The first full week of May is designated as Licensed Employee Appreciation Week. At Clackamas ESD alone, we have at least 20 types of licensed jobs, with many variations in those positions. These are people who have completed higher education and earned licenses to be certified to teach students, lead continuing education training for staff, serve as social skills specialists, and provide speech, physical and occupational therapy within Clackamas ESD programs and the school districts we serve.
This Licensed Employee Appreciation Week, we’re highlighting a few of our more than 160 licensed staff members and contractors to provide a peek into the diverse ways this large group of employees lives our mission of service. We appreciate our entire licensed team and the meaningful work they do.
Chloe Elwood is a social skills specialist at Clackamas Education Service District’s Heron Creek Therapeutic Program. Heron Creek serves K-12 students from districts throughout Clackamas County who are experiencing significant social, emotional, behavioral and academic challenges. Chloe works with Heron Creek’s middle and high school students one-on-one and in small groups to improve their social interactions, and build skills to regulate emotion and navigate conflict.
When a student is referred to Heron Creek, they have been removed from their home school district because they need help overcoming their barriers to learning.
“I view my job as improving their self-esteem, identifying and appreciating the skills they already have, and figuring out how they can use those strengths to be successful,” Chloe explains.
Movement is key to Chloe’s approach to building relationships and getting students to open up.
“You can have these groundbreaking moments, like ‘oh my gosh, that’s incredible that you thought of that,’ while you’re playing basketball,” Chloe says.
What brings Chloe the most joy is when a student has built the skills to transition back to their neighborhood school.
“I’ll get reports that a student we transitioned just got all A’s. Or they’re on the basketball team, and they’re doing soccer, and they’re doing all their homework,” Chloe shares. “The success stories of the students who transitioned, particularly this year after the height of the pandemic, have been amazing.”
Chloe is motivated by her fondness for her students and the close relationships she has built with them and her fellow special education staff.
“I absolutely love the students that we have here. They have so many unique talents that I think aren’t necessarily valued in some school settings,” Chloe says from her office decorated with artwork given to her by a student who graduated last year.
“I show up every day for the students, but I stay because of my co-workers. The teachers, the other social skills specialists, the administrative staff, the educational assistants, the behavior coaches, we really are this team that comes together to figure out ways to support the students.”
Chloe began working at Clackamas ESD as an educational assistant in 2015.
“I originally wanted to be a social worker,” she says, “and then I fell in love with being back in schools.”
Her experience as an educational assistant inspired her to apply for an emergency teaching license in 2016, and she began teaching at Heron Creek while she earned her master’s degree in education and a special education endorsement. Chloe’s exceptional work as a teacher earned her a nomination for 2021 Regional Teacher of the Year.
After five years as a teacher, Chloe is focusing on the therapeutic side of the work. She began the social skills specialist position in fall 2021 and is working on earning another master’s degree in school counseling.
“I really love special education’s blend of both worlds,” Chloe says. “You’re in that educational school setting, but also you’re on the therapeutic side trying to support students in moments they’re having a tough time — and I realized I wanted to specialize in the therapeutic side. There’s profound peace in helping a student finally find a way to be successful in their education.”
