SISD names special education director

When the Austin County Educational Cooperative dissolved earlier this year, the Sealy Independent School District was charged with the task of replacing services lost.

After spending the summer reviewing applicants, the district has completed the task.

While most of the district’s special education teachers and paraprofessionals remain the same, there is a new special education director, Kathy Staruska, who has worked in special education for 30 years. She comes to Sealy from the Cy Fair school district, where she served as a diagnostician for the past nine years.

“I’m thrilled to be a part of Sealy ISD,” she said. “We’re all very excited to have our own special ed department. We have a good crew of teachers and paraprofessionals.”

The district also hired two diagnosticians, Shae Wahtley and Kathleen O’Neill Starr; a diagnostician liaison, Mary Jane Mahaffey; and a speech pathologist, Kristi Vesley.

Sealy ISD will continue to contract out the position of occupational therapist with Joeline Geick of the Harris County Department of Education; and the position of physical therapist with Evett Hamline of Columbus Physical Therapy.

Jackie Kovar will continue to serve as the district’s deaf education specialist.

The way the district teaches special education students will remain the same.

“We’re going to continue with the least restrictive environment and inclusion,” SISD Superintendent Pamela Morris said.

This environment of learning will focus on providing support to students in general education classes, “so they can stay and learn the general education curriculum,” Staruska said.

Resource rooms will be available for those students who need remediation, and a behavior transition class will teach behavior control, “helping them learn self-control, so (students) can be successful in life,” Staruska said.

“It will enable them to transfer back to regular classes as they’re able to, and it will be much easier for them,” she said.

Special Olympics will also continue for Sealy’s student athletes, whether the district partners with the Bellville and Brazos ISDs as it has done in the past or goes it alone.

“We have the people and the connections to make sure it continues,” Morris said.

Parent support will factor heavily into the district’s plan for its special education department, according to Staruska.

The department will have a parent support meeting on the first Thursday of every month from 7-8:30 p.m. in the administration building, so “parents and staff can come and provide support for each other,” she said.

Speakers will give informational presentations at the meetings and parents may leave comments and suggestions for the department.

“We’re here for them and their students,” Staruska said.

The new department is “history in the making for Sealy ISD,” and with the high caliber of personnel, the support of parents and the continued dedication of its students, it will prove successful.

“All of Sealy ISD wants to see the special education department successful,” Morris said. “We’re going to do everything we can to make sure (students) succeed.”

For more information about the SISD special education program contact the SISD Administration Office at (979) 885-3516 or log onto www.sealyisd.com.

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