Kathleen Barnes

For the last two years at Jones I have partnered with administrators and teachers to further implement inclusive practices in our building. It has been a challenging endeavor that has involved a lot of adjusting for both staff and students. Nevertheless, the benefits of our endeavors have been exponential, positively impacting all students, teachers and our overall school culture at Jones. During this time, I have:

• created IEP goals and schedules that allow students to access general education classroom successfully
• structured a room that followed the district expectations for a self contained classroom that effectively addressed academic, adaptive, and sensory needs
• managed a daily schedule for students and paraprofessionals that was creative in use of our resources and responsive to teacher feedback
• maintained an environment that promoted regulation and safety for all students
• assisted throughout the school building with deescalation when students were disregulated or upset
• kept communication open with teachers and administrators to ensure any teacher or student needs were being addressed

• collaborated frequently with grade level team to create lesson plans that followed state standards and any district curriculum but was also differentiated for students of all levels to access learning
• created a classroom family that understood 1) learning is challenging, 2) we all learn in different ways, 3) we learn from our mistakes, 4) we learn better together, 5) I am responsible for my own learning
• improved student social-emotional awareness, helping them with conflict resolution and self regulation
• created reflective learners that could explain their thinking and find ways to improve their work
• made learning fun and engaging for students by utilizing a variety of materials (technology, hands on materials, books, student interests) to teach concepts
• participated in professional development and coaching cycles to improve my teaching practice
• maintained communication with parents on any concerns in behavior or learning, but also celebrated success in these areas as well

• frequently collaborated with grade level team to plan lessons that aligned with state standards, district curriculum, and were differentiated for all students to access learning
• implemented learning from science of reading to ensure students had a strong foundation in pre-reading skills
• created a classroom environment where all students felt valued, heard, and safe
• incorporated music and movement as much as possible