In celebration of Better Speech and Hearing Month, I wanted to recognize Amy Moczulski, Carly Stewart, Colleen Klenz, Stephanie Jordan, and Abigail Hagan, our school’s exceptional speech pathologists who impact our students in a positive way in and every day.
I asked each of them about their experiences at the Elizabeth Lee Black School and what they enjoy best about their work. Undoubtedly, our incredible team of speech pathologists provide life-altering treatment for so many of our students!
From left, Stephanie Jordan, Carly Stewart, Amy Moczulski, Colleen Klenz, and Abigail Hagan.
Amy
It’s hard to list only one thing I love about my job!! The most exciting part is working with such a diverse group of students with varying complex communication needs. I love that after all these years, I am still learning alongside my students every day. They push me to continually adapt and grow as a clinician to meet their communication needs to reach their fullest potential. This is my 14th school year at ELBS!
I would encourage anyone pursuing speech language pathology as a career path. It offers so many opportunities across so many different areas. Many people don’t realize how large the scope of practice is for speech-language pathologists. SLPs treat across the lifespan working in areas of practice including fluency, speech production, language, cognition, voice, feeding and swallowing, and so many more. Additionally, SLPs work in a multitude of settings, including schools, hospitals, NICU, private practice, skilled nursing facilities, etc.
Colleen
I find it most exciting that no two workdays or students are the same! Every student at ELBS is so unique – from the way they communicate to their personalities. Figuring out how best I can serve my students while promoting increased communication throughout their school day makes my job so rewarding! I have only been employed by BNI since October 2022, however, I worked as an SLP in a skilled nursing facility for 5 years prior to coming here.
A career in speech-language pathology is so rewarding! Because our scope of practice is so broad, SLPs have the ability to work in multiple different settings (e.g., schools, hospitals, nursing homes, outpatient clinics, etc.) with individuals of all ages ranging from infants to geriatrics. Many people aren’t aware that we not only work with individuals with speech & language needs, but can also treat those with swallowing, hearing, voice, and cognitive disorders.
Carly
At ELBS, there is a big focus on working as a comprehensive team with other professionals to best help our students. It is so beneficial to be able to have the support of others on the team all working together to accomplish the same goals for the students. Also, I love being able to work with such a wide range of students who all have different skills and needs. There is never a boring day at ELBS! This is my 7th school year.
One of the major perks of becoming an SLP is that you are constantly learning and growing in this field. There are so many different settings, age groups, and areas you can work in. It is also amazing to see a student/client find their voice and to be able to know that you were a part of helping them achieve that.
Abigail
I enjoy providing augmentative and alternative access and methods to communication to students who are unable to communicate through verbal means. It is a constant challenge, always evolving with new technology, and very rewarding to help them communicate with others around them. I have been working here for 5 years.
I would let them know how rewarding this career is. It is important to remember the difference we make in others’ lives, especially our students.
Stephanie
The most exciting part of my job is feeling like I learn something new every day from my students and the teachers, classroom staff, and therapists I work with. It is also exciting to watch my students grow and make progress. I have been here since August 2017 (currently in my 6th school year).
The field of speech pathology is great because it gives you so many possibilities. You can work with anyone from newborns to the geriatric population and every age in between in a variety of settings including schools, nursing homes, hospitals, and more. This is a field that never gets boring!
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