The first full week of March is designated as Classified Employee Appreciation Week. At Clackamas ESD alone, we have more than 60 types of classified jobs. These are people who touch every corner of our agency’s work and the districts we support, from providing hands-on help to teachers, children and families, to filling endless behind-the-scenes roles to keep buildings and teams safe, cared for and high-functioning.
This Classified Employee Appreciation Week, we’re highlighting five of our more than 260 classified 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 classified team and the meaningful work they do.
Alex Soe-Nyun is a behavior coach in Clackamas Education Service District’s Life Enrichment Education Program. He helps students with complex disabilities and communication needs develop the behavioral skills they need to thrive and mentors classroom staff in strategies that support students in achieving their behavioral goals.
The students in Alex’s LEEP class at Gladstone High School have a range of abilities and needs. Some are nonverbal or use augmentative and alternative communication devices to express themselves. Some require one-on-one attention; others need sensory breaks to help manage overwhelming emotions.
“Every student is different,” Alex shares, “and that’s where the work starts. We focus on their unique needs and create plans that help them communicate, feel safe and grow.”
A key focus for Alex is preventing self-injuries, such as hitting or biting oneself out of frustration. Students’ self-injurious behaviors often stem from feeling overwhelmed or being unable to communicate their needs. To help, Alex provides verbal affirmations, sensory tools and communication aids, ensuring students feel understood, safe and connected to those around them.
“We work to teach our students ways to express themselves,” Alex says. “Whether through their AAC device, a gesture or simply asking for help, it all starts with communication.”
Seeing his students grow and progress is incredibly meaningful to Alex. One student, who frequently resorted to self-injury like biting out of frustration, has made remarkable progress over his past two years in LEEP. The student now uses a communication device to express his needs, and his incidents of self-injury have significantly decreased.
“That’s a huge accomplishment for him,” Alex says with joy. “It’s amazing to see that level of growth.”
Beyond individual student support, Alex mentors classroom staff in developing and implementing students’ behavioral support plans; trains staff on best practices for collecting behavioral data; and helps adjust lesson plans and classroom schedules to meet each student’s behavioral needs.
Alex credits his success with students to the strong collaboration among his LEEP colleagues, who work together to provide comprehensive support tailored to each student’s needs.
“My time at the ESD has introduced me to a plethora of specialists, educators, and other professionals, all united by the common goal of improving students’ lives,” Alex says.
Alex’s experience working in LEEP has inspired him to pursue his master’s degree in school psychology. He will begin his studies at the University of Oregon next fall and plans to work as a substitute in the LEEP program when he is not in class.
“I want to be somebody who can help shape and build a greater system than we currently have,” Alex reflects. “Over the past two years, since I started with LEEP, I’ve gained a clearer sense of what I want to do, what I’m good at, and what I truly enjoy. A lot of that has come from the amazing people I’ve worked with and met along the way, who have inspired me to grow and become a better person.”
