0e4190992_1430250027_connecting-spring-2015-final-web

Raising Special Kids 

Families Helping Families 

What’s the Best School 

for My Child? 

Connecting 

Spring 2015

Staff Spotlight 

Kelly Randall - Family Support Specialist 

Kelly Randall was surprised when her son Nathan’s first 

grade teacher suggested he might be experiencing seizures. 

Kelly was still learning about autism, and she had 

assumed the times Nathan wouldn’t respond to her were 

due to his autism. 

Nathan’s epilepsy 

diagnosis began 

a new and stressful 

phase of her family’s 

journey. “Some of 

the medications Nathan 

was prescribed 

really changed his 

normally sweet personality. I remember calling the doctor 

with my concerns and hearing him say ‘Well, that’s all 

I’ve got.’ I was stunned. I felt utterly alone. That’s when I 

reached out to other organizations like the Epilepsy Foundation 

and Raising Special Kids.” 

Kelly recently joined the Raising Special Kids staff and 

assists families in finding resources, mentoring, and support 

to help them navigate through their challenges. She 

commented, “I just don’t want anyone to feel as alone as 

I did. I really found my calling in helping families whose 

journey includes learning about epilepsy and trying to find 

appropriate interventions.” 

CONTENTS 

What’s the Best School? ...1 

Opportunities for Parents 

and Young Adults ........4 

Creating Community 

Connections ...........4 

Parent Leaders ..........9 

Workshops & Training ....5 

CONTENIDO 

¿Cuál es la Mejor Escuela?. 5 

Talleres .................7 

This publication is partially supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration 

(HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under 

the Family to Family Health Information Centers, CFDA No. 93.504. The information, 

content, and conclusions should not be construed as the official position or policy of, 

nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government. 

raisingspecialkids.org 

Connecting is published by 


5025 E. Washington St., #204 

Phoenix, AZ 85034 

602-242-4366 • 800-237-3007 

Fax: 602-242-4306 

www.raisingspecialkids.org 

info@raisingspecialkids.org 

Flagstaff Office 

928-444-8834 

Sierra Vista Office 

520-441-3411 

Tucson Office 

520-441-4007 

Yuma Office 

928-444-8803 

STAFF 

Joyce Millard Hoie 

Executive Director 

Anna Burgmann, Gloria Demara, 

Kathy Freeman, Vickie French, 

Kathy Gray-Mangerson, 

Rachel Hanzuk, Denise Hauer, 

Marie Hoie, Wendi Howe, Angelica Lara, 

Maureen Mills, Janna Murrell, Kim Obert, 

Gabriela Parra, Dolores Rios Herrera, Kelly 

Randall, Vicky Rozich, Nannette Salasek, 

Paulina Serna, Peggy Storrs, 

Nilda Townsend, 

Christopher Tiffany, Alice Villarreal, 

Leslie Williams, Neil Wintle 

BOARD OF DIRECTORS 

Paula Banahan, President 

Karin Smith, Vice President 

Tom Batson, Treasurer 

Blanca Esparza Pap, Secretary 

Barbara Brent 

Leslie Cohen 

Tonya Gray 

Karen Hinds 

Mike Horne 

Regan Iker-Lopez 

Jennifer Kupiszewski 

Jacob Robertson 

Gabriela Sanchez-Orozco 

Dr. Wade Shrader 

Parent to Parent support is the heart of 

Raising Special Kids. Information about local 

services, educational programs, advocacy, 

or special health care needs is available 

in English, Spanish and other languages. 

Services are provided at no charge to families 

in Arizona. Raising Special Kids is a 501(c)(3) 

non-profit organization.

What’s the Best School for My Child? 

Six Traits of Highly Performing Schools in Arizona 

Parents often ask about finding 

the best school for their 

child, and the question is not 

easily answered. What is considered 

appropriate by one parent 

may be entirely different for another. 

Whatever criteria parents 

consider in seeking the ‘best’ 

school, they often need useful information 

to evaluate how well a 

school can support the academic 

achievement of students with 

disabilities. 

The Arizona Department of 

Education examined three years 

of statewide testing data to find 

the schools where students with 

disabilities improved academically 

year after year. Through onsite 

visits with districts and charter 

schools, data collection and 

evaluation methods were used to 

examine what schools were doing 

to consistently improve outcomes 

for students. The goal was 

to identify key strategies to share 

with other schools and parents 

to improve outcomes for more 

students. It turns out that every 

high-performing school had six 

traits in common. 

1. High Expectations 

Too often, students’ educational 

opportunities are 

limited by low expectations. 

