She’s baaack! For the past five years, Gilbert Public School District has been lucky enough to have Wendi Howe as an employee. From running the district’s Parent University to supervising the Adult Education program to her most recent position heading up the College & Career Center at Desert Ridge High School, Wendi’s focus has always been on the students she’s working with. And, as is Wendi’s passion, she always advocated for including students with disabilities.
Students receiving special education services at Desert Ridge High School now regularly visit the College & Career Center to participate in assessment activities and explore possible career paths just as their typical peers have been doing for years. Often Wendi partnered with Raising Special Kids to provide presentations and expertise for her various GPS positions further strengthening the already robust relationship between the two organizations.
Having recently returned to Raising Special Kids as Project Manager, Wendi said, “As much as I loved working for GPS, I was thrilled to have the opportunity to return to Raising Special Kids; it feels like home! I’m so excited to build on my previous training as a Positive Parent Program facilitator. Challenging behavior can be so overwhelming for families and such an impediment to positive outcomes. Being able to help families develop skills and strategies to improve their lives and their children’s lives is so rewarding. I’ve seen it be life-changing for some families.”
A single mom of three, Wendi’s personal experience includes navigating special education with two children who have moved from IEPs to 504s and medical issues including craniofacial surgery for her daughter whose hearing impairment is corrected with a bone-anchored hearing aid.
Raising Special Kids is pleased to welcome Wendi Howe back home and look forward to having her share her extensive knowledge and expertise with the staff and Arizona families.