02 Broadcaster Press September 10, 2013 www.broadcasteronline.com Meet Grace Benson By David Lias david.lias@plaintalk.net Grace Benson is settling into her new role as special services director for the Vermillion School District. She joined the staff of the local district this fall, replacing Marianne Upward who decided last spring to retire after a long career with Vermillion public schools. Grace is the district’s special education director and the Title I director, and she is responsible for carrying out those programs for children ranging in age from early childhood through secondary grades. “We have a wonderful special education staff that works with students in the various schools. We provide services based on each student’s individual need.” Grace said. “We also have speech and language pathologists, occupational therapists and physical therapists, too, that we contract with.” Grace was born in Nicaragua, and her family moved to Florida when she was a young child. That’s where I lived pretty much my entire life before we moved to the Midwest,” she said. Grace, her husband, Nick, who is school psychology professor at the University of South Dakota, and their three children lived for a time in Vermillion, and now reside in Elk Point. “I worked in Nebraska prior to coming to Vermillion for about fiveand-a-half years. I was a special education teacher there,” she said, “and I worked with students with autism, spectrum disorders, developmental delays and language and communication disorders.” Gail received her undergraduate degree in special education from Nova Southeastern University in Florida. “I did a double masters in reading and learning disabilities at the University of Miami, and then I did my specialist in educational administration here at the University of South Dakota,” she said. “I received that degree a couple years ago, so, I’m a Coyote. It is a wonderful program.” Her time studying and working in the region gave her an opportunity to become familiar with both USD and the local school district. “I really respect the partnership that the (Vermillion School) district has with the University of South Dakota,” Grace said, “and the respect that there is for education and research. I’ve always found the Vermillion School District to be very innovative, and very progressive in their thinking towards education and meeting the needs of children.” She said her professional career has focused on special education. During an earlier job with a Nebraska school where she served as a principal, she helped oversee two very successful special education programs. “Throughout all of my years in special education, I’ve been very fortunate to have been exposed to educational research on evidence-based practices for children with disabilities,” Grace said. “One of the accomplished with the help of modern technology, including augmentative communication devices or picture exchange communication systems. “I also have a very wellversed knowledge base of interventions and strategies that are effective in helping children with autism learn to read,” she said. 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Email: rick@iw.net adults. “It’s just so wonderful to work with children with autism. I can’t describe it; they’re just incredible with their capacity to learn,” Grace said. “We just need to understand the way that they see the world. That is an area in which I hope to educate the community and build capacity in our staff. “We’ve come such a long way in how much we know about autism,” she said. Hartington Tree Service WANTED OPEN HOUSE Wednesday, September, 11 2400 sq ft, 5 bedroom, 2 bath Ann’s Neat & Tidy Cleaning Service 605-659-5339 • freshmom@hotmail.com appliances, 125’ x 150’ lot, screened porch, beautiful landscaping, 2 blocks to school, Elk Point, $209,000. Phone: 712-259-0483. ? Smile. 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In all of my years working with families and children – I’ve gone into homes and set up communication systems – children always amaze me. “I’ve worked with children under the age of 3 who have been reading, and yet do not have speech as a mode of communication,” she said, “so one of my goals is to work with children and build capacity in our teachers and our special education staff so we can help children find their inner voice.” That goal may be Mike Pollman PO Box 424 • Wakonda, SD 57073 Phone/Fax: 605-267-2768 Cell: 605-661-1063 xkv8tor@yahoo.com • Liscensed • Bonded • Insured Rock • Sand • Gravel Quartzite • Fill Material Nygren’s 118 E Main • Elk Point H T Extra Discount for floor display models TIME WIN N ER grand BUY A 5-GALLON BUCKET FOR $1 AND GET: EIG 9 Court Street • Vermillion ses nic Mattres on all Resto es s. Special Valu Introduction om for New to Make Ro -2-SCHOOL!! E FOR BACK JUST IN TIM RE-OPENING Sale Expansion & Remodel is complete! et Buck 25 ! 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