Hear From Past Sturgis Special Education Community Members

By raising that bar, I think we see students with disabilities wanting to achieve and work harder. They no longer feel different; they’re just alongside all the other kids. I think they probably for the first time in a very long time feel part of something and not individualized.”

Susan Lacombe-Voigt, Special Needs Coordinator, East

I graduated from Sturgis East in 2011 as a different person than when I entered the doors in the “pit” in 2007. Thanks to the “I.B. for All” approach at Sturgis, I had the opportunity to be challenged in my academic studies and pushed outside of my comfort zone as a student despite the learning challenges I faced every day. Now, as a faculty member at the East campus, I see how much work, attention, and detail goes into creating this inclusive environment we have here, and how much the faculty embrace the idea that all students can learn, we just need to meet the needs of each student. Here at Sturgis we recognize that student success is a complex idea and to measure the success for all students we must be flexible and creative. Our I.B. for All approach is an approach that does not limit or discourage students from the academic challenges they would like to take on despite some of their own personal learning challenges, instead, it empowers them and motivates them to see what is possible and help each students find out what they are capable of.”

Kayley Mead, Spanish Teacher, East

As a Study Skills teacher at Sturgis, the mission statement of “I.B. for all” has hit especially close to home. For many students, the label of Special Education carries a negative connotation, yet Sturgis works exceptionally hard to remove this label. As the largest department at the school, we make a concerted effort to not let anyone fall through the cracks. Special Education teachers and the Special Education Inclusion staff have individual relationships with the students and show a commitment to learning unmatched by any school I have been associated with. The Sturgis teachers and staff show up ready and willing every morning, and this is reflected in the student body in their willingness to take risks and work their hardest. The combination of a great team, appropriate support structures, and willing students makes the Special Education department so successful, but also a great place to work.”

Eric Porteus, Special Education Teacher, East