Supporting Every Student: A Conversation with TEC Principal Jamie Rogers

Welcome to Season 4, Episode 3 of Friendswood ISD’s The Podcast with Kelsey Golz and Sofia Armintor! In this episode of FISD’s #ThePodcast, we’re joined by Jamie Rogers, Principal of the Therapeutic Education Center (TEC), a unique campus serving students with autism, emotional disabilities, and low-incidence disabilities. Jamie shares the story behind TEC’s partnership between Friendswood, Alvin, and Pearland ISDs, the specialized support offered to students, and the collaborative work with families to ensure success. Tune in to hear about the challenges, rewards, and future goals of TEC, and discover how you can support their impactful work!

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1 My son just graduated last year, so. 2 Do you have a son who's graduating high school? 1 Yes. Yes. 2 I thought you were like 32. Oh, my gosh. Well, you look fantastic. 1 Yeah, surprisingly. 2 Oh, my goodness. Well, so are you. Like, how. 1 Do I watch college football and football team? That's NFL. So I'm, you know, watching those. I won the first weight loss. 3 Congratulations. 1 Thank you. Thank you. Yeah. So fall. When I think about fall, I think about football. 2 Yes. So. Yeah. So do you have, like, a specific team or teams that you root for? And you're like, oh. 1 I'm, I'm, you know, I'm a root for the home team kind of girl. So of course you know, I'm Astros, Texans, all that but I just want to see a good game. 2 Yeah what about what about college? Who do you root for? 1 So I go to some of the U of H games with my friend has a season ticket so you know. Yeah. Oh. 2 Yeah. 3 I'm. I'm a alumni. 2 Yeah. I went to a really small school up in Wichita Falls, right on the border of Texas and Oklahoma. And so, like, there's not a lot of, you know, sports pride necessarily there. But my my family growing up, we were huge University of Texas fans. And my husband actually graduated from University of Texas. So we're big Longhorn people in our in our household. 2 So we were excited on Saturday when they won. Yeah, yeah. They're so good against Michigan because I know everyone was like whatever their their first game was given, right? Like they should have won that. So almost like the true test is going to be Michigan because that is a national championship. 1 Michigan won the national championship the previous year. 2 And there was actually it's I don't know how miss it Sean was like mind blown that I hadn't seen anything about the Michigan scandal last year but do y'all watch Netflix does a series. It's like a sports docu series called Untold. Um, I have not seen Oh, they're excellent. So if you're a sports fan, like, excellent the latest or one of the they pushed out like three episodes recently and one of them was on the Michigan football scandal that he said was everywhere. 2 Ah, last year Ken didn't realize this, but they had a guy grew up from the time I was a little boy, diehard Michigan fan, diehard Michigan fan that was his ultimate goal was to become a football coach. One day he ended up in the military. I think. I can't remember his Marines or what he was in the military. 2 Super brilliant mind ends up asking to just be a part of the team in some way helping coach. And so they say, okay, we need you to help like read signs. And so he starts getting really good at it. And there's like legal ways of doing that and not so legal ways of doing that. But the the thing is, is he started going like infiltrating other teams, like he would be on the side, like in a disguise. 3 Like, oh, my goodness. 2 So anyway. 1 So dressed as the mask. 2 Literally, literally, he's. 3 Undercover for this big time, this. 2 Huge meme like they showed it all. It was really funny, but I'm like, I have never you know, I think there's a point where you're taking it too far. You know, you might have to evaluate your obsession. 3 And then one of those things is when you're getting dressed and in disguise. Yeah. So to go on the other side say, Exactly. 2 But anyway, it was a super interesting documentary, so we watched that before the game and he's like, So that's why I, like most people hate Texas overall, like they root against taxes most of the time. But in this particular game, they're rooting for Texas because everyone hates Michigan right now. So, okay, well, at least I have some background as to why. 2 So. Yes. Yeah. Anyway, interesting. Interesting. Well, welcome to season four episode three of Friendswood Isd's, the podcast with Kelsey Goals. 3 And Sophia Armenta. 2 We're excited to have you join us today as we dive into all things feisty share updates, stories and insights from around our district. Whether you're a student, parent, teacher or community member, we are so glad you're tuning in. Today we are joined by the principal of the Therapeutic Education Center, Jamie Rogers. 1 Oh, thank you. 2 You're so welcome. GET Yeah. Yes. Okay. So I think we we really wanted to have you on today because I don't know that there is enough awareness about the TSC and just what you all do what you are. So can you start with just an overview of what even is the Therapeutic Education Center? 