“Every day is a new rewarding challenge,
allowing me to make a difference in the education of my students,
and the lives of their families, schools, etc.”
— Judy
Each summer, North Coast Education Services hosts a Tutor Appreciation Picnic to thank the tutors for their hard work and dedication. The highlight of the picnic is the presentation of the Tutor of the Year Award. The recipient receives a plaque and their name is added to a display in the main office.
This year, the Tutor of the Year Award was presented to Judy! A native of Northeast Ohio, Judy grew up in Parma and now lives in North Olmsted with her family — including two German Shepherds that she would love to train to become therapy dogs.
A self-titled “non-traditional student”, Judy started attending college when her youngest was in grade school. At that time, a neighbor and close friend reminded her that she had promised herself to attend college one day. A single mom working 60 hours a week, Judy decided the time was right. “After enrolling in Education classes, I was hooked! I felt like a kid at Disney World!”
Judy earned her Bachelor’s degree in Middle Childhood Education and went on to get her Master’s and intervention specialist license. She is a member of the Council of Exceptional Children (ECE) and the Collegiate Middle Level Association (CMLA). After she earned her first degree, Judy became a substitute teacher and spent eight years working with the Lakewood City School District and an urban charter school. In 2008, while working for Lakewood, she became a Home Instruction tutor for the district.
In 2013, Judy started tutoring with North Coast Education Services. She was trained in Richards Learning Systems ® and Real Life Ma+h and started tutoring students on the Autism Scholarship and the Jon Peterson Special Needs Scholarship. Judy has also been a camp counselor for the Academic Fun & Fitness Camp, a special needs summer camp sponsored by the Creative Education Institute.
Judy says her favorite thing about tutoring for North Coast is the staff. “My work would not be successful without the collaboration of the NCES office staff and the numerous NCES tutors I work with. I sincerely appreciate the NCES training sessions, learning about all the ‘tools and tips’ of the trade to be a competent tutor!”
In her spare time, Judy enjoys watching local sports. “I’m a Cleveland sports fanatic!” She also enjoys gardening, landscaping, and riding both her Schwinn and Harley Davidson.
Congratulations, Judy! We are so thankful for all that you do for our students!