the autism spectrum.  My goal is to learn more about reaching these students especially non verbal students

# data[].attributes.subject
Hello, My name is Danielle Bogard.  This is my 15th year in education and my 14th year in special education.  I always have at least one student that is on the spectrum.  This year, I started with a non verbal student on the autism spectrum.  My goal is to learn more about reaching these students especially non verbal students

# data[].attributes.body
hello, My name is Mattie and I am in my 4th year teacher in Special Education, 20th year in education. My goal is to learn a little more about my autistic students and how to best help them while at school.

# data[].attributes.headline
Hello! My name is Melissa Briggs. I have been teaching for 19 years (all in Idaho). I am currently teaching second graders. It seems every year I have at least one student that is on the autism spectrum. Sometimes I can easily use some of the "tricks" I have learned throughout the years, but some years I really struggle with making sure I am teaching effectively and differentiating appropriately for my entire class. I am looking forward to learning some new strategies.

# data[].attributes.subject
Hello! My name is Melissa Briggs. I have been teaching for 19 years (all in Idaho). I am currently teaching second graders. It seems every year I have at least one student that is on the autism spectrum. Sometimes I can easily use some of the "tricks" I have learned throughout the years, but some years I really struggle with making sure I am teaching effectively and differentiating appropriately for my entire class. I am looking forward to learning some new strategies.

# data[].attributes.body
My name is Mattie Bingham and I am a Special Education teacher at Vision Charter School for 6-12 grades. I have always worked on mild learning disabilities and some more moderate. I have a nephew who is non-verbal / autistic and a few students new to our school that are the same. I am here to learn how to help them better.

# data[].attributes.body
Hello! My name is Cheri Edmondson, and I teach at Idaho Arts Charter School. This year I have 3 junior English classes, 2 speech classes, a "Language Lab" for struggling readers, and 1 Yearbook class. I moved to Idaho a year ago from Lee's Summit, MO, where I was an educator in the Raytown School District for 17 years. It has always been a struggle to work with kids who have autism because there is such a wide range of symptoms and needs. I hope that I can gain a better understanding of how I can serve these kids. Oddly enough, my youngest son was diagnosed with ASD last October, so I definitely want to learn more.

# data[].attributes.headline
My name is Pat Amos.  I am Physical Education, Health, and History teacher for Potlatch School District.  I work with student 7-12.  I am taking this class to better understand how to work with Autistic students in my class, but even more because I have a son that was just recently diagnosed with Autism. We have know for a long time that logan processed things differently and struggle in certain areas, but it was not until recently we got a diagnoses of Autism.  That has explained alot for us.  He is a great young man (Senior in High School) with an incredible heart and a natural ability to build things-especially with wood.  

# data[].attributes.subject
My name is Pat Amos.  I am Physical Education, Health, and History teacher for Potlatch School District.  I work with student 7-12.  I am taking this class to better understand how to work with Autistic students in my class, but even more because I have a son that was just recently diagnosed with Autism. We have know for a long time that logan processed things differently and struggle in certain areas, but it was not until recently we got a diagnoses of Autism.  That has explained alot for us.  He is a great young man (Senior in High School) with an incredible heart and a natural ability to build things-especially with wood.  

# data[].attributes.body
My name is Michelle Haught.  I graduated from SUNY Plattsburgh in New York with a BS in Special Education.  I have been teaching students with special needs for 23 years now.  I started in an emotionally disturbed 8:1:1 program.  I moved on to teach learning disabled students in a 15:1 resource setting.  Both of these positions were at the middle school/high school level.

In 2005 I moved to the Magic Valley.  I worked for a year as a behavior interventionist.  I went back to teaching in 2006.  I have been teaching in Idaho for 17 years now.  My current position is in an extended resource setting.  At the end of the 2020-2021 school year, I had a student join my classroom with Autism and pretty quickly realized I was unequipped to truly teach and reach this student anything.  This prompted me to reach out to SESTA this past school year to work with one of their experts to help me set up a program that would be more beneficial for this student and those that I knew were coming up.

I have a 15-year-old son diagnosed with Autism at the age 6 by the school.  He is a social butterfly that enjoys many different activities.  Over the years, he and I have spent a lot of time working toward his career goal of being a train engineer.  He is a Junior Engineer with a local model train club.  We spend almost every Friday night at the club.  They run operations just like he would encounter working for a train company like Union Pacific or Eastern Idaho Railroad (this is who he would like to work for in the future). The club has also provided a social situation that is safe and accepting.

I am looking forward to the class and hope to learn a lot more to support my son and the students I work with.

# data[].attributes.body
Hello My name is Diane Berg. I got my Associates in Family Science for BYU-Idaho (AKA-Ricks College). I earned my Bachelors in Child Development and my Bachelor's in Elementary Education from Uof I (Idaho, Idaho, GO GO GO!) I taught kindergarten for 7 years. I taught 1st grade for 1 year. I switched to Special Education in 2016. I taught Moderate/Severe ERR for Cossa for 5 years. I taught mild ERR for 1 year. I will be switching to the Nama School District in the fall. I will be teaching the K-2 FASE program at Reagan Elementary.
I have 2 kids. My son is 19 and my daughter is 17.
Im excited to take this class!

# data[].attributes.body
My name is Tanya Gunter I am going into my 10th year teaching. I got my BA in molecular biology from UC Santa CRUZ! GO fighting Banana SLUGS:) I got my teaching credential from Sacramento State. Yes I am a CA that moved to IDAHO ! I have 3 kids oldest goes to Boise State and 2 that go to Nampa High School. I have taught environmental science, physical science, middle school math, chemistry and biology. In my 10 years I have had several students on the Autism Spectrum. I am always looking for new strategies to help all students.

# data[].attributes.body
My name is Ann Goeden. I have been teaching for the last 15 years. I started with teaching Integrated Reading in Caldwell, Idaho. I then moved to teaching 7th grade ELA, for a year. After these 8 years, I moved to Pre-school. I have been teaching preschool for the last 6 years. I taught at a private preschool followed by my current position at Head Start.
Through my years in the public system to a government funded program, I have come across several students on the Spectrum. I have always wanted to know more and extend myself to reach them better in all content areas.

# data[].attributes.body
Hey! My name is Kaeyla Petero and I live in Payette, Idaho. My husband and I have 2 daughters (4 and 1), a couple of dogs, and a handful of chickens. During the summer/fall you can usually find us putting on truck pulls and demolition derbies. I've recently just completed my 6th year teaching. I've taught in 3rd grade for all 6 years but next year I'm moving to 1st grade. In my short amount of time in the education field I've had a handful of students on the spectrum. When my principal shared with me this course I couldn't wait to jump in and learn more about teaching kids on the spectrum.

