Michelle Rusczyk, MS Education Specialist

Pronouns: she/her/hers

 
 

Clients/Groups/Communities I work with: parents, caregivers, students, siblings, teachers, school districts and companies who are striving to create an environment where everyone feels valued through the lens of their social emotional needs.

Challenges & Obstacles I Work With: Communication break downs, navigating academic systems, understanding IEPs and  504s, working to help advocate for individuals needs in these systems. Pandemic fatigue in education and the household, emotional fatigue in education work environments, improve team dynamics between teams, improve family dynamics within in families who are dealing with specialized needs, social emotional peer groups, supported risk taking

Taking Risks and My Story

Starting a new job doing this dream that our Keystone founders started in a warehouse, which was our school, in a small office that barely fit 6 of us. We dreamed of a day when we could solve problems and provide services that we felt people need that were unavailable due to many limiting factors. The day has come! I was able to take the risk because I had the support of my family, my friends who I get to work with at Keystone and believing in myself and others that we can truly achieve what we are passionate about, we just might need a bit of a hand. This was big risk that I took. I have worked as a Special Education Teacher for over 20 years. Why I took the risk is because I love helping people overcome roadblocks that get in the way of being who they are and achieving what they want.

Professional Style

As a lifelong educator I focus on understanding our strengths and challenges and how to advocate for ourselves through the lens of equity.    My passion is helping everyone achieve their goals in their chosen  field or areas of interest.   I work to figure out everyone's  strengths and creative  ways to overcome what roadblocks may be in the way, whether in school , society or in the workforce.    Navigating the school systems can be overwhelming and it is imperative that all students gain access to what they need, are interested in and goals that they may have for themselves. All of our voices matter.   I have experience with IEPs: goal development, offers of FAPE, BIP plans and 504 plans.  I am a strong advocate for the families and work with students to make sure all parties are represented and heard. 

 I have worked in the field of education since 2002.  I started as an Instructional Assistant to preschool students with Autism and have worked in many other areas of  Special Education as a Special Day Class Teacher in elementary and middle school and in  both public and non public schools. I  also worked with families through in-home support services  as  a Supervisor with ACES inc.   I have been a Resource Teacher for the last few years. 


Interests

  • Knowing and Navigating  your IEP or 504 Plan

  • Advocating for Yourself 

  • Accommodations and Services that work for you

  • Understanding  your Test Scores

  • Executive Functioning Skills Support

  • Career Explorations

  • Social Skills Support 

  •  Behavior Training and Family Goal Setting and Support

 

2001

 Bachelors of Arts in Liberal Studies with an emphasis in Natural Science

2008

Moderate/Severe Education Specialist Credential

 

2017


Masters of Science, major in Kinesiology emphasis in Adaptive Physical Education

2018

Certified Adaptive Physical Educator

 
 

Who I Am

Life can be hard to balance. This is us trying to get a family picture. Letting go of what a family photo should look like and embracing who we are, a family of energetic people.

 
 

Classroom laps were the first  time  I became aware that I had to move more than others. This would be a lifelong journey on how ADHD is a part of who I am.  ADHD is such a part of who I am, I  proudly it is part of my list of strengths, or as I like to refer to it as my super power.  I either had teachers through the years that got it or didn’t.   I know what it is like to sit in a classroom where I felt like there were   two options: I was either understood or I felt a lot of feelings around not  being  understood. 


I am also a wife and mother to two energetic boys.


Advocacy

 
 

Although education has changed alot since I was in school.  The feeling students have about their  learning differences have not.  I am here to help people  understand how they learn and how that fits into the classroom, their family, their everyday life and career.  I work with people to advocate for themselves so that the system can work for them.  We learn differently but we are  lucky enough that we get to explore how we learn.  This is the first step to learn how to be heard and advocate for ourselves.