1 Sure, Yeah. So the Therapeutic Education Center, we are in our second year here in Friendswood I SD last year was our maiden voyage and so our, our purpose for the Therapeutic Education Center is to serve students who have a disability. They receive special education services, and there's a need for just more services and maybe their home campus can provide. 1 And so they've they've been, you know, having challenges as it relates to behavior on their home campus. And so in the past, some they would, you know, be there. Our committee would decide for them to go to an out of district placement. So we are considered an out of district placement, although we do serve students in Friendswood, Esty, PENLAND and Alvin Esty. 1 So even though if we have a student come to us from Friendswood, it seems like it's in district because we, you know, are employed by and live in Friendswood. Esty it is a ARD committee decision for them to come to us. So it's not just like you can choose to come to our school, it's really based on need. 1 And so our focus is to help kids acquire the skills they need so that they can return back to their home campus. That's always our goal. So we're serving students who have difficulties with, you know, possibly like physical aggression, self-injurious behavior, elopement, things that are, you know, really problematic for them on their on their home campus, maybe, you know, safety issues. 1 And so we have staff here that's that's highly trained to help students acquire those skills so they can, like I said, be back on their campus with their peers. 2 So if I remember correctly. So prior to this being established, the Teshie kids were having to be hauled quite a ways to get the same kind of needs met, right? 1 Yes. 2 Okay. 1 Students, where sometimes some of the placement options in Houston area kids could be on a bus like an hour each way, depending on where we sent kids home. 2 Yeah, and. 3 It's no fun to go into school, like having to travel an hour before especially, you know, for these kids that they just want to come to school in the neighborhood like everyone else. 2 Yeah. And I'm sure just again, with the just greater level of of needs to it's so much more convenient to have something a little bit closer. Absolutely. And it was it was it started by a grant. 1 Yes. Your name. So our executive director, Daria Driscoll here in Friendswood wrote a grant for 94 to had an autism grant. And so they were awarded the money to start, you know, the grant funds to start the school. So part of that was just about getting the space ready all the things required to, you know, they had to we're here at the old original junior high now called the Friendswood Annex. 1 And that hallway where we decided to start the school, it needed a lot of work. So I mean, they had to overhaul that whole space. And so some of the funds were used to get that started. And then, of course, hiring of staff, materials, everything like that. But it was in the million dollars range. I can't remember the exact figure, maybe 1.6 million, but yeah, definitely necessary. 1 It's it's interesting how much it takes to start even the tiniest little school. 2 Yeah. 3 And I was over there earlier. You said, like, y'all are even having trouble with, like, the air points too, and the lighting just it being darker over there and the hallways. And so I think that definitely could y'all have done great with the TLC that you have done? I would love to give you more TLC as well. 2 Thank you. 1 Yeah. 3 So we'll see to the desk. Yeah. 1 Yes, it has. You know, you it has to be it has to be like the right place and space. Make sure that it's a safe, that it's unique and tailored for the needs of these students. And so making sure that it was secure to where students could not, you know, get out without adult. Just all of the little intentional things about this space. 1 A lot of work went into that. Some of our coordinators here in Friendswood, they spent a lot of time in that planning for the TC before I was ever even hired to come on as the administrator. So Daria Driscoll, Amy Tallman, Kimberly Davis, they spent a lot of time doing that pre-work to to help that space be appropriate for our kiddos. 3 And it looks great. Now, you mentioned earlier that part of the TSC really does offer some specialized services that some of the special education centers in our other campuses don't. I'm just kind of curious on what all is very just specialized just for the TSC. 1 So I mean, one of the things that makes us unique and what I think you know better, we do it better than other places. That sounds smug, but I just, you know, I think that we're. 2 We're ready to do it. Yeah. 3 This is the place to do it where everyone can hear it. Yeah. 2 Well, our listeners. Yeah. 1 So a lot of times when kids go away to outdoor placements, you know, they always we set a return criteria criteria for them to come back. But it's maybe not always kept in the forefront of like these are these skills that we're really wanting to hone in on to get these kids back. And for us, because we're partnering with the districts, we keep that always at the forefront. 