# data[].attributes.body
Hello! My name is Melissa Green. I am a 4th year teacher from Madison Middle School in Rexburg, Idaho. I teach 6th grade math and writing. During my short time teaching, I have come across several students who fall under the autism spectrum. I am looking forward to learning more ways to better support and engage those students.

# data[].attributes.body
Hi! My name is Kerissa Weinstein and I am an Early Childhood Special Education Teacher at Hubbard Elementary within the Kuna School District. This is my third year at Hubbard, and my third year as a certified teacher. Within that time I have had a handful of students diagnosed with ASD with a wide variety of abilites. Thankfully I have an amazing team who support one another and I have been able to learn a lot about Autism through my team and the children's parents. I would love to learn more about ASD and how to better support those children in my classroom.

# data[].attributes.body
My name is Jen Erickson. I am a professor at North Idaho College. I teach studio art classes including oil painting, watercolor, drawing, and printmaking. In my 9 years of teaching at this community college, I don't think I've ever had a semester when I didn't have an autistic student. My students who are on the spectrum are usually very high functioning and some have helpers with them. I am always trying to better understand all of my students in an effort to better reach them. I am hoping that this class can help be become a more effective instructor to my autistic students.

# data[].attributes.body
My name is Jenny Busby. I was a full time substitute teacher for five years, then a High School Special Education Paraprofessional for another five years. In the fall, I will begin my fourth year as an 8th grade math teacher at Lowell Scott Middle School, West Ada School District. I have worked with Autistic students, but currently my interest in this class is due to the diagnosis my six year old grandson has received at being on the spectrum.

# data[].attributes.body
Hi, my name is Jessica Banner. In the past, I taught first grade, but right now I am a stay-at-home mom. I taught for three years. I have some experience working with students on the autism spectrum. I recently met a little boy that is my son's age that is autistic. I am excited to learn more about autism to become a better teacher and to learn the best ways to communicate with our new friend.

# data[].attributes.body
My name is Miranda McMahon and I am a high school teacher of the Deaf/Hard of Hearing.  I am currently finishing my fifth year of teaching and I work in the Saint Louis Public Schools district in St. Louis, Missouri.  The school I work at is interesting because it houses both the site-based program for D/HH students and students with Autism. While I support students who are D/HH, I do sometimes help students who are on the Spectrum in co-teaching classes.  I also help provide accommodations during testing season. I hope to learn some strategies that help me better support students with Autism.

# data[].attributes.body
My name is Susanna Terry and I am a music teacher at Harrison Elementary in Twin Falls Idaho. I am in my sixth year teaching music to grades K-5. I also teach STEM classes to all grades on Mondays. My experience working with kids on the spectrum is not very extensive, but there have been a few kids in my classes. I want to learn better ways to include them in music lessons and how to set appropriate expectations for behavior and learning.

# data[].attributes.body
Hi, I am JaNene Buckway, a teacher with IDLA. I have taught in public education for more than 4o years and have been retired from the classroom for about 8 years. I still actively teach in the on-line environment which can be very difficult with students on the autism spectrum. I have three grandchildren diagnosed as ASD and as I learn more about this condition I have come to understand that most of my 10 grandchildren are affected in some way. I have had many ASD students over the years and have seen both our understanding of this condition and the terms used to describe it change dramatically over the years. Most of my grandchildren are pretty high functioning, I have one who is more severely affected and all have struggled in school to some extent. I hope to learn more ways to work with my own grandchildren as well as ideas for helping on-line students with this condition.

# data[].attributes.body
My name is Jolene Voelkel and I work at Another Choice Virtual Charter School (ACVCS). I have taught 7th and 8th grade history and science there for the past three years. Since I am a relatively new teacher, I am always seeking ways to improve my teaching. My hope in taking this class is to gain more skills and resources on knowing how to help autistic individuals with their learning. I look forward to learning with you all!

# data[].attributes.body
My name is Jenny Wilson, and I have been in education for 21 years, primarily in Early Childhood in a grant-funded Pre-K program at McGill Elementary (Nevada). We have a very small school and SpEd students have always had my heart, so I have had the opportunity to work closely with almost all of our SpEd teachers and have been able to work with many students in all of our grade levels. We are fully inclusive, so all students are in general education classrooms irregardless of their individual needs.
I have worked with a couple of students on the spectrum, but have limited knowledge and experience. Last year I brought a student into my class who challenges everything I've ever experienced, and I desperately want to understand how to better meet her needs. There is no diagnosis of anything as the parents are only now beginning to recognize that she learns differently (I was able to get her qualified as DD) but I have suspicions.
I'm really looking forward to a better understanding of children on the spectrum, and hoping for some useful strategies for this child and honestly for any others who would benefit.

# data[].attributes.body
Hi there!
My name is Cassie Lachapelle. I am currently an early childhood special education teacher at Desert Sage Elementary (West Ada School District). This is my third year at Desert Sage. My first year I was the resource room teacher split between two schools. This is my second year as an ECSE Teacher. After I graduated, I moved to California and was an ABA therapist for children from birth to 4 years old who had developmental delays, autism, etc. I've known since I was a little girl that I wanted to be a special education teacher. My amazing twin cousins who both have autism are my inspiration! I saw the amazing things that early intervention did for them so I wanted to do it for other families and kiddos.
I have students on my caseload this year that are diagnosed with Autism and I thought what a great time to learn new skills and try it out on them!

# data[].attributes.body
Howdy, I'm Bud Lancaster and I have been a resource room teacher for 16 years. I am currently working at Valley View Elementary in Boise. While I have 16 years of experience working with students who have Autism I figure it's never too late to teach an old dog some new tricks.

# data[].attributes.body
Hello, my name is Chris Spencer. I teach 6th and 7th grade social studies at Pathways Middle School in the West Ada district. I have been teaching eight years at Pathways and eighteen years overall. My previous experience was at the high school level. I have had a handful of students on the spectrum in my classes over the years, but I will be honest in that my primary motivation to enroll in this class is because of my son. Logan is autistic and so I live with the experience every single day. I am hoping to learn techniques and strategies to not only assist students in my classroom that are on the spectrum, but things I can bring "home" as well to help my son.

