Special Education Parent Mentors
About Us
I continue to enjoy my role as Parent Mentor for the Stow-Munroe Falls City School District. I have had the privilege of meeting with many wonderful families since I began in May of 2005.
I am a 1971 graduate of Stow High School and have lived in the community
for approximately 40 years, currently residing in Munroe Falls.
My husband Bob and I became parents for the first time in 1979 with
the birth of our son David. It was devastating to us when we learned
that David had congenital heart disease and at the age of six weeks
his heart failed, causing oxygen deprivation to the brain. As a result,
he was severely disabled and blessed our lives for 8 1/2 years until
his death in 1987.
We have two other children, Kate, now married and living in Kent.
She and her husband blessed us with our first grandchild in August
of 2006. Kate graduated from Stow-Munroe Falls in 1998. Our son Steve
graduated in 2002 and attends the University of Akron.
Following David's death our family made the decision to foster special
needs children. We have had three long-term children in our care
beginning in 1989 – not at the same time! For several years
we also provided respite to families of children with a variety of
special needs. Our foster son Vinnie has been with us since 1991.
He is blind, has cerebral palsy, an endearing personality and is
now in the MD (Multiple Disabilities) classroom at the high school.
Before becoming a Parent Mentor for our schools I spent 14.5 years
as a Parent Consultant with Early Intervention/Help Me Grow, providing
support, information and education to families of children with disabilities
from birth to three years of age.
Parenting a child with a disability is both a challenge and a joy.
As parents we want the very best education for our child with special
needs and we rely on our school system to provide the services necessary
to bring our children to their full potential.
I continue my commitment to assist families and the schools to work
in partnership with each other, focusing on the needs of the child
receiving special education services. Together we can watch our children
succeed!
I am very pleased to be joining Barb Greenwald
as Parent Mentor for the
Stow-Munroe Falls City School District. I look forward to the opportunity
To meet and offer supports to the families of our children receiving special
education services.
I graduated from Coventry High School in 1981, and attended the University
of Akron. My husband Rick, a Stow High School graduate of 1970 and I have
lived in the area for the past 21 years.
Together we have three children. Our oldest daughter, Alex, is a 2007
graduate of Stow-Munroe Falls High and is attending John Carroll University
in University Heights and is pursuing a future in Genetics. Our second
daughter, Meredith, (soon to be sweet 16!) is in the MD (Multiple Disabilities)
class at Kimpton Middle School. Meredith has a diagnosis of
Angelman Syndrome. Our son Steven, is a 6th grader at Lakeview Intermediate
School. He enjoys sports and participates in many of the Stow Parks and
Recreation leagues.
Our journey with Meredith took several years and many specialists for
a diagnosis of to be made. Angelman Syndrome is primarily caused by a
deletion on the 15th chromosome. It is considered an Autism Spectrum Disorder.
She has many challenges. She is non-verbal, has significant cognitive
impairments, a seizure disorder, sensory challenges, and attention deficits
to name just a few. On a positive note though she has an
extremely loving personality, an infectious smile, and beautiful blue
eyes.
After Meredith’s diagnosis I established a state chapter to provide
support and resources for parents of Angelman children. A special interest
of mine is helping parents of newly diagnosed children and giving them
the hope they need to confront their new challenges. Parenting a child
with a disability can be very difficult, but it can also be one of the
most rewarding experiences in your life.
Again, I am looking forward to working with families and staff to
achieve a common goal, one of a supportive and beneficial learning
environment
for all our students.