1 How are we going to get these kids where they need to be? How are we going to transition them back in the best way? We're not looking for long term placements for them to stay here. You know, these kids are more than just a number. They are like unique little beings that we just really want to serve to the best of our ability. 1 And so we can do that. Right now we have, you know, it's small, we have nine kids and so we have the ability to just really pay attention and give them what they need. And so also partnering with these districts, you know, the coaching aspect that goes into it, like our staff going out and coaching other staff, whether it be Friendswood apparently, and Alvin, so that when students transition back, they're going to continue on that successful path that they've been having here at T.C.. 3 Yeah, well, that's really important because it's not just what's being done that day. It's like what you're doing for their future and like, even outside of school, you know, later on in life, whenever they're an adult, they'll have these people that have really seen them and like paid attention and met their needs and all that. But what is what would you say like a typical day. 2 If there even is a such thing? Yeah. Yes. 1 Well, one of the things that you know, that here the here for the students that we serve is so important is just routine. So it's so important for kids to know what their schedule is, what's coming next, what am I working for? And so it's a very methodical process. A lot of forethought goes in to the planning of teaching kids routines. 1 They know their schedule. A student that you may not you may not think that that they would they have this internal time clock of like they know it's gym time, they know it's a lunch time. And so it's important for us to stay on the schedule, but also teach kids like what is it? How do we adjust when there is going to be a schedule change? 1 Because when they go back to their regular campus, there are things that come up and that can be a hindrance sometimes or a agitator for our students because they are so schedule oriented. Sure. So anyway, a typical day is just, you know, we're working on academic skills just like they would on their regular campus, and we're trying to make it look as much like their regular campus as we can, even though it's a small, you know, class, we may only have three kids in the classroom is when they return, they might return to a, you know, self-contained life skills type setting that has 8 to 10 kids still like, what can we do to make 1 it look like that as much as possible while really, really putting our focus on the behavioral aspect? Because you can't get kids to work on behavior if you're not pushing them in that academic area. You know? And so that's, you know, really important for us is to make sure that we are staying true to that academic rigor while working on the behavior. 1 But, you know, we do things. They have gym time. They they have specials, music, art, just like they would on a normal campus. We have a little lunch room here that they're able to transition to with a great sensory room that they have built in there into their day, which is important for our students. They need that sensory input to really great sensory. 3 I was there earlier. I just wanted to take a nap and we'll explain. 2 Explain what a sensory room is. So for those who have no idea what is, what is the purpose? What does it look like as well? 1 So when you go in, it's you know, I said as we went into earlier, it's like this is the Zen den, because, you know, we it usually is like low lighting. Yeah, a lot of cool sensory lights, things that look like, oh, there's play toys, jungle gym, you look and type things, but they're all very intentional. So kids that need that motor movement to get out the Wiggles before they can go sit down and work for a period of time. 1 A lot of objects like little fidget objects, some some of our older kids, they just want to go in there and chill out. So beanbags, different ages because we have kids all the way from kindergarten through high school. So we have three different spaces set up that are kind of intentional for like this is the chill spot, This is the motor movement area. 1 And so just something for everybody in there, just depending on what their need is at the moment. 2 And we have sensory rooms all across the district. I've been to several of them when working with special education classes on different projects, and they really are. It's fascinating because from my understanding, outside looking in is really they're utilized a ton when a student gets like overstimulated and they're able to go kind of calm, calm down from that. 2 And it's amazing. Like just the like there's different things. Like there was a sensory walk where it's like, okay, if they sit on their tiptoes, like what that does and if they push and it's something with their palms pushing against the wall. But then there's also things like really cool bubble lights and, you know, just all the different, all the different our squeeze machine. 