When there are strong connections 

between general 

education and special education 

teachers, and a student-first 

mentality, schools 

develop high expectations 

for all students. 

2. Highly Effective 

Teaching Strategies 

Instruction was intentional 

and purposeful, with lesson 

plans and activities written 

in advance and based on 

data that could continually 

advance students to mastery 

“...time spent in a general 

education classroom 

was positively 

correlated with higher 

scores on standardized 

tests..., fewer absences 

from school, and fewer 

referrals for disruptive 

behavior.” 

of concepts and skills taught. 

Students were not just “receiving” 

an education; they 

were actively pursuing and 

participating in it. 

3. Data Driven Decision- 

Making 

As Arne Duncan, U.S. Secretary 

of Education, explains, 

“It [data] tells us where we 

are, where we need to go, 

and who is most at risk… 

[Teachers] want to know exactly 

what they need to do to 

teach and how to teach it.” 

4. Students Are Provided 

with Reteach and 

Enrichment Activities 

Based on achievement, 

teachers assign students to 

either reteach or enrichment 

sessions. The goal is to give 


students the opportunity to 

master essential skills and 

knowledge before they move 

on to the next level. 

5. Students with 

Disabilities Receive 

Core Instruction in 

the General Education 

Classroom 

The largest, longitudinal 

study of education outcomes 

of 11,000 students with disabilities, 

the National Longitudinal 

Transition Study, 

showed that more time 

spent in a general education 

classroom was positively 

correlated with higher 

scores on standardized tests 

of reading and math, fewer 

absences from school, and 

fewer referrals for disruptive 

behavior. These results 

were independent of students‘ 

disability, severity 

of disability, gender, or socio-economic 

status. 

6. Effective Leadership 

The schools’ leaders (superintendents, 

principals, 

special education directors, 

and lead teachers) set expectations 

for implementing 

effective strategies. Most 

principals were visiting 

classrooms regularly and 

participating in the meetings 

for all students, including 

those with disabilities. 

Many leaders set the standard 

for inclusion with the 

continued on page 2 

1

message, “these are all our 

students.” 

To find the ‘best’ school 

where your child continually 

achieves academic success, ask 

the principal or administration 

of the school about how they 

can demonstrate effectiveness 

on these six traits. While many 

variables influence a child’s success 

in any given environment, 

you can begin with your own 

data-driven decision making 

for selecting the ‘best’ school to 

meet your high expectations. 

Angela Denning, Deputy Associate 

Superintendent, Arizona 

Department of Education, is the 

state’s director of Exceptional 

Student Services. She described 

recent trends in measuring success 

for students with disabilities 

as shifting from compliance 

(getting evaluations completed 

within 60 days) to results (competitive 

employment and/or 

continuing education after high 

school). 

Ms. Denning stated, “The results-driven 

accountability initiative 

provides an opportunity 

to increase support for improving 

student outcomes. We’ll be 

able to use information from 

this study to help strengthen the 

efforts of schools to implement 

these six effective practices.” 

In addition to these six traits, 

there is another characteristic 

almost every good school exhibited: 

parental involvement. Parental 

involvement that makes 

the most impact on student 

achievement is not volunteer 

work at school, but the time 

spent supporting a child’s academic 

and educational goals 

2 raisingspecialkids.org 

MORE ABOUT THE SIX TRAITS OF 

HIGHLY EFFECTIVE SCHOOLS 

1. High Expectations 

Raising Student Achievement for Students with Disabilities: 

Characteristics of Successful Districts 

http://www.azed.gov/special-education/files/2015/01/characteristics-of-successful-districts.pdf 

Higher Expectations to Better Outcomes for Children with 

Disabilities 

http://www.ed.gov/blog/2014/06/higher-expectations-to-better-outcomes-for-children-with-disabilities/ 

2. Highly Effective Teaching Strategies 

Highly Effective Teaching – HET 

https://resources4teachers.wordpress.com/het-susan-kovalik/ 

3. Data Driven Decision Making 

Using Data to Influence Classroom Decisions 

http://www2.ed.gov/teachers/nclbguide/datadriven.pdf 

The Context of Data-Driven Decision Making 

http://www.sagepub.com/upm-data/48142_chap1.pdf 

4. Reteach and Enrichment Activities 

5 Strategies to Ensure Student Learning 

http://www.edutopia.org/stw-differentiated-instruction-budget-assessment-how-to 

5. Inclusion of Students with Disabilities in the 

General Education Classroom 

Rationale for and Research on Inclusive Education 

http://on.nyc.gov/1yPSTz1 

School Inclusion Resources from CIPR 

http://www.parentcenterhub.org/repository/inclusion/ 

6. Effective Leadership 

Raising Student Achievement for Students with Disabilities: 

Characteristics of Successful Districts 


through reading at home, and 

developing critical thinking 

skills. During your school-search 

conversations, you’ll have an opportunity 

to show your commitment 

to high expectations and 

student achievement through 

parental involvement.

