Taking the Lead in School Settings

Cherry-Cruz created two school programs supported by the schools' special and regular education teachers, psychologist, social worker, guidance counselor, and others: * "Help Families Connect" offered language-based activities to adult family members of elementary school children to help strengthen their child's language skills using practica! tools common in their cultural environment. * "Working to Learn" used the motif of "money" in a language-based program for middle-school students that ascribed financial value to positive classroom behaviors and student performance. * Be creative. "The SLPs are involved to ensure quality instruction in oral language skills, and they collaborate with building administrators, classroom teachers, special education teachers, ESL teachers and literacy coaches, social workers, and school psychologists." * Just do it! "We bring a unique skill set into the school system," she said.