2 That was a that was an interesting one. Yeah. It's really fascinating. But like, I didn't I mean, I wouldn't have known anything about that before. And so it's amazing that we do provide those types of environments for our kiddos and. 3 Definitely gives you a chance to look at some objects differently than you would have before. 2 Right. Right. 3 What would you say that your your kind of daily day to day schedule role in the school is? 1 So, you know, my my role at the school that I always kind of come back to is my teachers. You know, we're doing incredibly difficult work every day. And I say difficult because the job can be physically demanding, emotionally, mentally, all the things because, you know, we are working through some tough behaviors and we have to, you know, stay steadfast in our approach. 1 And you can't let up. You know, we have to just implement things with fidelity. Sometimes there's instances where, you know, staff might be, you know, a physical like injury might take place or and so I feel like my day to day and my job is just to remove any obstacle for teachers so that they are for our staff so they can be successful, whatever they need. 1 It's my job to or I'm going to do my best to help you get it. Anything that I can do to make your job easier, that's my role. Of course, I come in when when there's big behaviors that but I try to always my approach is let my teachers work through it, let my staff work through it. I will be there. 1 But unless you call me, I'm not coming in because it really is important for my teachers to feel like they have the control and that they let the kids work. They're the ones because if you come in and you just save them or you take over, it kind of it changes the kids the way they, you know, look at it, just that relationship that they need to have that the teachers, the one that put the demand on. 1 So they're the ones that need to work through it. Yeah. So I just I just let my staff know, like, I'm always here, I'll stand outside the door. But unless you ask me to come in, I'm. I'm just here for support. So I feel like I'm the support person. It's the teachers and the Perez and the people. They're the ones that really are just doing the magic every day. 1 So. 2 So I feel like I mean, it's it's a tough it's a tough job, right? Like for you, for all of our staff, I definitely think it is a calling to to go into this field. It's it's not easy. Right. So like, what led you what led you into this into this field? 1 So honestly, so I'm I went to schools like K through 12 friends of grad and really my love for this time this population of students came my senior year in high school at Friendswood High School. I had an office, a job and I was supposed to be helping. I think it was like a social studies teacher and he never had anything for me to do. 1 And so I don't know. I wandered down there to the life skills class one day and Ms.. PIJANOWSKI was there. She she worked at Friends of High School forever. She was the high school teacher and her daughter. We played softball. She so I knew Kasey and who Kasey then became the life skills teacher after her mom retired. Anyway, so they would let me. 1 They had to get special permission to have me be able to go in there because, you know, there's confidentiality things and whatnot with. But that's when I just gained my just that passion and love for working with this population of students. And, you know, it wasn't a straight path to get here. I've done other things. I've I've been an administrator for my 10th year. 1 I've taught anything from elementary all the way through high school, doing different things. And then just when this opportunity came along, it was just getting to marry that mind line to things that I love. I love working with students that maybe people have counted out or they don't think that they can do certain things, like I just love just pushing them farther than people thought that they could go. 1 And I love the type of people that show up and work work through hard things with these kiddos, seeing the transformation that happens for the kids and for their families, I was lucky enough to be an administrator in another district and watch just this transformation of the life of a family due to the things that the teachers were putting in place for a kid. 1 And so and I've gotten to stay in touch with that family and the students and adult now and we're friends on Facebook. And I get to see them go all over on trips and different things. And he never would have been able to do that years ago. And he actually had come from an out of district placement where he wasn't successful. 