Welcome to Kindergarten!  

I am so thrilled to be joining the ELS Kindergarten teamat Pleviak!  This is my first year with the Round Lake Area School district, but this is the start of my 11th year teaching.  I have spent the last 10 years teaching early childhood special education.  I have a bachelors degree in Psychology from Western Illinois University, my early childhood teaching certificate from Kendall College, a masters degree in Teaching and Learning Special Education from the University of St. Francis, and my English as a Second Language endorsement from Aurora University.  I have dedicated my career to educating young children with special needs and have loved every minute of it!  

My passion for teaching children with special needs comes from my family.  I have a close family member who has autism and a mental impairment.  I spent a lot of time with her growing up and it was our connection that sparked my desire to work with other children with special needs.  I have held a variety of positions throughout my adult life that focus on helping children and young adults with special needs lead independent lives. I worked as a camp counselor at the Northern Illinois Special Recreation Association, assisting children in enjoying traditional summer camp activities that were adapted to meet their individual needs.  Throughout college, I worked at the Children's Center for Autism (now the Pioneer Center for Human Services) as a Life Skills Coach, assisting children and young adults with improving daily living skills and gaining independence.  Prior to becoming a teacher, I worked as a teaching assistant in an early childhood special education classroom.  The combination of these experiences has given me a unique perspective on education and the struggles of families of children with special needs.  In addition to educating the students in my class, my mission is to help the families of the students in any way I can.  

I live in Spring Grove with my husband, Dan, our two wonderful daughters, Lucy (2) and Charlotte (11 months), and our dog, Papilio.  I enjoy going on family walks, gardening, crocheting, and reading.