A Perfect Fit: How Mrs. Scaffide Found Her Place at AHS

Mrs. Scaffide ended up at Aurora after being at a previous job she also enjoyed. “Prior to being at Aurora, I was a behavior specialist that consulted in several districts... Last year I was lucky enough to work in Aurora, and I loved it! It just so happened that I wanted to get back to my own classroom & Aurora had an opening…[It was] meant to be!”  

Something she loves about Aurora and what made her want to come here even more was how inclusive and open it was. She states, “The first thing I noticed as an 'outsider' to the district was how genuinely happy people are to be here. Aurora is by far the most collaborative district I've worked in. It really stood out to me how well administrators (including the superintendent) know their staff & students. I love the fact that our principals & special education director(s) walk into my classroom & interact with each and every student -- that's definitely not the norm!” This definitely is something that would just draw someone into the district even more!

Regarding her academic background, she shares where she went to high school and college. 

“I graduated from Wadsworth High School. After high school, I got my Bachelor's in Special Education from Kent State. After getting my degree, I taught for 2 years in a K-5 classroom. While I was getting my Master's in Special Education/Behavior Analysis, I was a Registered Behavior Technician and worked in homes, schools, and clinics with students with autism and other disabilities. I became a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) and consulted in several school districts in Northeast Ohio. And now...here I am at Aurora as an intervention specialist!” Mrs. Scaffide is clearly more than qualified to work here, and has a very impressive background. 

Before deciding on special education, she went in between a few options. “I always wanted to be a teacher because of the amazing teachers that I had -- they made me feel seen, capable, cared for. I also went back and forth on nursing school and pre-med. Once I settled on education, I couldn't decide what I wanted to teach...I went through early childhood, secondary English, and middle school Science & Social Studies. I sort of 'fell into' a job at a camp for kids and adults with disabilities and found my passion in Special Education. I've never looked back!” She was led to her perfect match of a job. 

Apart from school, she enjoys being active. She exclaims, “I love to work out and move my body. I started CrossFit last year and really enjoy it! I also really love to be a lazy homebody. I love to read, and color/doodle, but don't do any of those things as much as I'd like to. My wife and I love to go out to eat or order take-out on the weekends. We also love spending time with friends and family. Right now we spend a lot of time looking at houses, as we would like to buy one soon!” 

Something that students may not know about her is that Mrs. Scaffide gets mistaken for a student teacher often! She shares, “Probably that I'm 30 and this is my 8th year in education! I often get mistaken for a student teacher or first year teacher, which makes me laugh!”

Someone who has made the biggest impact on her life is her wife. She explains, “My wife, Karli. She probably doesn't know that -- but she has encouraged me to do so many things that scare me. She's my biggest fan and hype woman without a doubt!”

Lastly, for Mrs. Scaffide she shares the most rewarding part of teaching. She states, “My role allows me to spend a lot of time to really get to know my students and their families! Getting to celebrate big AND small successes is amazing. Seeing students do something on their own for the first time - whether academics, communication, or overall independence is the best part of my job!” Watching her students flourish and grow every day is something that sticks with her!