1 We were able to bring him back into the district and make a successful placement for him, similar to what we're doing here in Friendswood. And after seeing that, I was like, That's what I want to do. 2 MM That's it. I mean, you, it's hard work, but it has to be the most rewarding whenever you've been able to make a difference and allow a child because that's, it is like we're here to support all children when you allow them to be able to go back and function in a, in a different setting that they maybe weren't able to function as well in before. 2 I mean, it's got to be amazing. 1 Yeah. Because, you know, the students that we're serving, oftentimes when they come to us, the behaviors are so big, their families aren't able to bring them to, you know, do the simplest things that you take for granted, like go to the grocery store, go to dinner and things like that. And so sometimes when we get kids because we're going out into the community with these students and when we first talk to parents about like, okay, we're going to go on a community based instruction to H-E-B, you know, we've had parents say, Oh, no, no, no, he can't go to H-E-B. 1 Like, I can't bring him to the store. And so we're like, Well, we're going to try, you know, and then we're we send pictures of the parents and watching them, you know, shop through the store and they're like, oh my gosh. Or, you know, oh, no, they can't make a sandwich. They don't do that. And then send them pictures looking and making the sandwich. 1 So that I love that. 3 And you change those family's lives as well. Like for them, for some of these kids to be able to start to go to these places on vacation or or make their own sandwich and stuff, you know. Yeah. And that their parents can see that they can do that. And maybe implement some of the same tactics in their home lives. 3 Yeah. So you're changing so many people's lives by doing that kind of work. 2 And I would imagine you all tend to have a pretty good partnership in general with parents of these of these students that you would have to write, like you're showing staff like you said, you'll go into districts like, I see Alvin, I see Carolina, I see and show staff how to support. And it sounds like you communicate a lot of those things with the parents as well. 1 We do. We do. We work closely with our parents. When they when these students come to us, sometimes there's there may be like some kind of fractured relationships with with educators in general because their students have have maybe had a lack of success. And that's hard for, you know, maybe parents were only getting the phone calls saying all the, you know, negative things. 1 And so when they come to us, we really try to change that dynamic and and let them know, you know, we're here. We're not sending students home unless they're sick, like we've got them, and we're going to work through the hard stuff and we're going to be here. And so trying to partner with the parents on on changing that that dynamic to be a positive one where kids are making progress, but we're still refining our practice. 1 As far as as it relates to that, you know, maybe offering more parent training or in-home things, we are we're going to be out at Pearland Esty coming up, myself and another staff member doing it, a specific event for parents, and it's apparently in Friendswood, Alvin. And so it'll be a variety of topics that parents can come and benefit from and learn it, learning some things because it really does help when when it's seamless from home to school and the kids are hearing the same thing and we're working together on these skills. 1 It just, you know, catapults them forward even faster. 2 So absolutely. No, you said, I think earlier, right. So a student who attends the TSC, they've progressed through maybe some of if not all of the other options in district. Is that is that correct? 1 Yes. Yes. So, you know, every time a kid, any time at an ARD meeting, you're always looking at trying to keep a kid in the least restrictive environment. So whatever that looks like for that student. But most of the time, the students have been in, you know, the most restrictive setting that they have on campus, whether that be a life skills, self-contained setting or some sort of behavior classroom. 1 And they're still just having a need for more. And so that's at that point, that's when, you know, the committee comes together and says, let's look at other options because, you know, it's looking at, you know, we have to give the kid appropriate services. And so you you're looking at what is the appropriate setting where they can get their needs met. 1 And so that's when, you know, you can become an option for students. Right now, just in those three to an hour in our three partnering districts. 3 So awesome. Well, you mentioned I know when I was listening, you mentioned self-contained. What does that exactly mean? And can you talk about some of the strategies and approaches? 1 Yeah. So a self-contained setting is is kind of seen where the students may or may not. You know, they're getting all of their core content area like in one classroom that's specific to their needs. So in Friendswood, they call it Quest Other districts, they might call it other things. You know, you've got a self-contained in friends. And we also have like a district behavior class. 