Congratulations to CDIS special education teachers Theresa Wainwright and KateLynn Hartman who were featured in the Iowa Department of Education’s Spotlight Literacy! Not only are they dedicated to making sure our students have what they need to succeed in reading, but they also help students gain confidence to accomplish great things. Thank you for your commitment and hard work! We are lucky to have you in our Saber family!
SPOTLIGHT LITERACY ARTICLE
KateLynn Hartman and Theresa Wainwright from Central DeWitt Intermediate School were nominated for Spotlight Literacy. Both teachers serve 4th-6th graders with reading disabilities.
The nominator shared, “I am nominating them because they work so hard to ensure that their students have access to grade level ELA standards and texts despite the barriers that their reading disabilities may present. They are champions of accessible educational materials and work collaboratively with their teachers to educate them and support their consideration of providing accessible texts. Theresa and KateLynn do an excellent job of training students how to use available assistive technology to support reading and writing, as well as teaching their students how to self-advocate for these accommodations. They both also have great conversations with parents to explain why AT is important and dispel the myth that "AT is cheating." They set high expectations for achieving grade level ELA standards and instill self-confidence in their students. Both Theresa and KateLynn do an excellent job of simultaneously ensuring access to text in the classroom while at the same time working tirelessly and effectively to build their students' independent reading skills.”
KateLynn Hartman, entering her 10th year of teaching special education in DeWitt, Iowa was honored to receive this recognition. She works with Levels I/II 4th, 5th, and 6th graders with mild/moderate learning disabilities. She has spent the last 10 years working toward helping her students with disabilities gain access to grade level text without needing as much adult support as in the past through the Accessible Educational Materials (AEM) Initiative: “Any time I see a struggling student become more confident and more independent due to the correct reading accommodations being in place, my cup is full!”
Theresa Wainwright is starting her 25th year as a Central DeWitt Community School District special education teacher. She grew up in DeWitt, attended school there, married, and is now raising her children in the same town. Theresa shared, “My number one goal for each of my students is to help them be their best advocate when it comes to what they need to be successful in the classroom. My passion and motivation come from my students. They are the reason I do what I do each and every day in and out of the classroom.” She also shared that assistive technology has been monumental for her students. It helps “level the playing field” for them in the classroom by building confidence and independence for their learning. Theresa shared her feelings about the Spotlight Literacy nomination she received, “Reading the words brought tears to my eyes because I just do what I do and want what is best for every student I come in contact with, even if it is not a student on my roster.”