Special 

day 

for 

special 

kids 

2,500 parents and children had fun at Special Day for Special Kids! 

March 21, 2015 

for families of children with disabilities and special health care needs 

Photos by Jeff Lang - All in the Family Photography 


3

Opportunities for Parents and Young Adults 

Share your perspective 

Would you like to share your 

perspective on raising a 

child with a disability? Your wisdom 

and experience could help 

other families receive the care 

they need, and assist state programs 

in designing and developing 

appropriate services. 

Here is what is required: 

• A resident of Arizona 

• Parent or guardian of a 

child with special health 

care needs between the 

ages of birth to 21 

• Young adult between the 

ages of 18-26 with special 

health care needs and not 

under guardianship 

• Ready to share your experience 

to help other families 

in your community 

• Complete an application 

and a series of required 

leadership development 

trainings 

Parents and youth who complete 

the training series receive 

compensation, and also receive 

compensation for participation 

in project activities. 

What are special health 

care needs? 

Any condition that requires 

more doctor visits or health care 

services than most children or 

youth. Examples are: learning 

disability, asthma, diabetes, autism, 

behavioral health, sensory 

disability, life-threatening allergies, 

anxiety disorder, cancer, 

physical disability, seizure disorder, 

or almost any other chronic 

condition. 

Questions? 

Call Raising Special Kids at 

602.242.4366 or e-mail info@ 

raisingspecialkids.org for an application 

Leadership opportunities and 

compensation are provided 

through a contract with the 

Arizona Department of Health 

Services, Office of Children with 

Special Health Care Needs. 

Creating Community Connections 

Heysi Notario was really excited 

to participate in last 

fall’s Virginia G. Piper Sports 

and Fitness Center (SpoFit) 

IronKids event sponsored by 

United Healthcare. He found 

out about the event from Raising 

Special Kids Family Support 

Specialist, Dolores Rios Herrera 

who reached out to his family 

with a personal invitation. Heysi 

showed up to the event fully-prepared 

to have fun and to do his 

best. 

Also attending the event was 

Judie Walker, Ombudsman/ 

Member Advocate for United 

Healthcare Community Plan. 

Judie recalls seeing Heysi arrive, 

“I noticed how bulky his wheelchair 

was and asked him if that 

was the chair he used all the 

time and he said, ‘yes’.” As her 

conversation with Heysi continued, 

Judie found out that he is 

very interested in many types pf 

physical activities and a spark of 

an idea took hold with her. 

Judie reached out to some of 

her connections and within a 

short time, was able to arrange 

to have a lighter chair donated to 

Heysi. Now, it’s much easier for 

him to participate in the activities 

he enjoys and he’s even begun 

volunteering at the SpoFit. 

Judie and Heysi continue to 

keep in contact and Judie expressed 

her thanks, “Without 

Dolores’s efforts, we would nev- 


er have met him. Thank you for 

making the connection to Heysi 

and his family.”

No Cost Workshops & Training 

Register online at raisingspecialkids.org or call 800-237-3007 

PHOENIX 

Disability Empowerment Center 

5025 E Washington St, Ste 204 


This building is fragrance-free 

IEP Training 

Thu, Apr 23, 6-8pm 

Legal Options, Turning 18 

Thu, Apr 23, 6-8pm 

YUMA 

CW McGraw Elementary School 

2345 Arizona Ave 

Yuma, AZ 85364 

IEP Training 

Wed, Apr 22, 5-7pm 

For our most up-to-date training 

schedule, check http://www. 

raisingspecialkids.org/eventstraining/ 

Partnering with Your Child’s Provider 

Family Voices - National Center for Family/Professional Partnerships 

As your child’s most consistent caregiver, you know your child/youth with special health care needs 

in ways that no one else does. The following tips will help you prepare for an office visit, talk with 

your child’s provider, and learn more after the visit. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Trust your instincts 

Seek all the information that you can 

Search for providers that meet your needs 

Ask for special consideration if needed 

Look for ways that other family members can participate 

Communicate openly with your child’s providers 

Help your child build a relationship with his/her providers 

Ask every question that is on your mind 

Don’t be intimidated 

Ask for additional reading material 

Ask to tape a conversation 

A diagnosis may take time 

Ask for a written care plan 

Ask for help in financing your child’s care 

Learn from other parents 

Maintain a file of important information 

Seek second opinions if needed 

Change providers if needed 

Don’t give up 

Taken from Partnering with Your Child’s Provider, Family Voices 1-16-2015 http://www.fv-ncfpp.org/ 

files/4414/2149/5755/ParentsPartnering_01-16-2015r.pdf 


5

¿Cuál es la Mejor Escuela para su Hijo? 