1 Those are considered self-contained. But students still in those settings may, you know, be able to go out to general ed classes for, you know, social skills or if there's a different need. So just because we say self-contained, every time a decision is made in an art, it's it's specific to that students need. So I imagine self-contained is just because they're getting all you know that teacher is is delivering all of their instruction for their core content and sometimes electives here they're they're getting electives and everything all in one place. 3 So what would that mean for like the amount of students in the class at one time, since it's all in one classroom? 1 So generally you're going to see settings like that be a smaller student to staff ratio than you would out in a general ed classroom just because of the needs of the students. 3 Sure. So would it be like maybe like one one special educator per se, per student, or is it like they kind of have a group? Is it maybe like different? Depending? 1 Yeah, it really just depends on the students needs. So the ARD committee, you know, they look at what each kid needs, like what is a suitable staff to, to student ratio. So depending on the kid's needs, like maybe when they're developing a new skill, they might need a one on one whenever they're practicing a skill that they've already, you know, there are close to mastery, then they may not need a staff member with them at all times during that. 1 And so it really just depends on the needs of the students. And so it's very individualized that. 3 Flexibility is really cool. I wish that everywhere could offer that. 1 Yeah. 2 So we talked a little bit already about your staff being really special, like a really truly special called on staff, right? So what, what kind of specialized skills, city staff members need to have? Like what do you look for in the hiring process? 1 So I think, you know, I've hired people that that are experienced in this work. And I've also hired people that maybe don't have as much experience for the work. I think the unique thing about here is even for myself, I've, you know, I'm look, I've learned so much just working here. I consider myself a learner. And really, I'm looking for other people that are just wanting to be learners, like even if you feel that you're super experienced in this work, we're not done learning because every kid that you get is going to throw you a curve ball and you're going to have to adjust. 1 And so I look for people that just have a big heart for kids. Yeah, people that are going to be really committed to working with a team because having a small team here, it's it's critical that we work well together. I was my husband had told me a story about how, like he likes to have saltwater fish tanks. 1 And so if you have a giant saltwater fish tank, you can actually like mess up on the, I don't know, salinity or whatever it is a little bit and it won't affect your tank. But if you have a small tank and the littlest thing goes wrong, like all the fish tank. Yeah. 3 So it kills a lot of the fish that way. 1 Yeah. Yes. So I think about that a lot with my little team of people, you know, 11, 11 staff members. And it, you know, when I talked about my job, the other job is to just make sure that team is functioning just like a well-oiled machine because it's so important for us to have each other's back. So I look for people that are going to be good teammates, that have a growth mindset, and there's like a big heart for kids. 1 I've always said, you know, we can teach you all the skills, but I can't teach you to be a good person. You just kind of. 3 Yeah, that's true. 2 Absolutely. Well, again, like they're they're facing a unique set of challenges and I feel like I've I've always had a heart for special education. My my twin sister is actually now a special education teacher in Louisiana. And so she she has a lot I know Melissa doing great things over there. And it was not like what she originally thought necessarily. 2 I think she she actually thought OTI, which she probably would have been dealing with some of the some of the similar things that she's dealing with now. But, oh, my gosh, Like she just she loves it. It's it's hard. Like, I think she's exhausted pretty much every day, but she loves it. And I like when she's talking about those kids like it's the most like lit up she ever gets because she just loves them. 2 She cares about them. And it's like the things that may seem small to somebody else as far as progress goes, they're huge. And she, like, she just celebrates it so much. So it's so like, I just I think y'all are awesome. I think what you do is incredible. I have so much respect for it. And again, it's like every kid matters. 2 Every kid matters. And there's not one kid we should ever give up on. And I think you all are the walking billboards for that. So thank you. Anyway, I just have to give that little praise. Yes. So challenges and rewards. So what do you think some of the unique challenges are that he faces in serving some of the students that you serve? 