Crystal Lake Elementary District 47’s Post

Faces of D47: “I grew up in Crystal Lake and went to South and Bernotas. After high school, I attended Illinois State for four years and studied abroad in Prague. I student-taught my senior year—first at South in Aspire, then at Wauconda High School. I got my Bachelor’s in Learning Behavior Sciences and thought high school was where I wanted to be. However, after two years at the high school, I realized I didn’t have the life experiences to effectively help students with their challenges. With encouragement from my mom, who works at Glacier Ridge, and my best friend’s mom, I applied for the position when it became available. Coming to Glacier Ridge, I knew this was the exact population I wanted to teach. I just love it.” "Adjusted Learning is a K-5 program for students with complex medical needs and multiple disabilities. I have students in 2nd through 4th grade and love having them for multiple years. I’ve built strong relationships with their families, and it’s amazing to see the growth over time. The curriculum we’re using this year, Unique Learning System, is completely adaptive while encouraging students to use their communication devices. It’s been fun connecting lessons to general education themes and seeing the benefits for my students." "We cook every Friday, which the kids love! We make simple things like quesadillas or cinnamon toast to build independence and confidence. We’ve taken field trips to practice ordering food and interacting with the community. Our new accessible playground lets students in wheelchairs fully participate alongside their peers, which is really sweet to watch." "I’m also in grad school for early childhood education. It blends well with my work, as many of my students are at that academic level, helping me grow and plan better lessons." "What I look forward to most each day is my students. They’re just so cute! I never know what antics they’ll get into, and even when lessons don’t go as planned, there will still be magical moments that happen. That flexibility and adaptation to each moment—what some might see as chaos—is my favorite part of teaching.” - Jill Larsen, Adjusted Learning Teacher, Glacier Ridge