Seis características de escuelas altamente destacadas en Arizona 

menudo los padres preguntan 

acerca de las mejores 

A 

escuelas para sus hijos, y la 

pregunta no es tan fácil de responder. 

Lo que es considerado 

apropiado por un padre podría 

ser completamente diferente 

para otro. Sea cual fuere el criterio 

que los padres consideren 

para localizar la "mejor" escuela, 

frecuentemente necesitan información 

para determinar qué tan 

bien puede una escuela apoyar 

los logros académicos de estudiantes 

con discapacidades. 

El departamento de educación 

de Arizona examinó los 

resultados de datos de pruebas 

de tres años a través del estado, 

para localizar las escuelas en las 

que los estudiantes con discapacidades 

mejoraron académicamente 

año tras año. Por medio 

de visitas a los distritos y a 

las escuelas charter o escuelas 

públicas experimentales, se recopilaron 

datos y métodos de 

evaluación utilizados para examinar 

qué estaban haciendo consistentemente 

las escuelas para 

mejorar los resultados obtenidos 

de los estudiantes. La meta era 

identificar las estrategias claves 

para compartirlas con otras escuelas 

y con otros padres para 


por más estudiantes. Una vez 

completado el análisis, resultó 

que cada una de las escuelas altamente 

destacadas tenía seis 

características en común. 

1. Altas expectativas 

Habían fuertes sistemas de 

apoyo entre los maestros 

de educación general y de 

educación especial, y una 

mentalidad de "primero el 

estudiante", era evidente en 

las escuelas con altas expectativas 

para sus estudiantes. 

2. Estrategias de 

enseñanza altamente 

efectivas 

Con enseñanza intencional y 

con propósito, con lecciones 

planificadas y actividades 

escritas por adelantado, 

basado en datos que podría 

continuamente hacer que 

los estudiantes avanzaran 

en su manejo de conceptos 

y destrezas enseñadas. Los 

estudiantes no estaban solo 

"siendo educados ", estaban 

activamente adquiriendo 

y participando en su 

educación. 

3. Toma de decisiones 

basado en datos 

Como lo explicó Arne Duncan, 

la secretaria de educación 

de los Estados Unidos 

(US Secretary of Education), 

“los datos nos indican dónde 

está ubicado el estudiante, 

hacia dónde debemos dirigirnos, 

y quién tiene más 

riesgo… [Los maestros] quieren 

saber exactamente lo 

que necesitan hacer para enseñar 

y cómo enseñar.” 

4. A los estudiantes 

se les proveen 

actividades de reenseñanza 

y de 

enriquecimiento. 

Basado en el análisis de 

datos, los maestros asignan 

estudiantes a sesiones 

de re-enseñanza o de enriquecimiento. 

La meta es 


de darles a los estudiantes 

la oportunidad de manejar 

destrezas y conocimientos 

esenciales antes de pasar al 

próximo nivel. 

5. Los estudiantes 

con discapacidades 

reciben instrucción 

básica en el salón de 

clases de educación 

general. 

6. Liderazgo efectivo 

Los líderes de las escuelas 

(superintendentes, directores, 

directores de educación 

especial y maestros 

líderes) gradúan el tono y 

las expectativas para la implementación 

de estrategias 

efectivas. Muchos de 

los directores visitaban los 

salones de clases frecuentemente 

y participaban en las 

juntas de datos de todos los 

estudiantes, incluyendo los 

estudiantes con discapacidades. 

Muchos de los líderes 

han estado en el distrito o 

en la escuela por años y, de 

acuerdo con el informe del 

departamento de educación 

de Arizona (ADE) han fijado 

el estándar de inclusión con 

el mensaje "estos son todos 

nuestros estudiantes." 

Para encontrar la mejor escuela 

donde su hijo pueda continuamente 

adquirir éxito académico, 

pregunte al director o a la administración 

de la escuela acerca 

de cómo pueden demostrar su 

efectividad en estas seis características. 

Aunque muchas variables 

pueden influir el éxito del 

niño en un ambiente determina-

do, usted podría comenzar con 

su toma de decisión basado en 

datos para seleccionar la 'mejor' 

escuela que llene sus altas expectativas. 

