From the Winter 2008 et cetera 

Public School Notes

   I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself. My name is Jill Naturkas, and I am the new MSHA VP for the Public School Committee. I am a Speech and Language Pathologist for Charlevoix – Emmet ISD. I serve students and staff in our local districts of Charlevoix and Boyne. I have been a CCC- SLP in the schools since 2000 and have past experience working as an SLP in the medical community. After receiving my Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Sociology through Oakland University, I received a Master of Arts in Speech and Hearing Science through Indiana University- Bloomington. I am currently a May 2008 candidate for a Master’s degree in Special Education Administration through Grand Valley State University.

   I am absolutely passionate about the field of Speech and Language Pathology, particularly in the realm of education. I have been very fortunate to be involved in several different opportunities with students and other professionals at Charlevoix – Emmet ISD.

   I enjoy my role as an SLP and take any additional opportunities that come my way. Also, I really enjoy the balancing act of different professional and personal roles. At home I am a mother of twin girls and enjoy the outdoors, reading, EBay, the beautiful lake in the summer, and of course…the snow. I love hitting the ski hills and snowshoeing.

   Professionally, I enjoy taking a global look at SLPs across the state to determine needs and issues. Given my passion for the field of SLP, I feel it is very important to continue to look at best practices and practitioner needs. I am currently interested in the workload management models for SLPs and the educational use of technology such as Ipods, blogs and podcasts incorporated into speech- language instruction. I also have an interest in continuing education and the process of sustained learning that follows professional development.

   My teaching philosophy is focused around my belief that children learn best in a setting that is challenging, rewarding, and meaningful. I believe we need to emphasize the importance of students learning speech - language skills related to the curriculum and the critical need of generalization to the classroom. I believe Speech and Language Pathologists have a responsibility and desire to grow professionally. As the VP for the PSC, I would like to see the PSC be part of this growth and work toward providing the information to address critical issues, needs, and questions surrounding SLPs in the schools. I look forward to meeting SLPs around the state and working with those who may want to be part of a PSC sub committee.

   I look forward to meeting many of you at the MSHA conference in March! Have a great year!!!