2 Hmm. 1 Well, I would just say that so we have kids come and go throughout the year with us. If we're lucky, be not lucky. But if that's the goal role is to is to bring kids in and then get them where they need to be and and send them back. But so that's unique because you you're getting a kid sometimes kind of almost like sight unseen with these very big behaviors with a limited amount of like ability to communicate sometimes. 1 And so they show up on day one. And in in it's challenging. They don't know us, you know, we don't know them. And just trying to just figure out the is wants those needs, what are they you know, what are those big things that they'll work for and just gaining that trust with them. So that's unique. And then so so throughout the year we'll just will receive kids and so that's a unique and then just kind of trying as kids with different needs come in, adjusting our classrooms for that student. 1 Because just like I talked about, like teamwork, when you have these kids with unique needs, come, I'm like, okay, where would he fit in best? Which classroom with which, you know, set of, of staff. So that's kind of just a unique thing. Challenge that we have here is that just. 2 Displacement and yeah figuring it out well and one thing I don't know if we've talked about, but you've brought it up a couple times is like they come and then the goal is to, to get them to return to their, their campus. So what is the typical like is there a typical timeline of what that usually looks like? 2 I know everything is really different, but on average, what do you kind of see? 1 So, you know, a kid comes to us with a return criteria that their district has set. So the return criteria means what is an acceptable amount of behavior that they can sustain on their campus. So because these kids are going to have behavior when the kids on regular campuses have behavior, but what can the staff and what can that classroom manage? 1 And so it's really up to the district to say, all right, we want to be able to see this student engage in five or less instances of physical aggression per nine weeks for two consecutive nine weeks. So when they set that, that means at a minimum, they're going to be here for two nine weeks. Yeah. And so so it really depends is the answer. 1 But but we've had students like last year, we had kids return, you know, they were here prior to the end of the year. They they returned successfully to their campuses and so I feel like that's a huge win that we have. And when I say we're trying to do things better, I know that we are doing things better because returning, you know, a kid quickly like that, having them for a semester and being able to return them back and be successful is the key word. 1 You know, that's when I know we're we're doing things the way that, you know, they need to be done. So anyway, it does depend and there's not there's no typical timeline. It just really depends on the level and, you know, the student and how they're progressing. Because, you know, when you talked about progress earlier, it looks different with each kid. 1 You know what what looks like progress and one student may not look like and another and, you know, we just try to celebrate all the little smallest wins. 2 Yeah. 3 And as you said, I think we need to smile. All of us need to celebrate small ones a little bit more. Absolutely. But, you know, you mentioned that you guys have only been doing this for a couple of years now. It's a pretty this is your to it's pretty new thing and you've already done so much in progress. 3 But what would you say is one of the goals for the campus in your next year to come? 1 I would say just continuing to refine our skills, how we're working with, like I said earlier, parents and how we're working with the other school districts that we serve to to give every, you know, just spread our knowledge and the things that we're learning because it like literally is a learning lab here where small we have we partner with a some behavior analysts, backbones that are outside consultants that come in and they help us continue to refine our skills so we have the opportunity to work with some really good professionals that just keep pushing us forward and helping us learn things. 1 And so I want my staff to be able to go out there and work with staff in these neighboring districts in order to just every, you know, spread that knowledge and skill set to more people. If we can keep kids, if we can give people the skills they need to keep kids on campuses, you know, and I'm not trying to work ourselves out of a job, but, you know, we want them to be able to stay in their setting. 