Angela Denning, es la superintendente 

asociada oficial del 

departamento de educación de 

Arizona (Deputy Associate Superintendent, 

Arizona Department 

of Education), directora 

estatal de servicios para estudiantes 

excepcionales. Ella describió 

los cambios sobre las recientes 

tendencias de medida del 

éxito de los estudiantes con discapacidades, 

del cumplimiento 

(tener las evaluaciones completadas 

en un periodo de 60 días) 

a resultados (empleo competitivo 

y/o continuación educativa 

después de la escuela secundaria). 

La Sra. Denning dijo que "la 

iniciativa de responsabilidad de 

resultados provee una oportunidad 

para aumentar el apoyo para 


de los estudiantes. Vamos a 

poder utilizar la información de 

este estudio para fortalecer los 

esfuerzos de las escuelas a implementar 

estas seis prácticas 

efectivas." 

Además de estas seis características, 

hay otra característica 

que casi todas las buenas escuelas 

tienen: la participación de 

los padres. La participación de 

los padres que produce más impacto 

en los logros de los estudiantes 

no es el trabajo de voluntario 

en la escuela, sino más bien 

el tiempo dedicado en apoyar 

las metas académicas y educacionales 

por medio de la lectura 

en el hogar, y del desarrollo de 

destrezas de razonamiento crítico. 

Durante sus conversaciones 

de búsqueda de escuela, tendrá 

la oportunidad de demostrar su 

compromiso con las altas expectativas 

y logros del estudiante 

por medio de su participación 

como padre. 

RECURSOS 

Altas expectativas 

Aumento de logros estudiantiles 

para estudiantes con discapacidades 

(Raising Student 

Achievement for Students with 

Disabilities): Characteristics of 

Successful Districts 


Estrategias de enseñanza altamente 

efectivas 

https://resources4teachers.wordpress. 

com/het-susan-kovalik/ 

Toma de decisiones basado en 

datos 

http://www2.ed.gov/teachers/nclbguide/datadriven.pdf 

http://www.sagepub.com/upm-data/48142_chap1.pdf 

Actividades de re-enseñanza y 

de enriquecimiento 

http://www.edutopia.org/stw-differentiated-instruction-budget-assessment-how-to 

Inclusión de estudiantes con 

discapacidades en el salón de 

clases de educación general 

Justificación de e Investigación 

sobre Educación Inclusiva 

http://on.nyc.gov/1yPSTz1 

Inclusión Escolar 

http://www.parentcenterhub.org/ 

repository/inclusion/ 

Encuesta sobre la participación 

de los padres 

http://www.azed.gov/special-education/files/2014/05/indicator-8-parent-involvement-ffy-2012ly.pdf 

Talleres y Entrenamiento 

www.raisingspecialkids.org o llame al 800-237-3007 

SAN LUIS 

Biblioteca Pública de San Luis 

1075 N 6th Ave 

San Luis, AZ 85349 

Organizando los archivos de sus niños 

vie, 8 mayo, 5-7pm 

YUMA 

CW McGraw Elementary School 

2345 Arizona Ave 

Yuma, AZ 85364 

Entrenamiento del IEP 

jue, 23 abr, 5-7pm 

SABADO 

6 de junio 

7:30 AM 

-5:30 PM 

Conferencia en Español 

Todas las presentaciones y materiales 

serán exclusivamente en Español 

Disability Empowerment Center, Phoenix 

cupo limitado almuerzo incluido no habrá cuidado de niños 

www.raisingspecialkids.org 

¡REGÍSTRESE 

HOY! 


7

Thank You for Referring Families July - December 2014 

To refer a family to Raising Special Kids, please visit our website and download a referral form. 

