Teacher honored for keeping students in the mainstream at Conant
In a recent health class at Conant High School, sophomore Julia Neri of Schaumburg deftly gave an overview of the body's digestive system.
Using a PowerPoint presentation, she pointed to diagrams of the esophagus, gallbladder, pancreas, and small and large intestines. Teacher Frank Lombardo even tried to stump her, asking her a tricky questions about the role of saliva.
No problem. Neri knew that it helped to push food down the esophagus.
While seemingly normal for a sophomore health class, Neri's presentation and even participation in the class was noteworthy.
The 15-year old has Down syndrome, but thanks to an inclusion program instituted five years ago at Conant, she is able to attend her home school and have the curriculum adapted for her.
Matt Meyer is the special education teacher and inclusion specialist who monitors Neri's classwork. He started the program and this year he has just two students in his caseload, Neri and another sophomore, Carlie Piscopo of Elk Grove Village.
“He gave us special assignment notebooks,” Piscopo says, “so we can keep track of everything.”
While also teaching four history classes, Meyer stays in close contact with Neri and Piscopo and their one-on-one aides and teachers. He also e-mails their parents daily, keeping track of their classes and assignments.
“It's individualized instruction,” says Meyer, who also coaches boys' gymnastics and helps with the cheerleading program at Buffalo Grove High School. “I figure they fit right in. Everyone is different and everyone has their unique talents and abilities.”
Denise Astrowski, a teacher's assistant in the special education department, describes Neri as a “bundle of fun.”
“You can tell, just being with her peers, motivates her,” Astrowski says. “She wants to keep up with them, and she does.”
Meyer's work in all this has not gone unnoticed. Last month, he earned recognition from the Schaumburg-based group, UPS for DownS, or United Parent Support for Down syndrome.
At their fall fundraiser held at the Cotillion in Palatine, they honored Meyer with their “Commitment to Excellence” award for his work in enriching the lives of children with Down syndrome.
Stephanie Neri, Julia's mother, is an active member of UPS for DownS, and she credits the organization with helping to raise expectations for her daughter's education.
She also helped to run the fall dinner dance for the group, and commended the committee members for their selections for all of their awards.
“Matt successfully includes children with Down syndrome at Conant, both socially and academically,” Neri says, “and has turned around the perception of people with disabilities in an entire school.”
UPS for DownS members also honored Dr. Patrick Schwarz, a professor of diversity and learning at Lewis University, who advocates for students with disabilities in his work as a consultant on issues of inclusion and collaboration in special education.
The group also honored Jim Uggla, a former Arlington Heights resident now retired and living in Arkansas. He had the vision to start a Chicago marathon team to raise money for the Katie McDonald Literacy Program, run by UPS for DownS.
In four years, the team has grown to 80 runners and raised more than $150,000, officials say, while advancing the literacy program, which helps children with Down syndrome, like Julia Neri, learn to read and ultimately succeed in school.