New support aide Shauna Healy is finding new ways to help her students during COVID-19 while still building on memories from previous years. 

After spending over a year at Trottier Middle School, Healy came to Algonquin to continue working with her former students and is helping them during the Covid-19 pandemic. She is excited to meet additional new students and expand on her career. 

“I work with special needs students, and it’s been tough finding creative ways to teach things when we’re trying to social distance,” Healy said. “They’ve actually done really well with wearing masks, and gotten used to it as the new normal.”

In the past, Healy spent time working with students in a physical manner and has found it tough to help her students with occupational therapy. 

Although Healy originally planned on teaching elementary education, Healy has found enjoyment working in special education and in working with her students. 

“Definitely my students [are my favorite part], I would say,” Healy said. “I’m with the same group of kids that went from eighth to ninth grade; they’re awesome. I get to see a few of the new kids that are in the special ed program, that definitely has been my favorite part.”

Healy has worked with a range of students, from the elementary and preschool levels, all the way up to high school.

“I thought that I just wanted to work with the really little kids and I enjoyed that,” Healy said. “Now working with high school age I’m finding a lot of new things that I didn’t consider before. I like that I can set the standards a lot higher for them.”

She received her license for elementary education as well as a bachelor’s degree in psychology and education and plans on getting her master’s degree.

“I love special ed; I definitely know I always want to stay in that field,” Healy said. “I know I want to further my education, but I’m not really sure exactly what position I would want to go into for that. But I definitely like my job.”

Healy enjoys family time as well. She is currently five months pregnant with her second daughter and has been spending time getting her house ready for her arrival.

“I spend a lot of time with my five-year-old daughter,” Healy said. “We’re always doing five-year-old stuff; playing games, hanging out, watching movies. We like to go out to the park a lot, go for walks and go hiking.”