ABIL 

Penny Fore 

Patty Hackmann 

ACTS 

Lorena Lopez 

Airman Readiness Group 

Marjorie Thompson 

Alhambra School District 

Christina Carolan, SLP 

Arizona Autism United 

Paulina Tiffany 

Ehren Werntz 

Arizona Cooperative Therapies 

Rachel Gibbons 

Daniela Rodriguez 

Arizona Department of 

Education 

Joan Curtis 

Angela Denning 

Amy Dill 

Maria Durazo 

Becky Raabe 

Barbara Sandy 

Travis Sherbourne 

Oran TKatchov 

Candice Trainor 

Arizona Relationship Institute 

Vallerie Alston 

Lisa Gold 

Arizona’s Children Association 

Tara Korkosz Beltran 

Yajahira Boroquez 

Bonnie Bowers 

Isabel Garcia 

Christina Heinzel 

Taiesha Iles 

Amy Jordan 

Anna Longoria, MSW 

Jane Lord 

Nicole Martin 

Kendra Pulley 

Brianna Rabago 

Angela Radford 

Jeff Garcia Rasch 

Joshua Simpson 

Beth Sopjes 

Meagan Vasey 

Alejandra Verdin 

Lindsay Rayball Villa 

Andrea Wittekind 

Amanda Wolfe 

Avondale Family Health Center 

Kathy Moasser 

AZ Commission for the Deaf and 

Hard of Hearing 

Jennifer Hensley 

Banner Cardon Children’s 

Medical Center 

Ashley Gershanor 

Lucille McElrath 

Shayla Paap, MSW 

MaryAnn Sawyer, RN 

Jessica Wells, MSW 

Patty Zowada, LMSW 

Banner Good Samaritan Medical 

Center 

Dr. Sarah Coles 

Cynthia Nakamura 

Danielle Page, LMSW 

Dr. Christopher Peterson 

Annamarie Ricci, LCSW 

Banner Thunderbird Medical Center 

Anne Bordal 

Diana Nabozny, MOTRL 

Mary Wagner 

Bayless Health Care 

Pamela Greenberg 

Stephanie Johnson 

Harmony Swisher 

Care 1st Avondale Resource Center 

Jennifer Griffin 

Chandler Unified School District 

Carrie Day 

Alison Hermsen 

Chicanos Por La Causa 

Kim Pearson 

Teresa Arrizon 

Bethany Draime 

Emily Jimenez 

Silvia Zavala 

Child and Family Support Services 

Jennifer Wild 

Children’s Rehabilitative 

Services 

Sarah Anderson, PhD 

Tava Arnold 

Anselma Berumen 

Nicole Frazier-Zaruba, DNP 

Jennifer Gray, PhD 

Bonnie Hartley 

Sara Navarro 

Samantha Nordvold 

Jessica Schild, LCSW 

Linda Thunn 

Judi Tyler 

Donna Wallace 

City of Phoenix Early Headstart 

Sophia Garcia 

City of Phoenix Head Start 

Ingrid Hogan 

Mayra Morales 

Deborah Alvy 

Angelica Sillas 

Community Intervention 

Associates 

Sky Heffran 

Community Provider of 

Enrichment Services 

Carolina Prieto 

Desert Shores Pediatrics 

Margaret Duran 

Desert Valley Pediatrics 

Kristal Fabian 

Developmental Disabilities 

Advisory Council 

Nicolina Chavez 

Developmental Discovery Center 

Drake D Duane 

Division of Developmental 

Disabilities 

Sylvia Acosta 

Brittany Adkins 

Julie Amodeo 

Mary Anderson 

Tiffany Arenas 

Jodi Barnes 

Lisette Barragan 

Lida Basir 

Thelma Begay 

Kimberly Bell 

Cyndy Bensma 

Karissa Brnak 

Lois Brooks 

Sandi Brown 

Theresa Buntz 

Kathleen Caeder 

Kathleen Calder 

Ashley Cannella 

Coreen Collins 

Susan Courinos 

Amanda Daines 

Adrienne Dickson 

Ashley Dzurnak 

Osnelly Franklin 

Joelle Gillett 

Theresa Gillmore 

Jeannie Groom 

Kathi Guildig 

John Hall 

Tammy Hamann 

Amber Hampson 

Melinda Harrington 

Julia Harris-Pachter 

Susan Hartz 

Rachel Hayes 

Peggy Hedrogo 

Priscilla Hernandez-Bailey 

Debbie Hooper 

Jacelyn Horner 

Lauren Iwen 

DeVell Jackson 

Jill Keyes-McClements 

James Kimball 

Michael Knudson 

Richard Koutz 

Cheryl Lubahn 

Celeste Lugo 

Cindy Machinski 

Candy Mancuso 

Ellyn Manzon 

Victoria Markowicz 

Lucia Marquez 

Melissa Mason 

Ellyn Mazo 

Diana Mendoza 

Katie Minturn 

Melissa Morado 

Alexis Mulvaney 

Kristina Murphy 

Sherry Nakkas 

Mi Nguyen 

Colleen O’Sullivan 

