My personal teaching philosophy is that "Everyone gets what they need to learn. BUT that does not look the same for everyone". I am a big believer that a school experience should be filled with exploration, growth, and acceptance. Getting to the end goal of a learning objective can look different for everyone and that is something that I embrace and celebrate with my students. I am also a big proponent of teaching social-emotional skills and providing social coaching. You cannot learn academics if you are not in a good emotional place and/or are not able to get your wants and needs met in an appropriate manner.

I teach in a combination of whole group, small group, and one-on-one intervention in my classroom and provide intervention in the general education classrooms. Related services of Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Speech & Language Therapy, and Vision services are a part of our days, too. Not all students receive these services but they are available for the students who are eligible.

The staff in our classroom consists of me (Mrs. Nichols) and four educational assistants: Mrs. Amie Martz, Mrs. Paula Baughman, Miss Kristy Berger, and Mrs. Jennifer Baumbick. These ladies are an integral part of our daily functioning and I am so lucky to have them in room 514! They provide support for our students in our classroom, the general education setting, specials, lunch, and recess.

We are so grateful to be a part of your child's educational journey!