Kelley Brack has been working at Tigard for seven years. She is a Learning Specialist Assistant, a former basketball coach and helps with leadership in her free time.

    Kelley works one-on-one with students, which means she goes with a student through almost every class and activity of his/her day. She usually stays with a student for the entire time he/she is at Tigard.

    A day at school for her looks like whatever her student needs it to look like. “My day starts in the pool every morning. He makes me jump in first off the diving board,” Kelley said. It’s a really helpful way for her student to relieve stress and get a good start to his day; it also lets him get his P.E. credits in a healthy environment. From there on the day is really centered around snack breaks and his third period class, Community.

     “I love that I have the opportunity to work with some of the world’s most amazing and undervalued population,” Kelley said. “I get the opportunity every day to make a difference.”

    Mrs Kelley is one of many learning specialist assistants, but she wasn’t always looking into this profession.

    A close friend was in a van accident which resulted in severe brain injury. It changed his life and those around him forever. He is no longer able to walk, talk and complete normal tasks. She spent two years helping and working with him. After seeing what it was like to work with special needs people, she decided it was time for a career change.

    She fell in love with such a vulnerable population that is easily overlooked and misunderstood. She enjoys being able to help with those that are in need of help.

     “Everybody deserves the rights to be loved and accepted for who they are,” Kelley said.