# data[].attributes.body
Hello! My name is Jillian Cole and this is my 7th year teaching 4th grade in Eagle, Idaho. This course initially sparked my interest because I have a nephew on the Autism Spectrum. Throughout the years I have read, researched and attended workshops because we had no resources when he was diagnosed. I'm no pro, but what I've learned has helped me as an educator and how I interact with all my students on a daily basis. I am always looking for new strategies to implement in my classroom so I can successfully reach my kiddos and celebrate who they are as an individual and learner. Autism will forever be something I hold close to my heart. I am excited to learn with all of you!

# data[].attributes.body
Hello! My name is Ashley Fuller and I am about to start my 4th year as a high school counselor at Post Falls High School. I have been working for the Post Falls School District for the past 5 years and I love it! I am taking this course because I am always looking for more strategies to help assist my students with Autism. I have a few on 504's and IEP's so it will also be helpful for my collaboration with the special education department. I would love to provide more input in IEP meetings and help to better support my students.

# data[].attributes.body
on the spectrum and I'd really like to learn some strategies for supporting his learning and making him feel comfortable in my class. 

1 comment
Avatar of Mrs. Caropino
Mrs. Caropino 5mo
Wecome Tara!
Your avatar
Add comment
Introduction
Avatar of anonymous
Anonymous
6mo
Introduction
My name is Tanya Bottarini and I am a 1st and 2nd grade teacher at an 

# data[].attributes.body
Hello! My name is Theresa Foster. I am a special education teacher for grades K-6 at GemPrep Online. I am starting my 6th year teaching special education. Teaching online can be a challenge when meeting the needs of students but with the right tools and support it is a wonderful option for many students and their families. Even though my teaching platform is mainly online, I have the pleasure of working with students in a face-to-face setting. I am looking forward to exploring strategies to better serve students with autism. I would also like to share these strategies with the general education teachers so they can provide the best academic experiences for students with autism.

# data[].attributes.body
Hello! My name is Kelly Vriesman and I am a first grade teacher at Lakevue Elementary in Nampa, Idaho. I just finished my 7th year of teaching and have been in first grade the entire time. I love first grade because I get to teach students important academic and emotional foundational skills such as reading and basic math facts. I am excited to take this course because this coming year I will have a student with autism in my class, as well as, this summer I am working as a behavior interventionist with children with autism in the community. My concentration in college was Special Education, so I have always been passionate about helping students who need extra support. I am originally from Twin Falls, ID and taught there for five years before taking a break and moving to Sydney, Australia for one year. I have now been back in the states and in the Boise area for almost two years. I believe this class is not only going to give me a deeper understanding of students with autism in order to help me in my own teaching/classroom, but also give me tools to share with my colleagues when they may be struggling with a student with autism.

# data[].attributes.headline
My name is Kim Williams, I am about to embark on my 5th year as a 4th and 5th grade special education teacher in the Caldwell, Idaho area.  I am looking forward to taking this course to facilitate a better  understanding of students with ASD as well as provide useful tools and  strategies in the classroom to support future students. My hope is to also share the information with my co-teacher as well as other teachers in the building. 

# data[].attributes.subject
My name is Kim Williams, I am about to embark on my 5th year as a 4th and 5th grade special education teacher in the Caldwell, Idaho area.  I am looking forward to taking this course to facilitate a better  understanding of students with ASD as well as provide useful tools and  strategies in the classroom to support future students. My hope is to also share the information with my co-teacher as well as other teachers in the building. 

# data[].attributes.body
My name is Meighan Perry. This year I taught 10th and 11th grade students English at Idaho Falls High School. I'm certified in secondary language arts, English as a new language, humanities, and reading. Although I have taught for more than two decades, I feel that I still have so much to learn, especially when it comes to understanding my students with ASD.

# data[].attributes.body
Hi! My name is Aubree Mecham, I'm an Elementary Special Education teacher in Idaho Falls, Idaho. I've been teaching for 3 years and I absolutely love the kids I get to teach! I'm taking this class because students with ASD are each very different and need very different supports. I am hoping that by taking this class I will be able to expand my toolbox of resources and become a better resource for other teachers in my school who have the opportunity to teach our friends who are on the spectrum.

# data[].attributes.body
Hi Everyone! My name is Samantha Showers, and I currently work for a non-profit called Teach for America (TFA), here in Idaho. My role on Teach for America staff is to coach first year teachers, within our alternative teaching certification program. I primarily work with new teachers who work in rural areas, such as Wilder, Payette, Weiser, etc.  It should be noted that I am a former High School ELA teacher within the Nampa School District. I have always had students who are on the spectrum within my classes and I'm eager to learn about best practices to support them. I also coach a lot of special education teachers, so I am looking forward to learning tools myself, so I can better support the teachers I work with. We (Teach for America) are also considering offering this class for the teachers within our program later this summer.

# data[].attributes.headline
Hi  My name is Iva Haukenes.  I am a retired SLP living in Post Falls Idaho.  Once or twice per year I substitute for other SLPs needing coverage of their caseloads. Currently I am preparing to sub in the CDA school district in the fall.  I have been an SLP in Canada, and the midwestern and northwestern USA. I have worked in pediatric hospitals, outpatient clinics and public schools. My caseload has included children from the NICU through high school.  As many of you have said, my caseload has always had students with autism included. I am always looking for better ways to support their learning as well as learning myself. 

# data[].attributes.subject
Hi  My name is Iva Haukenes.  I am a retired SLP living in Post Falls Idaho.  Once or twice per year I substitute for other SLPs needing coverage of their caseloads. Currently I am preparing to sub in the CDA school district in the fall.  I have been an SLP in Canada, and the midwestern and northwestern USA. I have worked in pediatric hospitals, outpatient clinics and public schools. My caseload has included children from the NICU through high school.  As many of you have said, my caseload has always had students with autism included. I am always looking for better ways to support their learning as well as learning myself. 

# data[].attributes.headline
Hello. My name is Stephanie Reiter. I currently teach middle school resource for Inspire Connections Academy. We are an online public charter school that covers the whole state of Idaho. I work from my home office in Boise. This is my 13th year teaching. I started my teaching career in Torrance Unified School District in Torrance, CA, where I worked with kids with mild-moderate learning disabilities in grades 3-5. I also taught 5th grade for a few years. I moved to Kauai for the 2015-16 school year and taught kindergarten there before moving to Idaho. I worked for the West Ada School District when I first moved to Idaho 5 years ago, and taught elementary reading intervention and high school study skills. I currently work with a few students with mild autism in an online setting. It has taken some adjusting, but I actually really enjoy it!

