Professional Development

2008 Heartspring Award for Innovation and Creativity in Special Education

Jennifer Lovett, Wichita, KS

Jennifer Lovett grew up on an island off of the coast Maine, and then started her career in upstate New York, where she worked with students who had very limited resources and lived near the poverty line. There, she began learning valuable lessons that would serve her well in the years to come. She then moved to Wichita where she builds bridges between regular and special education in innovative ways.

When Jennifer moved to Wichita, she began working with students in an interrelated classroom. In order to adequately provide an appropriate education for her students, she knew that she had to close the gap between the instruction in special education and in general education. Jennifer began collaborating with the general education teachers in order to plan lessons, assessments, accommodations and modifications for students to succeed.

She is now a Special Education Training Specialist and is responsible for building teams among the special and general education staff. She develops a focus on common goals, concentrates on the obstacles that can hinder success, and more importantly, how to overcome those obstacles. We personally experienced Jennifer’s team building skills and her unique ability to create team spirit.

Jennifer has found that with positive relationships and collaboration among all staff, students with special needs can succeed with the right amount of resources and structure. She has a “can do attitude” and is always positive. Team building is often talked about, but all to seldom truly achieved. Here is to a woman who can always find common goals and is able to bring people together to build on them, all to the benefit of students with and without special needs.