John Paez 

Georgia Pascua 

Flora Perez 

Laura Perez 

Kathi Petz-Guildig 

Treasure Phillips 

Catherine Puerta 

Julie Quesada-Conner 

Maria Ramero 

Cecilia Reyes 

Marit Runyon 

Virginia Sandoval 


Scott Shackelford 

Cristy Spear 

Susan Stewart 

Jennifer Stoeber 

Keri Tallis 

Lucrezia Thornton 

Alma Torres 

Jake Van 

Christine Weesner 

Francisco Wences 

Michel Wiley 

Simon Woo 

Easter Seals Blake Foundation 

Teri Koenig 

Empowerment Research, LLC 

Dr. Sue Wolf 

EPICS 

Teri Abraham 

Ronalda Warito-Tome 

Family Involvement Center 

Valerie Marino 

Family Learning Center 

Marista Beltran 

Family Resource Center 

Heather Rennells Alfrey, 

LMSW 

Family Service Agency 

LaShon Tasher 

Fiesta Pediatric Therapy 

Jena Aebi 

Karol Aguirre 

Emily Bryant 

Adam Butler, MS OTRL 

Bethany De Jarnatt 

Amy Erfurth Motril 

Vanessa Gaiser 

Michele Roberts, PT 

Sarah Savage 

Beth Williams 

First Things First 

Rudy Ortiz 

Flagstaff Medical Center 

Ashleigh Watkins 

Flagstaff Unified School District 

Russ Randall 

Lang Suby 

Foundation for Blind Children 

Mary Wilson 

Gentry Pediatric Behavioral Services 

Dr. Joe Gentry 

Gila River Indian Community 

Christopher A Smith 

Gilbert Unified District 

Becky Rowland 

Glendale Family Health Centeer/ 

MIHS 

Fran Pearson 

Great Destination Pediatrics 

Dr. Karen Prentice 

Harvest Preparatory 

Wendy Moravec 

Isaac Elementary District 

Kathy Dancil 

Ibhar Enriquez 

Jenny’s Speech & Learning Clinic 

Maura Castellanos 

KidzSPOT Pediatric Therapy 

Jessica Basha Klein

La Frontera EMPACT 

Abigail Hanson 

Lady Bug Speech Therapy 

Monica Gallegos 

Maricopa Integrated Health System 

Ana Herrera 

Vimbai Madzura 

Kathy Moesser, LMSW 

Nancy Sanabria 

Maricopa Medical Center 

Christine Fruchey, LCSW 

Corina Garcia 

Dr. Rachel Lusk 

Kevin Luu 

Sara Paxton 

Deborah Rumans 

Shendell Sainos 

Mesa Unified School District 

Jan Umhay 

Native Health 

Perci La-Nae 

Bridgett Terrazas 

North Country Healthcare 

Lizette Melis 

Northern Arizona Academy 

Cindy Johnson 

Northwest Clinic for Children 

Dr. Kristen Kaus 

Pa’angni Hopi Guidance Center 

Tanya Monroe 

Paradise Valley Unified District 

Travis Harris 

Parent Aid 

Merry Placer 

Parent Partners Plus 

Emily Singleton 

Pediatras Arizona 

Dr. Juan Lusco 

Grisel Suttle 

Pediatrix 

Dr. Elaine Ellis 

People of Color Network 

Elias Burboa 

Janeth Bustamante 

Janett Zazueta 

Phoenix Baptist Hospital 

Adriano Goffi 

Nicole Pitre 

Phoenix Children’s Hospital 

Dr. Haley Baines 

Dr. Robin Blitz 

Miranda Chergosky 

Dusty Covelli 

Candice Danford 

Dr. Debra Flynn 

Anica Herrera 

Megan Hunter 

Dr. William Korwyn 

Joy Macleod, RN 

Eileen Mitchell 

Dr. John Muhm 

Dr. Kristen Samaddar 

Dr. Michele Scott 

Angelia Toures-Huffman 

Dr. Beth Trevino 

Nicole Valdez 

Candice Welsh 

Dr. Williams 

Phoenix Union HS District 

Kathryn Baumgardner 

Pinal County Juvenile Courts 

Stacie Blackburn 

Fausto Jimenez 

Kally McGowan 

Sarah Woelfel 

Pinal Gila Community Child 

Services 

Toni Limbrick 

Pinal Hispanic Council 

Gina Yost, BHHP, RC, FS 

Primavera Online High School 

Paul Black 

Pure Chiropractic 

Mohammed Awad 

Quest Alliance 

Annette Reyes 

Refugee Focus 

Jeanne Konkuyo 

Joy Ruseruka 

Rise Early Intervention 

Cameron Kizziah 

Joanna Resh 

Rise Services 

Rafaela Estrada Beltran 

Roosevelt School District 

Meagan Orban 

Saguaro Foundation 

Jose Vera 

Salt River Pima Maricopa Indian 

Community 

Judy Santeo 

Cassandra Yazzie 

Scottsdale Healthcare 