# data[].attributes.subject
Hello. My name is Stephanie Reiter. I currently teach middle school resource for Inspire Connections Academy. We are an online public charter school that covers the whole state of Idaho. I work from my home office in Boise. This is my 13th year teaching. I started my teaching career in Torrance Unified School District in Torrance, CA, where I worked with kids with mild-moderate learning disabilities in grades 3-5. I also taught 5th grade for a few years. I moved to Kauai for the 2015-16 school year and taught kindergarten there before moving to Idaho. I worked for the West Ada School District when I first moved to Idaho 5 years ago, and taught elementary reading intervention and high school study skills. I currently work with a few students with mild autism in an online setting. It has taken some adjusting, but I actually really enjoy it!

# data[].attributes.body
Hi! My name is Karen Gedde and I teach elementary level special education at Lake Pend Oreille School District.  I have been in the education field since 1998 - started off in Blaine Country School in Hailey and then moved north to Sandpoint 2 years ago. As someone else mentioned earlier, I am not sure I am always meeting the needs of my students who have autism. I am here to learn more about it and discover new ways to be a better teacher.

# data[].attributes.headline
Hello!  My name is Kim Starks and I teach 9-12 grade Spanish at Bonneville High School in Idaho Falls. I have been teaching for 13 years.  I have several kids in my classes who are autistic and have 2 of my own children who are also on the spectrum.  I have enjoyed the challenge to be a better teacher and reach each student I teach.  I am looking forward to learning some new techniques that will be of great value in my teaching.  I look forward to applying these techniques in my own home as well.

# data[].attributes.subject
Hello!  My name is Kim Starks and I teach 9-12 grade Spanish at Bonneville High School in Idaho Falls. I have been teaching for 13 years.  I have several kids in my classes who are autistic and have 2 of my own children who are also on the spectrum.  I have enjoyed the challenge to be a better teacher and reach each student I teach.  I am looking forward to learning some new techniques that will be of great value in my teaching.  I look forward to applying these techniques in my own home as well.

# data[].attributes.body
Hello! My name is Katie Albertson and I am an SLP in the Boise school district. I am a Chicago native and have lived in Wisconsin, Arizona, Florida, Colorado and now Idaho. I have been an SLP for 14 years and have been so fortunate to have worked with a number of kids with ASD. I look forward to learning some new tips and tricks as I  continue to meet new kids every year!

# data[].attributes.body
Hi, my name is Jordan Jones. I teach 1st grade in Idaho Falls, ID. This is my 9th year teaching. I feel like every year I have student in my class that has autism. This year I have 3. They are some of my most loved students. But, I feel like there is more I can do for them. This year I moved to a school that houses our autism program and I just want more knowledge on how to help them be successful.

# data[].attributes.headline
Hi, My name is Tammy Payton.  I teach pre-college math courses at a community college in Coeur d'Alene Idaho.  I have been teaching here for 26 years and prior to that, taught high school math in Everett Washington for 4 years.  I love my job and love where I live!  Our college is right on the beautiful Lake Coeur d'Alene and I live close enough to bike and walk anywhere I need to go.  The area offers amazing hiking, biking, and kayaking opportunities--some of my favorite activities.  I am taking this class for much the same reason as many of you.  I am seeing more and more of my students diagnosed on the autism spectrum.  Unfortunately, at the college level, I only know this if the student discloses the information to me.  (DSS can't share the information.)  While I feel that I do a good job working with all students, I know I am missing the training needed to reach these students fully.  Looking forward to learning some new teaching techniques!

# data[].attributes.subject
Hi, My name is Tammy Payton.  I teach pre-college math courses at a community college in Coeur d'Alene Idaho.  I have been teaching here for 26 years and prior to that, taught high school math in Everett Washington for 4 years.  I love my job and love where I live!  Our college is right on the beautiful Lake Coeur d'Alene and I live close enough to bike and walk anywhere I need to go.  The area offers amazing hiking, biking, and kayaking opportunities--some of my favorite activities.  I am taking this class for much the same reason as many of you.  I am seeing more and more of my students diagnosed on the autism spectrum.  Unfortunately, at the college level, I only know this if the student discloses the information to me.  (DSS can't share the information.)  While I feel that I do a good job working with all students, I know I am missing the training needed to reach these students fully.  Looking forward to learning some new teaching techniques!

# data[].attributes.body
Hello, My name is Roger Alexander and I am a special education/social studies teacher and coach in Sandpoint, Idaho. This is my 28th year of teaching. I live in Bonners Ferry with my wife Stephanie and 3 of our 6 children. The older three are all out on there own. I have 2 grandchildren and enjoy playing tennis, pickleball, running and reading. I teach courses at Sandpoint High School, usually 1 period a day (4 period block) and spend the rest of my time as the teacher at Juvenile Detention. I also coach tennis. Every year in my classes and on my team, I usually have a few students who qualify for services under Autism Spectrum Disorder. While I think I do really well with my students with behavior and academic issues, I'm often not sure if I am meeting the needs of my students with Autism. I am hoping that from this course I can pick up some strategies that will help me better communicate and build relationships with my Autistic students.

# data[].attributes.headline
Hi, my name is Rose Mary Reyes-Spurling.  I am currently teaching High School Spanish in a small community in Vale, Oregon, but I live in Payette, Idaho.  I have taught since 1984 (k-12/AP Spanish), so the years are too much to add up. Anyways, I really must love what I am doing, since I am still in the classroom teach our young people of today.  I am originally from New York City.  So I introduce myself as a Cuba-Rican New Yorker. Mother from Cuba, Father from Puerto Rico and I hatched in South Bronx, NY.  I have taught most of my career in the east coast.  Even though, I teach Spanish I have had students from MID to Gifted in the same class and have had to learn how to try to reach every one with their different levels of learning.  I am married to a wonderful husband named Tom, have two children who have given us two other children, 11 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.  My daughter's oldest child has autism and is very close to me.  I see that they are very smart in their own way. Diego is in 9th grade now has always struggled in school. I have found it different to work with him since he is living with me at the moment. I have never taken any courses about children with autism so I thought this my even help me help him.  I am looking forward to this course because it will help me not only with my students in school but with my grandson as well.  

