January Teachers of the Month

This month our club honored two teachers at once because they work together in a dynamic team at Fort Collins High School.  John Maguire and Ale (accent on the e) McGee and their school were introduced at very considerable length by their Assistant Principal, Jen Roth.  Presentations by both teachers followed.  We learned that John and Ale are the key members of the locally renowned Fort Collins High School Integrated Learning Support program, which cares for a number of students needing special help to become part of the high school community.  Both of these teachers are committed to working with students suffering from autism and students suffering from academic limitations.  They are student centered team players, backed up by helpful paraprofessionals.  They have managed to integrate their students into a unified sports program as well as into integrated physical education classes and art classes.  Another aspect of their accomplishments involves preparing students for life after school.  They teach such ordinary skills as shopping for groceries and navigating the Transfort system.  They take students on field trips to become aware of practical, hands on job skills. They also utilize some high school activities to foster job skill training.  Both John and Ale are the children of teachers and were inspired by their parents. John hails from Omaha, Nebraska, and Ale is a Colorado native who grew up in Colorado Springs.