1 We don't you know, this is, you know, a last resort kind of placement. But it's so necessary because kids get to the point where they do need us. And so, you know, I want us to be here, but I want to make everybody out there, you know, the best that they can be, too. If we can help in any way, just with the things that we've learned here. 2 Now, what's one thing you wish that that people understood about the students you serve and work with and T.C.? 1 I think that I just, you know, want people to understand that, you know, kind of like what I was saying earlier is don't you know, don't count them out just because they may have limited means of communication. You have no idea the things that they can do, the things that they're thinking, just their abilities, their unique abilities that they have. 1 And they can you know, they they can hear and they can feel. And they know when people love them and they know when people like them. And and so just don't count them out. 2 I love that. Now, if people want to learn more or get involved in supporting the TSC, are there ways to do that? 1 Yeah. So, you know, one of the things that I think is critical for a for our staff and in here at T.C. is, you know, we're on it, we're, we're not on a regular campus. We're here kind of at the annex building on our little hallway. And so we don't have a PTO. We haven't. But recently the special Ed PTO did adopt us. 1 And so they came out and they showed the teachers some love. And they're going to continue to do that, which I love. But just I want my staff to like have I want them to stay connected with the friends, with community and with the feisty teachers and just feel a part of because it's just so important for them and they're feeling fulfilled in this work that they're doing, just feeling a part of the community and the school as a whole, the school district as a whole. 1 And so any way that people can just, I don't know, shout out, bring over some cookies or, you know, whatever, you know. 2 What? What's the flavor? What do you prefer? 1 I don't I don't know. And I think they like that crumble cookie. I don't know. 3 She'll she'll bring it up here. 2 I'm sure she's. Yeah, well that's I agree. I think it's like it's so easy when you're when you're in the building that you're in to kind of be forgotten sometimes. And like, we certainly don't want that to happen. I think that was even one of the main purposes of today. And having this podcast episode is you're not forgotten. 2 You all hold so much value, those kids hold so much value and we want to be able to give that support. And I will also give a shout out because I feel like I need to mention it. I have noticed y'all do a great job on social media, by the way. 1 Oh yeah, Yeah. 2 That's that's my. 1 Assistant, Sarah Quintero, and she's she's she's the heart of tech. She does all the things. She's our certified nursing assistant secretary. She does everything. So she does the social media. That is. 2 Amazing. Okay, so. So let's plug it. So if you if you are interested in following the name of the page, is it friends with Therapeutic. 1 Education Kids Therapeutic Education Center at Friendswood? 2 Friendswood. Okay. So I think if you search any kind of part of that, it should come up. But they do agree. And I know we've shared a few things on feisty account. So if you if you look at our account, you should be able to scroll and maybe find some shared posts, but just a fantastic job I think at the things because I mean, I didn't even know all the things that were happening over there and I feel like it's provided insight into that. 2 So just doing a great job with that. 1 So good job. 3 Sarah And she was hard at work today. She was snapping pictures and stuff. 2 And so yeah, they keep bringing it up. So our our education foundation new director is actually we went on a tour today and they did stop at t C and got to see all of the things going on. 1 Yeah. We've had some, some great visitors. I love, you know Mr. Warr brings my people. He's he, he wants to and we love having visitors and we want people to see the work we're doing. We want them to see our kids in action and our staff. And so, yeah, like, that's another way. Just anybody that wants to come by and see what we're doing, you know, I. 3 Really encourage it. And the whole staff and the students are wonderful. 1 So thank you. 3 Go, go see their area. 2 MAN Yes, Well, I think that that kind of includes what we were wanting to talk about today, unless there's anything that we didn't discuss that you'd like to discuss. 1 No, I just. I just want to thank, you know, the Friendswood ESD board for having, you know, the courage and trust to say yes to this program, because what we're doing is unique. There's no model out there to see, to see what we're doing. It's like we're kind of paving the way for this type of work in this way. 1 And so, you know, thank you for the school district for saying yes, because we're you know, we're showing that this is the. 2 Right way to do it. Absolutely. Well, we enjoyed the conversation. Again, you now all have ways to learn more about the TVC and to bring some cookies. By the way, we're going to hope for a too little drive. Okay. That's right. 3 We'll be waiting for the crumble cookies. 2 All right. Have a good day. 1 All right. Thank you.