# data[].attributes.subject
Hi, my name is Rose Mary Reyes-Spurling.  I am currently teaching High School Spanish in a small community in Vale, Oregon, but I live in Payette, Idaho.  I have taught since 1984 (k-12/AP Spanish), so the years are too much to add up. Anyways, I really must love what I am doing, since I am still in the classroom teach our young people of today.  I am originally from New York City.  So I introduce myself as a Cuba-Rican New Yorker. Mother from Cuba, Father from Puerto Rico and I hatched in South Bronx, NY.  I have taught most of my career in the east coast.  Even though, I teach Spanish I have had students from MID to Gifted in the same class and have had to learn how to try to reach every one with their different levels of learning.  I am married to a wonderful husband named Tom, have two children who have given us two other children, 11 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.  My daughter's oldest child has autism and is very close to me.  I see that they are very smart in their own way. Diego is in 9th grade now has always struggled in school. I have found it different to work with him since he is living with me at the moment. I have never taken any courses about children with autism so I thought this my even help me help him.  I am looking forward to this course because it will help me not only with my students in school but with my grandson as well.  

# data[].attributes.body
My name is Jessie Prince and I am currently an assistant principal at an elementary school in Idaho Falls. Our school houses a district program that pulls students with high behaviors and low communication skills. Many of the students in our program classrooms have a diagnosis of Autism. I am excited to expand my knowledge of students with ASD and refine my practices to work better with these students.

# data[].attributes.headline
Hello All!!! My name is Robin Olsen and I am currently a 2nd grade teacher at Spring Creek ES in Spring Creek Nevada. I will be moving to primary SPED next year and I am super excited for this new adventure. I will have at least 3 students on my caseload that have Autism and I excited to learn how to help those students.  I recently had twin boys so my plate is pretty full, but I know that this class will make my teaching life less stressful next year!

# data[].attributes.subject
Hello All!!! My name is Robin Olsen and I am currently a 2nd grade teacher at Spring Creek ES in Spring Creek Nevada. I will be moving to primary SPED next year and I am super excited for this new adventure. I will have at least 3 students on my caseload that have Autism and I excited to learn how to help those students.  I recently had twin boys so my plate is pretty full, but I know that this class will make my teaching life less stressful next year!

# data[].attributes.headline
Hello, My name is Michelle Hamilton. I am a para professional at a middle school in Blackfoot, Idaho. I have around 10 years of experience teaching Kindergarten, 3rd grade, and Spanish. I have also enjoyed my job as a Reading Specialist. Because of health concerns, and children that need me at home more, I am only working part time at the moment. I currently assist the Special Education teacher at our middle school. In the past I have always had at least one student in my regular classrooms on the Autism spectrum. Currently,  my main assignment is to work closely  each day and almost each hour with a particular student who is on the autism spectrum. I also assist teaching other students in the school who are on the spectrum as well. I am very interested in learning how to help the students get past behavior that stops them from progressing as well as they deserve. The Special Ed teacher, that I work with, says I'm a natural at knowing what to do in a split second but I feel I have much to learn.

# data[].attributes.subject
Hello, My name is Michelle Hamilton. I am a para professional at a middle school in Blackfoot, Idaho. I have around 10 years of experience teaching Kindergarten, 3rd grade, and Spanish. I have also enjoyed my job as a Reading Specialist. Because of health concerns, and children that need me at home more, I am only working part time at the moment. I currently assist the Special Education teacher at our middle school. In the past I have always had at least one student in my regular classrooms on the Autism spectrum. Currently,  my main assignment is to work closely  each day and almost each hour with a particular student who is on the autism spectrum. I also assist teaching other students in the school who are on the spectrum as well. I am very interested in learning how to help the students get past behavior that stops them from progressing as well as they deserve. The Special Ed teacher, that I work with, says I'm a natural at knowing what to do in a split second but I feel I have much to learn.

# data[].attributes.body
Hi! My name is Tara Brandenburg-Weeks. I have been teaching English as a Second Language (aka ELL) for ten years. I currently teach in an adult basic education setting at the English Language Center in Boise, Idaho. I have a student in his twenties who is on the spectrum and I'd really like to learn some strategies for supporting his learning and making him feel comfortable in my class.

# data[].attributes.body
My name is Tanya Bottarini and I am a 1st and 2nd grade teacher at an Independent/Private school in Boise, Idaho. I have been teaching at this school for 15 years and I have been teaching a total of 20 years (my earlier years of teaching in the public school system in Arizona and North Idaho). I have some experience with children who have been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and children who have not been formally diagnosed with the disorder and present as high functioning. I guess I want to continue my path of learning more about the disorder and how I can add to my tool box  to effectively connect with students who require accommodations in the classroom, where and when to help push them when they need to be pushed but most of all nurture and foster their differences.

# data[].attributes.body
My name is Elizabeth Tolbert. I am in my fourth year of teaching in a small town in southern Idaho. Even though I have been teaching for a few years, this is my first year getting to experience a student who has Autism in my classroom. At the beginning of the school year I felt so unsure of exactly what to do and all he needed. It's kind of pathetic, but the only thing I knew about Autism was what I learned by watching the show "Parenthood". I have talked a lot with his mom, the SPED teachers at school that have worked with him, and really delved into his file during the first bit of the school year. However, even though it has gotten easier, I don't always feel really confident and calm in knowing how to handle all the situations. I also still feel like there is a lot I can learn about Autism, so I am very excited to be taking this course.

# data[].attributes.body
I'm Sheryl Tolman and am currently a stay-at-home mom with a current Special Ed certificate. I worked with many individuals on the spectrum in college, most of which were non-verbal, so unfortunately I didn't recognize it in my oldest son until later years.  My youngest was just diagnosed after years of trying to convince our former pediatrician that he should be tested.  I am hoping to learn ways to help my sons, nephews, and future students to have a brighter future.

# data[].attributes.body
I am in my 9th year of teaching SPED in the Resource setting. I moved to Boise at the end of May, and am teaching virtually at West Junior High. We hope to have students back in the classroom, at least part-time, towards the end of October. I do have a couple of students on the Autism Spectrum, and am learning how to best work with them through trial and error. I hope to learn more about ASD and effective strategies to guide them towards success.

# data[].attributes.headline
Hello! My name is Melissa Fishburne. I taught in both the Kuna and West Ada school districts before moving to Oregon a few years ago. I have had many students with autism in my classroom over the years, and also have a son on the spectrum. I am working with a virtual program now, as well as navigating parenting a child with autism. I am really looking forward to learning about adaptive technologies that my son and other students can use in the virtual and mainstream classroom. 

# data[].attributes.subject
Hello! My name is Melissa Fishburne. I taught in both the Kuna and West Ada school districts before moving to Oregon a few years ago. I have had many students with autism in my classroom over the years, and also have a son on the spectrum. I am working with a virtual program now, as well as navigating parenting a child with autism. I am really looking forward to learning about adaptive technologies that my son and other students can use in the virtual and mainstream classroom. 

