My story

I was 8 years old, standing at a makeshift whiteboard, teaching my little sister lessons she never asked for. I knew then that I’d be a teacher.

The path wasn’t a straight line. I started college in Communication Sciences and Disorders, set on becoming a speech-language pathologist. Then came my practicum, and a feeling I couldn’t shake: 30 minutes with a student wasn’t enough. I wanted the whole day.

So I went back for my master’s in Severe Disabilities, All Levels, and found my place in self-contained classrooms across Massachusetts, from preschool through middle school. My last room was elementary special education and life skills. Every day there taught me the same thing: when you keep it simple, students shine.

I started this blog to share what was working in my room. In 2018, my first daughter was born, and I made the leap to creating resources and training for teachers full time.

Today I live in New Hampshire with my husband Mike and our daughters, Quinn and Reese. Mike now works behind the scenes on Simply Special Ed too, so if you’ve ever emailed us for help, there’s a good chance he’s the one who answered.

When I’m not working, you’ll find me planning our next Disney trip, holding a pumpkin cold brew, or cheering from the audience at Quinn and Reese’s dance recitals.