Wakulla County District Professional 2007 Teacher of the Year is Ashley Anderson
Ashley Anderson, Child Find Specialist and 2007 District Professional Teacher of the Year, said she always knew she wanted to work with kids in some way. “My mom was a teacher, and I can remember going on field trips with her class when I was in middle and high school,” said Anderson. “I think that was when I first realized it was what I wanted to do.”
Anderson, a Wakulla High School alumni, graduated from the University
of West Florida in Pensacola with an undergraduate degree in
Psychology. While at UWF she also worked part-time at a failing school
as a classroom mentor. “I helped elementary aged kids with their
reading,” says Anderson. “That was another experience that helped
confirm my decision to work with kids after college.”
After taking a year off from school, and while working full time,
Anderson earned her master’s degree in Social Work from Florida State
University during 2001 through 2004. She is currently in the process
of completing a program to become a licensed clinical social worker.
“I take my final test the weekend of January 13,” Anderson explained.
Anderson has also completed master’s level courses to become an Infant
and Toddler Development Specialist. Anderson is also a member of the
Wakulla Coalition for Youth, National Association of Social Workers,
the Florida Association of Infant Mental Health, and Delta Kappa Gamma.
Anderson says she actually began her college career in the School of
Education, but then decided she didn’t want to be a classroom teacher.
“I wanted a little more diversity,” says Anderson. “I ended up going
into psychology because it was the class I enjoyed most out of all my
basic courses. I chose Social Work as my master’s degree focus because
it seemed to be the best fit for what I wanted to do; it was a very
versatile degree.”
Anderson began working as a child counselor with the Apalachee
Center for Human Services right after college graduation. In November
of that same year, she began working as a Child Find Specialist with
the Wakulla County School System, and has been there ever since. “My
job is to help identify any children who are not currently in a public
education setting that may have a disability or delay of any sort,”
says Anderson. “or any child who is supposed to be in school and is
not attending. I work with children from ages zero to five. For the
children under the age of three, I perform a screening and then refer
them on to the Children’s Home Society if necessary. If they show a
significant delay, they can be referred to the Dick Howser Center. For
the children aged three to five, I perform a screening and if I feel
they have a delay, I coordinate getting them evaluated and staffed into
the Pre-K program here in Wakulla County.”
When asked how she locates these children, Anderson says she does
community outreach programs such as speaking at doctor’s offices during
their lunches and sending out informational flyers about the program.
“A big part of my job is to make sure the public is aware of the
services we offer,” says Anderson. “But most of my clients are found
through word of mouth.”
Anderson also acts as a Parent Liaison. “I hold workshops for
parents of students with disabilities on everything from helping your
child with their homework, to preparing for a meeting with the child’s
teacher,” says Anderson. “I also provide transportation for those
parents who can’t get to a meeting, and have also driven parents and
their children (with disabilities) to doctor’s appointments.” Anderson
also supports the parents of children with disabilities by attending
teacher meetings with them. “Sometimes the parents are confused, or
frustrated, or just overwhelmed with the whole situation,” said
Anderson. “Being there allows me to help explain things to the
parents.”
One of Anderson’s favorite parts of her job is getting to work with
the Special Olympics. She is actually the Special Olympics Coordinator
for Wakulla County and also acts as a coach. “I and my assistant,
Sharon Scherbarth, work with the teachers to provide training for the
student athletes,” says Anderson. “We currently participate in two
different sports: bowling, and track and field.” The bowling events
are held during the fall, and Anderson, Scherbarth and the teachers
train with the students at Seminole Bowl in Tallahassee once a week
during the weeks leading up to the actual Olympics. The track and
field events are held during the spring. “We first compete locally,
with just our athletes here in Wakulla County,” says Anderson. “Then
we go on to compete at the Area level, and our area includes Wakulla,
Leon, Gadsden and Taylor counties. From there the winners go on to
compete at the State level, which is usually held in Tampa or Orlando.
It’s exciting for the kids, because they get to travel and stay in a
hotel. For some of these kids, it’s the first time they’ve ever done
that. It’s a big deal.”
Anderson says the Special Olympics program receives some funding
from Special Olympics Florida, but the majority of the funding comes
from the Wakulla school district’s ESE program. “Irene Savary does a
wonderful job of getting funds for our transportation,” says Anderson.
“We are very lucky, because a lot of school districts don’t have the
support of the school system like we do here in Wakulla.” Anderson
says she usually does some extra fundraising as well to help cover the
rest of the expenses, such as competition fees for the athletes. “So
far all we have participated in is bowling and track and field,” says
Anderson, “but they offer every sport you can think of in the program.”
Anderson says she is honored to have been selected by her peers as
Teacher of the Year for the District Staff. “This is the first year
the district staff has been included in the selection process,” says
Anderson. “I am very excited to be able to represent my fellow
colleagues.”
Anderson says her mother is definitely the person who inspired her
the most when choosing her career path. “She was such a wonderful role
model for me,” says Anderson. “She worked as a Reading teacher before
she had my brother and I, and then stayed home with us until I started
middle school. She actually went back to school to get her master’s
degree when I was three or four years old, but she didn’t go back to
work until later. Once she went back she worked as an At-Risk
Specialist teacher, and also coordinated the district’s Mentor
Program. Seeing what she did really inspired me.”
When asked what motivates her, Anderson says it’s the knowledge that
she is helping not only the children, but their parents as well. “So
many parents are frustrated, confused, and concerned, and it’s a great
feeling if I can help alleviate some of their fears and help them learn
how to deal with their special needs child,” says Anderson. “I love
watching the growth of the children once they enter the Pre-K
program.” Anderson says she derives a great deal of satisfaction in
knowing that she is an advocate for children with disabilities. “So
many people are scared of the idea of working with children with
disabilities, but these children love interaction and are so
appreciative of the attention they receive from others,” says
Anderson. “I feel it is extremely important to advocate for these
kids, because so many times they are pre-judged by others, and people
need to realize just how much potential they actually have. It’s so
rewarding to think that I may have helped a child by improving their
self-esteem, or by increasing their excitement for life.”
This article originally published on January 8, 2007.
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