# data[].attributes.body
I
Hello,  My name is Theresa Foster and I teach special education for GemPrep Online.  I work from the Meridian, Idaho office/school. I truly enjoy teaching special education and working in a team to determine teaching strategies and accommodations for each student.  I am excited to apply new ideas from this course with my students in just a few weeks.

# data[].attributes.headline
My name is Linda Moyer. I teach at Meadows Valley School in New Meadows, Idaho, in a small school that contains K-12 in the same building. I have been teaching here for 27 years! I currently teach Early Childhood Special Ed., Kindergarten, and Elementary Music. My first year teaching, I had a student on the autism spectrum, and took some classes at that time to learn more about it. I have had at least 4 non-verbal kids on the autistic spectrum, and I have one this year. I would like to learn as much as I can to help this child be successful in my classroom, and life in general. I need a refresher, and I believe I will learn some new information and/or advancements .

# data[].attributes.subject
My name is Linda Moyer. I teach at Meadows Valley School in New Meadows, Idaho, in a small school that contains K-12 in the same building. I have been teaching here for 27 years! I currently teach Early Childhood Special Ed., Kindergarten, and Elementary Music. My first year teaching, I had a student on the autism spectrum, and took some classes at that time to learn more about it. I have had at least 4 non-verbal kids on the autistic spectrum, and I have one this year. I would like to learn as much as I can to help this child be successful in my classroom, and life in general. I need a refresher, and I believe I will learn some new information and/or advancements .

# data[].attributes.body
My name is Jennifer Bideganeta and I am the Special Education K-6 Resource Room Teacher at White Pine Elementary in Boise, Idaho. I have been teaching Special Education for four years in the Boise School District. My husband and I both grew up in Boise. We have a 23 month old daughter named Remi. We also have two dogs named Charlee and Frankee and recently adopted two baby kittens named Thomas and Dora. I have had lots of experience working with students on the Autism Spectrum but could always learn more to better support my students individual needs.

# data[].attributes.body
I’m Heidi Broenneke.  I am currently in my third year in 5th grade in Moscow, Idaho, but previously spent nine years, some in middle school mathematics and some in 5th grade, at the CDA Tribal School.  I think working with different populations of students has definitely strengthened by teaching abilities.   My classroom tends to be the home for the “challenging” students due to my experience and nature.  I get a lot of personal satisfaction from interacting with my students, so this distance learning stuff was incredibly difficult for me; at least I had my dogs!  I am excited about this course because I don’t have a lot of targeted knowledge regarding ASD students, but I am very eager to add some tools to my kit.

# data[].attributes.body
Hello,
I am LaRee Hibbert. This fall will be my 8th year teaching Special Education in the Teton School District in Driggs, Idaho. My first five years here I taught 6-8 at the middle school, and the last two years K-3 at the elementary school. I have a Bachelors degree in Speech and Hearing Communications, Masters degree in Elementary Education, and an endorsement in Special Education. I obtained the endorsement by going through ABCTE. I have somehow become the SPED teacher in my district that is given all the spectrum and high needs students. I am told that I have the skills and knowledge base to work with them. However I do not feel any more knowledgeable or equipt than any other teacher. So I have made it my profession goal to learn as much as I can about supporting ASD students, so I can live up to what others believe. In my personal life I am a single mom of three beautiful daughters. Two are in college and my youngest is in 4th grade. In the summers we stay busy on our small farm with farm animals (pig and sheep that we raise for 4-H), cattle, chickens, and hay. I also need credit hours to get my five year renewal. I am looking forward to this class!

# data[].attributes.body
My name is Kyris Powell.  I reside in Rexburg, Idaho with my husband and 5 kids. My degree is in Elementary Education, and I have a teaching certificate as such.  Not to brag, but I have the best “Mom as a Teacher” job!  A neighboring school district has an extended day kindergarten program, and I am the educator.  I start the school year in February, and I teach one full day a week for 10 weeks.  During this one day I have two sessions of kindergarten students that scored below benchmark on their literacy standards.  My job is to provide extra literacy intervention and exposure to basic literacy skills. In the years I have had this job, I have had a few students with a diagnosis on the Autism Spectrum, along with possibilities of some without an official diagnosis. I love all my students, and anything I can do to give them an opportunity at academic success is worth it. I look forward to adding resources and strategies to my teaching toolbox to better help my students.  Thank you!

# data[].attributes.body
My name is Marissa Stine.  I have been in education now for 15 years on and off (off being full time stay at home mom).  I have taught in Spokane, WA, Glendale, AZ, and now I'm in Meridian, ID.  I am finishing up my first year in Meridian as a Gifted and Talented teacher for 2-5th grades.  I am leaving this position and heading back into the general ed world and will be a 3rd grade teacher starting this fall.  I have had students over all of my years that have been on the spectrum, some with support systems and others without.  I want to take this course to keep learning and give me even more specific skills to help those students out that I know I will continue to teach for years to come.

# data[].attributes.body
My name is Aubre Schrempp.  I live in Lewiston, Idaho with my husband and three girls; Abigail is six, Mira is three and Rosemary is one.  Before becoming a mother, I was a Special Education teacher for five years.  With my husband finishing school we traveled several times so I was blessed to get a wide variety of experience teaching in Portland, OR., Zuni, NM., and my last year in Eagle, ID.

Since it’s been over six years since I’ve been in the classroom, I’m feeling quite ‘rusty,’ but I am taking this course for credits to keep my teaching certificate active, in hopes of coming back to teaching when my girls are all in school.

# data[].attributes.body
Hello! My name is Debbie Cook and I live in McCall, Idaho. I am currently between jobs, playing full time mom, and working on re-certification. I taught for four years, one in kindergarten in Pocatello and three in 2nd grade in Sheridan, Colorado. I'm excited to learn more about helping ASD students in my classroom and have had very little classroom experience with it so far. I have two nephews with ASD and I'm hoping to learn more how I can better connect and interact with them.

# data[].attributes.body
Hello! My name is Sarah Welker and I teach Life Skills K-5th grade in Fremont County, Idaho. I have worked with students both in the past and currently who are on the Autism Spectrum. This is my second year teaching in this classroom and I look forward to many more. I am hoping to gain more knowledge and skills that I can bring back to the classroom to better help my students.

# data[].attributes.headline
My name is Rebecca Dahle and I teach kindergarten in the West Ada School District. I have worked with quite a few students on the autism spectrum. I am looking for new ways that I can connect with, accommodate and support these students.

# data[].attributes.subject
My name is Rebecca Dahle and I teach kindergarten in the West Ada School District. I have worked with quite a few students on the autism spectrum. I am looking for new ways that I can connect with, accommodate and support these students.

