Therapy | Education and Training | Cultural Activities

EDUCATION & TRAINING

Children's artwork

Our program emphasizes education as a cornerstone of our work. All children attend our school that is staffed by certified teachers. Beyond providing an excellent academic program, we also focus on:

  • Vocational preparation
  • Life skills development
  • Structured socialization
  • Character Strengths Development of: responsibility, respect, responsiveness and resourcefulness
Pendleton Academies’ School serves the unique academic, physical, social, and emotional needs of students who are in a special and critical period of their lives. The school staff, as part of the treatment team, is committed to creating and maintaining a trusting, caring, and supportive environment that promotes academic excellence, encourages social development, fosters emotional well-being, and instills a passion for life-long learning. The success of the school program is complemented by the efforts of the Children’s Therapeutic Families.

The Pendleton Academies School has age-specific classrooms, an art and activities area, life skills activities room, and computer and library areas. We offer a therapeutic, individually tailored education program that combines fun with age- and achievement-level appropriate academic work, opportunities for social growth, and life skills development activities. The staff uses a variety of behavior management techniques to integrate a balance of individual academic work with structured socialization activities. Education staff members provide information about each child’s progress to the clinical team and family members.

Our School Staff

The program is staffed by teachers certified by the Oregon Teachers Standards and Practices Commission. The Pendleton Academies education director is an employee of the Pendleton School District and works for Pendleton Academies under a contractual agreement with the District. Education assistants work with students in small groups and individually to help them catch up and keep up academically and socially. Our education staff includes:

Michelle Goodwin, B.S. in Psychology, M.S. in Education (completed course work) School Supervisor and Teacher

Michelle Goodwin has more than eight years of teaching experience, and has taught at Pendleton Academies for two and a half years. In 1990, Michelle earned a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology with a minor in Business from Western Oregon University. Before coming to Pendleton in 1995, Michelle worked for three years as a Residential Skills Coordinator at a home for developmentally delayed individuals, as well as an Educational Assistant with St. Helens School District. Michelle taught with the Pendleton School District for six years, before joining Pendleton Academies. Michelle has recently finished Master level course work in education from Eastern Oregon University. Michelle’s experience in educating children spans more than a decade. As a mother of three, she has been a parent volunteer in her children’s classrooms and has also taught various educational classes at the local children’s museum.

Heather Ludwig, M.S. in Special Education Teacher

Heather Ludwig moved to Pendleton from Beaverton, Oregon in 2005 where she worked as a middle school resource room teacher. She has been a special education teacher for three years. Heather graduated from Willamette University with a Bachelor’s degree in Media Studies, and worked as an events coordinator for the Seattle Chamber of Commerce. She subsequently earned a Master’s degree in Special Education from Pacific University in Forest Grove, Oregon and is currently working on a Ph.D. in psychology. Heather’s background in special education ranges from working with children with mild to severe learning disabilities to children with autism and behavior disorders. She has put her coaching of high school and middle school basketball on hold to finish her psychology degree.

Annette Powell, B.S. in Multi-Disciplinary Studies with minor in Elementary Education Teacher

Annette Powell was born in McMinnville, Oregon where she lived until she was 10. At that point, her family relocated to Heppner, Oregon, where they operated a quarter horse, cattle, and sheep ranch. Annette was very involved in the horse operations, training and showing the young stock. After high school, she attended Blue Mountain Community College and earned a degree in Medical Machine Transcription. Annette worked for Umatilla County Mental Health for eight years before deciding to return to school to earn a degree in teaching. She received a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Eastern Oregon University in June 2003 and is currently working on completing her Master’s degree in Elementary Reading. She has taught at Pendleton Academies since 2001.

Cody Booth, B.A. English Teaching, Brigham Young University

Cody grew up in Pendleton, Oregon where he was involved in community volunteer activities as a youth. He earned an Associate of Arts degree from Blue Mountain Community College in March of 2002 and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Brigham Young University in December 2005. He has taught in Utah, the Pendleton and Hermiston school districts and for the LDS educational system. Cody is certified in spanish by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. His Spanish fluency was gained while living in Uruguay, South America and teaching volunteers to speak Spanish in preparation for working overseas.

Other Staff

Twelve education assistants work, under the direction of the teachers, with children in small groups and individually to help them catch up and then excel academically and socially. Bobby Dee Severe, a local artist and art educator, provides art classes and art therapy activities. School Administrative Staff provide support to the school director, teachers and education assistants.