PARTNER OF THE YEAR
Celebrating exemplary service to students
Every year, schools nationwide face challenges in providing essential support to students–especially those with special needs. As a result, some districts have opted for remote special education-related services to help bridge staffing gaps and expand onsite bandwidth. Our Partner of the Year award recognizes the inspiring districts that go above and beyond to create equity, lead with empathy, and demonstrate dedication as they innovate new strategies to empower diverse learners.
Congratulations to our six 2023–24 award winners! Thank you for making a difference for students with special needs.
CORPUS CHRISTI, TX
Corpus Christi Independent School District
Corpus Christi Independent School District (CCISD) is dedicated to nurturing the “hearts and minds” of over 33,000 students across 52 schools in Corpus Christi, Texas. At the core of CCISD’s mission is a steadfast commitment to developing lifelong learners who are equipped to navigate the modern world and contribute meaningfully as productive citizens. The district’s visionary outlook centers on creating a world-class educational system that prioritizes progress, optimism, and inclusivity, where each student is empowered to achieve their full potential. In the 2023–24 school year, we worked together to meet the needs of over 450 students. CCISD is highly collaborative, communicates transparently, and, in the words of our clinical team, showcases “how great leadership equates to a thriving partnership.”
“This has been just an incredible feat for us. We have had to pivot in so many areas, so we’ve been creative in how we serve our students. That means working in partnership with a lot of our district employees as well as our providers, being flexible, and working with our team members on the ground has been absolutely critical. It’s great to see that we’ve had so many students served and had high-quality services as well.”
KIMBERLY PATELLA
Regional School Day Program Coordinator, Vision and Speech Services at Corpus Christi Independent School District
GREENFIELD, MA
Greater Commonwealth Virtual School
The Greater Commonwealth Virtual School (GCVS) is a tuition-free online school serving students across Massachusetts. Between live, classroom-based lessons and asynchronous instruction, the district offers personalized learning opportunities that embrace unique abilities and redefine how students and teachers engage through innovative technology. Through this year’s partnership, GCVS teamed up with our clinicians to support over 160 diverse learners, showcasing genuine empathy and steadfast collaboration at the heart of its telepractice.
“We’re grateful for the holistic support Presence provides. We’re really trying to strengthen our overall support system, not just for the students and families, but for the staff, and make everyone feel like they’re an integral part of all of the gears. This approach truly helps support the students.”
DARLENE THORPE
Special Education Director at the Greater Commonwealth Virtual School
COVELO, CA
Round Valley Unified School District
Round Valley Unified School District (RVUSD) is located in Northern California and encompasses three schools. As a district dedicated to fostering positive, lifelong connections with students and families, RVUSD champions the values of community and personalized learning. RVUSD supports Presence clinicians through frequent communication and collaboration, helping them feel like a fully integrated part of the onsite team. These relationships foster a sense of connection that makes our clinicians excited to return to working with the district year after year.
“The communication that I have with the Primary Support Person and special education directors at RVUSD is something that I have never experienced at any other site that I have worked with, and I have been working virtually since 2011. They always make me feel like they care about me professionally and personally. I know that I have a special bond with the team at RVUSD, and it has made all the difference for the students as well.”
JESSICA K.
Presence Speech-Language Pathologist
SAGINAW, MI
Saginaw Intermediate School District
Saginaw Intermediate School District (ISD) is an educational service agency that provides innovative leadership, services, and learning programs across 12 districts in Michigan. With a diverse student body of over 26,000 students, Saginaw ISD presents unique opportunities for special education-related service delivery. Although some might see the district’s size as a challenge, Saginaw ISD’s organization, collaboration, and communication facilitated a teletherapy program that effectively meets the needs of students across all its school locations. During this year’s partnership, we were able to support Saginaw ISD students with over 90,700 minutes of teletherapy.
“Presence is flexible with us. We run many different local school districts, and they operate a little bit differently. But you guys listen and were able to get things tracking pretty quickly.”
CHELSEA KORZECKI
Special Education Supervisor at Saginaw Intermediate School District
WEST PALM BEACH, FL
Saginaw Intermediate School District
The School District of Palm Beach County is the tenth largest in the country and serves over 189,000 students. With a focus on empowering each and every child, the district prioritizes educational equity and the development of diverse learners. Palm Beach County’s special education team has wholeheartedly embraced teletherapy and maintains a collaborative relationship with our clinicians, ensuring that students with special needs have access to the services they need to thrive. Through regular bi-weekly meetings, the teams collaboratively address student progress, scheduling, and provider coordination.
“I really worried about how we were going to provide services to kids because we’ve had such a critical shortage of speech-language pathologists. So I thought, ‘Let’s give [teletherapy] a try.’ From there on, it’s just been a love story ever since. We have definitely had great success. We’ve worked collaboratively. We’ve problem solved. We’ve made solutions.”
JULIA JACKSON
Lead Speech-Language Pathologist at The School District of Palm Beach County
MERCERBURG, PA
Saginaw Intermediate School District
Tuscarora School District (TSD) is a midsized, rural public school district in Pennsylvania. Its mission to prepare learners for a “fulfilling, productive, and meaningful life” is built on the foundations of equity, community, and effective communication. From exhibiting exceptional collaboration to building rapport with Presence clinicians, TSD puts its ideals into practice to create opportunities for students with special needs. During this year’s partnership, over 2,600 teletherapy sessions were delivered to help diverse learners meet their educational goals. TSD’s hands-on involvement and internal advocacy make it an ideal district partner.
“The partnership and the service have worked out better than I expected it to in many ways. I was very nervous when we lost some of our previous therapists, but once we made the decision to partner with Presence, quite honestly, it’s been really kind of fluid, which makes it nice from where I sit as Superintendent, knowing that it’s in good hands and it works. I think the more we get used to teleservices, the better they get. It’s becoming more and more commonplace, and it is a model we can build on.”
RODNEY BENEDICK
Superintendent at Tuscarora School District
What makes a Partner of the Year?
Whether from rural, urban, or virtual school communities, Partner of the Year award-winners consistently embody excellence in special education services and represent the following core values:
Equitable service delivery
Adjusts service models to accommodate special needs
Thoughtful innovation
Explores new student support strategies with an open mind
Dedication to students
Provides timely referrals and puts students at the forefront of their decision-making process
Empathetic leadership
Recognizes each student and educator as unique with individual strengths and aspirations
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