Arlene Teasyatwho 

Sharing Down Syndrome Arizona 

Teresa Adair 

Gina Johnson 

Sonora Sky Pediatrics 

Melissa Ochoa 

Southwest Behavioral Health 

Ruth Withe 

Southwest Human Development 

Priscilla Avila 

Roxanna Chavez 

Dr. Daniel Kessler 

Arroyo Lidiana 

Sharon Mayher 

Southwest Network 

Enedina Garcia 

Southwest Pediatrics 

Jessica Armendariz 

St. Joseph’s Hospital 

Nicole Curtis 

Mary Elmore, LCSW 

Statewide Independent Living 

Council 

Larry Wagner 

Stride Psychological Services 

Mary Oakley, PSyD, CCASSP 

Sunrise Therapies 

Rosemarie Strout 

Team Health Primary Care 

Taylor Winters 

Tempe Union High School District 

Ron Denne 

The Emily Center 

Brianna Scott 

Touchstone Behavioral Health 

Christina Kruggel 

Tribal Education 

Rebekah Regnell 

Tuba City Regional Health Care 

Erin Martinez, PT, DPT 

Tucson Unified School District 

Debbie Iseman 

Monica Brinkerhoff 

Apache Junction 

Kandy Luty 

Avondale 

Teenah Curtin 

Bellemont 

Erin Polk 

Bullhead City 

Jessica Krueger 

Chandler 

Dawn Bailey 

Marti Baio 

Martha Burrer 

Kristina Hunt 

Lisa Myers 

El Mirage 

Natalie Trujillo 

Flagstaff 

Kelly Reed 

Gilbert 

Carol Boyd 

Todd Gilmore 

Holland Hines 

Tammy Leeper 

Louise Murphy 

Aimee Patton 

Heather Prouty 

Kim Updegraff 

Glendale 

Cathy Humphrey 

Colleen McGregor 

Marci Monaghan 

Lorie Williams 

Goodyear 

Anne Dennis 


Parent Leaders Nov 2014 - Jan 2015 

Thank you! 

UCP of Central AZ 

Ludie Hansen 

Dale King, LMSW 

Laura Smith 

United Healthcare Community Plan 

Rita Loustaunau 

Marta Urbina 

Judie Walker 

Jenna Wiersema 

United Methodist Outreach Ministries 

Karla Cazares 

Michelle Mada 

United Way 

Stephanie Burdick-Shepherd 

University of Arizona Health Plan 

Kimberly Browning, RN 

Valle de Sol 

Norma Carrants 

Martha De la Torre 

Sandra Lerma-Espinoza 

WACOG 

Erika Argueta 

West Valley Pediatrics 

Dr. Alan Hartsook 

Williams Unified School District 

Justan Rice 

YETC 

Mesa 

Dominique Colunga 

Susan Melton 

Danielle Pollett 

Erika Villanueva 

Molly Wright 

Peoria 

Sharon Blanton 

Phoenix 

Michelle Faudskar 

Elizabeth Ketzler- Naughton 

Maura Knoell 

Heather Joy Magdelano 

Rebecca Masterson 

Maria del Carmen Nuñez 

Manuela Rubio 

Paulina Tiffany 

Dana Wayne 

Prescott Valley 

Danielle Cummings 

San Tan Valley 

LaTasha Whitaker 

Scottsdale 

Sharon & Larry Landay 

Chris Linn 

Katie Petersen 

Stacy Strombeck-Goodrich 

Tempe 

Megan Davis Dey 

Tolleson 

Kristie Amator 

Tucson 

Nancy Kupers 

Claudia Lopez 

Larissa Richardson 

Yuma Elementary School District 

Barbara Castaneda 

Kassandra Miller 

Karen Yheulon 

Individuals 

Sara Bennett 

Kim Cohill 

Vanessa DiCarlo 

Dr. Lauren Donnley 

Joyce Fine 

Samantha Flores 

Sarah Jensen 

Hope Kirsch 

Steve Lee 

Dr. Lee 

Heather Joy Magdelano 

Jeannette McCale 

Elizabeth McMorran, NP 

Shannon Meyer 

Dr. Beltra Patty 

Anita Ratcher 

Frank Rios 

Holly Schramm 

Dr. Michael Tanzy 

Klint Webb 

9


5025 E Washington, Ste #204 


RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED 

NONPROFIT ORG. 

U.S. POSTAGE 

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PHOENIX, ARIZONA 

PERMIT NO. 2017 

We rocked-around-the-clock in our Poodle Skirts & Penny Loafers 

This year’s Party With A Purpose may be over, but you can still be a part of some amazing work by supporting 

families of children with disabilities. Go to http://www.raisingspecialkids.org/party/ to make a donation today!

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