# data[].attributes.body
Hey Everybody!
My name is Zach Lambson. I am in my 5th year teaching Social Studies at Madison High School in Rexburg. I have at least one student who has Autism come through my classroom every trimester. I have always wanted to learn more about how to help these students more and this gives me an opportunity to do that. My mother was a Special Education Assistant for students with Autism for about 12 years and I am excited to discuss things I learn in this class with her. I have three children of my own and am happily in my 7th year of marriage. I like to be out doors and I love to coach and play volleyball. I look forward to the opportunity to learn more about how to help my students with Autism.

# data[].attributes.headline
Hello!  My name is Elaine Shannon.  After teaching at the elementary level for thirteen years, then taking off several years to stay home with my children, I earned  both my Master's and Ed.S from NNU.  I have been the special education teacher at the Meridian Tech. Charter High School for the past ten years.  On average I have five students who receive special services each year.  Often they are on the ASD rather than having any academic disabilities.  I also teach two Study Skills classes for our freshman students.  We have a number of students with Asperger's and benefit from extra support in learning appropriate social skills.  I always am open to learning new strategies I can put into place with my students.  I am working on my re-certification for next year and this seemed like a course I could both benefit from, and share my ideas and strategies which work well for me.  

# data[].attributes.subject
Hello!  My name is Elaine Shannon.  After teaching at the elementary level for thirteen years, then taking off several years to stay home with my children, I earned  both my Master's and Ed.S from NNU.  I have been the special education teacher at the Meridian Tech. Charter High School for the past ten years.  On average I have five students who receive special services each year.  Often they are on the ASD rather than having any academic disabilities.  I also teach two Study Skills classes for our freshman students.  We have a number of students with Asperger's and benefit from extra support in learning appropriate social skills.  I always am open to learning new strategies I can put into place with my students.  I am working on my re-certification for next year and this seemed like a course I could both benefit from, and share my ideas and strategies which work well for me.  

# data[].attributes.body
Hi, my name is Anna MacFarlane and I am in my fifth year of teaching in an extended resource room in Nampa, Idaho. My son, who is almost 14 now, is on the Asperger’s end of the spectrum (though he was much less “functional” for years as a little guy), so I have quite a bit of personal experience with ASD just from that. Over the years in my classroom I have always had at least 2 students on the spectrum – but this year I have 5! Two are older and more like my son, so I feel fairly confident with the things I am doing to help them. But I also have 3 littles (6 and 7 years old) who are non-verbal with lots and lots of different needs among them. I wanted to take a refresher course to see what strategies I am missing or could do better to make sure they are getting the most out of their days with me, so that’s why I’m here!

# data[].attributes.body
My name is Chris Paulsen, I'm a counselor for the Malheur ESD in Vale, Oregon. I'm shared between 2 districts and work primarily with K-12 students who have counseling services written into their 504 or IEP. Between training, an awesome co-worker that consults specifically on students with ASD, and personal experience, I feel like I have a decent grasp in terms of possible interventions and strategies. Consistent with counseling in general however, there is PLENTY I don't know and it's my responsibility to continue searching for more knowledge on the topic for the sake of my students and/or parents. In particular, I have a sixth grade male student who I hope may benefit from some of things learned in this course... Looking forward to it, thanks!

# data[].attributes.body
Hi. My name is Shelley Coats from Rupert, Minidoka District. I teach 8th grade language arts. I have worked with several students on the spectrum in the past years and suspect there are more who are not identified but who could use some special help. Also, I have several grandchildren on the spectrum, so I am hoping to raise my awareness of needs in order to support each educationally and emotionally. I'm looking forward to learning!

# data[].attributes.body
Hello! My name is Katy Miller. Currently, I am a stay-at-home mother of 1 with twins on the way! Five years ago I taught elementary music for the Blackfoot school district. I loved the kids and teaching. I taught kids in grades K-5 of all abilities, some even on the autism spectrum. My current reason for taking this course is to not only keep my teacher certificate current but to also better help my 5 year old son. He was diagnosed on the autism spectrum about 1.5 years ago.

# data[].attributes.body
Hi, my name is Mandy Stansell.  I work at Vallivue Middle School in Caldwell teaching 6th grade ELA.  2019/2020 will be my 12th year teaching, and my 6th year teaching middle school.  Before coming to Vallivue Middle, I taught high school English in Bruneau-Grand View and I taught night school at Central Academy in West Ada. I have taught grades 6-12 and some English courses with CWI.

I tend to gravitate towards working with the kids who need extra attention:  I have a strong ELD background ,and until last year, I always taught general education ELA classes.  In the past school year, I had three students who had documented autism, and at least one more whom I suspected was on the spectrum.  While I feel like I was able to build relationships with these students and interact with them well, I also had many challenges and questions. I am interested in taking this class so I can learn as much as I can about how to handle some of the challenges and uniqueness that people with ASD have.

# data[].attributes.body
Hi, My name is Kandy Stanford.  I currently teach 1st grade for the Parma School District.  I have taught in my own classroom for 13 years. During those years I taught 1st grade, a K-4th multi-grade classroom, and 2nd grade.   I also substituted K-12 for 4 years.  My background is a minor in reading and a masters in ESL.  I am always wondering how a student processes and try to take into consideration any factor - home life,  ADHD, learning disabilities, etc.   In my 17 years of teaching I have experienced working with 4 Autistic children.  Their level on the spectrum varied as well as the amount of time in which we worked together.   I am looking forward to learning more about Autism and ways that I can understand, connect, and encourage Autistic students.

# data[].attributes.body
Greetings,
My name is Jon Storey and I am a 5th grade teacher at the Coeur d' Alene Tribal School. This is my fifth year teaching, with the first four years teaching secondary ed.. I have worked with many students who are on the Autism Spectrum when I substitute taught in special ed classrooms, and when I worked at a day center for people with developmental disabilities but I have not had any students in my classroom who were on the spectrum.

# data[].attributes.body
Hello there,

My name is Jess and I teach Art K-5 part-time at Moscow Charter School here in Moscow, Idaho. I’ve been teaching here since 2016, going on my fourth year now. I have several students who are on the spectrum, and I am often amazed by what these students can create (even though most times it isn’t what I asked them to do in the first place). With these kids I often back off and let them do their own thing, and it always surprises me the uniqueness of their work. I would like to learn more effective strategies to help these kids reach their full potential within my classroom. Thanks for having me.

