MIchelle (Shellie) Von Ruden

Compassionate Special Education Teacher with many years experience addressing each student's unique needs and creating effective lesson plans to accommodate special circumstances. Provides appropriate and individualized instruction to build foundations for lifelong learning. Develops, implements, and analyzes progress for Individualized Education Plans for students with disabilities.

• For 25 years, the physical therapist, Dawn Waddell, and I created a summer school camping class opportunity for students with disabilities to learn more independence skills, life skills, and social skills by camping with other students, spending the night away from home (which was a first for many students), socializing with others, making their meals on the fire, and having fun. The class involved meal planning, making t-shirts, swimming, mini-golfing, making meals, socializing appropriately with others, and making photo memory books documenting their fun time with new friends and skills they learned.
• I enjoy photography and took pictures of my children's sports. I enjoy capturing memorable moments of my children and other athletes as well. I gave their family these memorable photos. The families were very appreciative of these cherished moments.
• I volunteered at Ladles of Love, which is a group that plans and provides one meal a week to anyone in the community that may want to come and socialize and receive a meal.
• My children and I loved volunteering at St. Mary's Hospital's activities by playing BINGO with the patients and creating some bonds with them.

• I was nominated for the Herb Kohl award by a colleague.

• I was in charge of our school store for about 20 years. I included the students to help with this by stocking the shelves of the store, managing tasks that needed to be completed for store each week, helping pick out items to sell, and counting the money earned from sales of the items. These were life skills they enjoyed learning because I always related this to real jobs they could so someday.
• For 15 years, I also was in charge of ESY (extended school year) for students with disabilities in the middle school and high school. I created opportunities where the students would get to go into the community and job shadow at different businesses to create interest and self-esteem of jobs they may be interested in pursuing in the future. We practiced skills for the job during the week and at the end of the week job shadowed/worked at the business. I tried to have a variety of businesses involved such as grocery store, hotel, restaurant, and food pantry as well. I try to relate all we do to real life situations.
• I was the Chairperson for our Dairy Day activities and a member of our Spirit Committee to try to boost community within our staff. I also was the Chairperson for planning our Christmas party as well.

• I have training in Zones of Regulation, CPI training, and attended many Autism conferences to continue lifelong learning for myself as well.