JJ

# data[].attributes.headline
Hello my name is Cindi Lee.  I taught first grade in Idaho for three years.  Since then I have been teaching overseas. I taught in The American School of Guatemala for two years.  Following this I taught in Colegio Maya international school in Guatemala for approximately ten years.  I am currently living in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic and I have just been teaching some private English classes to friends. I have friends with children with autism and I would like to learn of ways to help them.

# data[].attributes.subject
Hello my name is Cindi Lee.  I taught first grade in Idaho for three years.  Since then I have been teaching overseas. I taught in The American School of Guatemala for two years.  Following this I taught in Colegio Maya international school in Guatemala for approximately ten years.  I am currently living in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic and I have just been teaching some private English classes to friends. I have friends with children with autism and I would like to learn of ways to help them.

# data[].attributes.body
My name is Beth Ogden. I teach elementary music at Amity elementary in the Boise School Dist. I have been a music teacher for 21 years. I have taught many different students with different levels of Autism. Some of them like and enjoy music and some of them do not. The sound bothers them. I would like to learn more about Autism and what I can do to enrich their music experience. I teach grade levels K-6.

# data[].attributes.body
Hi, My name is Kandy Stanford.  I currently teach 1st grade for the Parma School District.  I have taught in my own classroom for 13 years. During those years I taught 1st grade, a K-4th multi-grade classroom, and 2nd grade.   I also substituted K-12 for 4 years.  My background is a minor in reading and a masters in ESL.  I am always wondering how a student processes and try to take into consideration any factor - home life,  ADHD, learning disabilities, etc.   In my 17 years of teaching I have experienced working with 4 Autistic children.  Their level on the spectrum varied as well as the amount of time in which we worked together.   I am looking forward to learning more about Autism and ways that I can understand, connect, and encourage Autistic students.

# data[].attributes.headline
My name is Becky Cole.  I am a special education teacher for the Idaho Falls School District.  I work in special programs with students with autism and intellectual disabilities.  I have been teaching school for 8 years.  For two of the years I taught in the resource room in an elementary school.  For the past 6 years I have been teaching in special programs in the High School setting.  I enjoy working with my students and would love more strategies to help them be more successful.

# data[].attributes.subject
My name is Becky Cole.  I am a special education teacher for the Idaho Falls School District.  I work in special programs with students with autism and intellectual disabilities.  I have been teaching school for 8 years.  For two of the years I taught in the resource room in an elementary school.  For the past 6 years I have been teaching in special programs in the High School setting.  I enjoy working with my students and would love more strategies to help them be more successful.

# data[].attributes.body
My name is Tracy Carlson. I am a special education consulting teacher for the Boise School District. I support the elementary resource room teachers. I have worked with teachers and teams regarding students on the spectrum. I am always looking for ways to educate or be a resource for teachers regarding autism. I also have experience working with students on the Autism Spectrum during my teaching days at Meridian High school for 6 years. My background is in Communications secondary education, ESL and Special Education. I have a masters in Ed Technology. I am excited to learn more from this class and find strategies to share with my teachers. Thanks~

# data[].attributes.body
My name is Brian Shaber, and I teach secondary English in Midvale, Idaho. One of my students, whom I will be teaching for the next three years, has autism. Although he seems cognizant of what is going on around him, his spoken language is mangled and his written language is worse. He limped his way through the class this year, but I would like to see him succeed better. Also, one of my sons is said to have Aspberger's. He is sometimes out of phase with those around him. So I thought I should improve my understanding. Thank you.

# data[].attributes.body
My name is Susan Reed and I teach 2nd grade in Buhl, Idaho. I've just completed my 6th year at this school. I am taking this course for recertification, but am hoping to gain more knowledge of  ASD to help students with the diagnoses and to recognize students who have not been diagnosed. Whatever I learn in this course will also help me to become a better teacher to my students.

# data[].attributes.body
My name is Lisa Routledge. I teach high school math at a small, innovative school in the Treasure Valley. My master's degree is in Education focusing on mathematical thinking for k-12. My husband of 30 years has a traumatic brain injury. My sixteen year old son (the youngest of five sons) has an ASD. He is doing great academically, but I am concerned about ability to work with others. My four year old grandson also has an ASD completely different than my son. Since he is at the beginning of his education, I want to be better educated on how to help him and the students in my classroom. I am always willing to learn and grow.

# data[].attributes.headline
My name is Grace Sharp. I have been in education for over 30 years. For the past 9 years I have been teaching 4th graders in the general education classroom. I earned a Special Ed degree in part because of an autistic mostly nonverbal nephew (now in his forties). I taught SPED 2 years at our Middle School and 2 years for our 4th and 5th grade school. I feel my desire to reach all kids that struggle is better utilized in the general education classroom. I have had several students over the years that fall somewhere on the spectrum and I would like to learn more about how I may help them. A special interest I have is in helping with the social and communication frustrations many of my ASD students encounter on buses, on the playground and just in life. 

# data[].attributes.subject
My name is Grace Sharp. I have been in education for over 30 years. For the past 9 years I have been teaching 4th graders in the general education classroom. I earned a Special Ed degree in part because of an autistic mostly nonverbal nephew (now in his forties). I taught SPED 2 years at our Middle School and 2 years for our 4th and 5th grade school. I feel my desire to reach all kids that struggle is better utilized in the general education classroom. I have had several students over the years that fall somewhere on the spectrum and I would like to learn more about how I may help them. A special interest I have is in helping with the social and communication frustrations many of my ASD students encounter on buses, on the playground and just in life. 

# data[].attributes.body
Hi. My name is Cara Urbaniak and I currently teach high school special services in a resource setting for Boundary County School District (way up north). I have worked in education for over 20 years, the first 15 of which I was a Title One para-educator.

I have several students who qualify for services as ASD and seem to have that number go up every year. It is important to me to understand what I can do to help my each of my students be their very best student and person.

# data[].attributes.body
Hello! My name is Tiffany and I currently teach middle school English after teaching high school English for the 1st 7 years of my career. I seem to have more and more students on the Autism spectrum each year, many of them undiagnosed. I am hoping to learn some new strategies to help these students succeed in my classroom academically, socially and emotionally.

# data[].attributes.body
Hi, my name is Grace. I teach 4th grade in the Weiser School District. I have been in education over 30 years. I am certified to teach SPED, and have, but I prefer the general education classroom. I have had many students with ASD. I hope to learn more about how to help high functioning students on the spectrum deal with social issues. I also have a nonverbal nephew on the spectrum. He is in his 40's and some day I may be in charge of his care. The more I know how to help these students, the better it will be for all the others too.