Back to School
South Fayette has created a unique learning opportunity for one special needs student
By Cassandra Wentworth

Jessica Henry rarely stops smiling. Sitting in her South Fayette home surrounded by family (and dog, Doodles), she radiates happiness, the grin rarely leaving her face while fielding questions from a visitor.

It’s a good thing she has so much positive energy – because in addition to being a happy person, Jessica is a busy person. The 20-year-old divides her time between working as a bagger at Giant Eagle, volunteering in two church preschools, attending youth group meetings, helping with Meals on Wheels, and taking classes for a few hours each day. “She always has a smile on her face,” says Gretchen Tucci, South Fayette school psychologist.

Keeping active makes Jessica happy, and South Fayette School District has a lot to do with her packed schedule.

Jessica Henry is a special needs student who graduated from Katharine Dean Tillotson School for students with moderate to severe learning disabilities in 2006. That fall, she attended Tillotson for half days in their fifth-year program and then Parkway Technical for the balance.

When that ended, the Henrys approached South Fayette School District about opportunities to educate Jessica for one final year.

Because the state of Pennsylvania allows someone to stay in the school system until they reach age 21, school administrators developed a special work study arrangement for Jessica. Through the program, she attends school a few hours every day, taking classes like math, English, art, chorus and gym, both with special needs classes as well as with the general student population. She is considered a senior, set to graduate with the rest of the class in May.

“I like it because I get to see my friends,” Jessica says, adding that she has too many best friends to count.

The other half of the program involves working in the community. South Fayette offers work-study programs for all students in which they are placed at a job site for at least a half-day each week with a job coach.

However, Jessica’s is the first situation in which someone has been placed as extensively in the community, says Charissa Kinzler, high school special education teacher.

For four half-days each week, Jessica spends her mornings at two area preschools, helping teachers coordinate activities and playing with the children. Carole Davis, director of preschool at Zion Lutheran School in Bridgeville, says Jessica is a big hit with the 2-year-olds she helps care for. “The children absolutely adore her,” Davis says. “She has a fantastic smile – she’s very eager and wants to be included in things.

She’s very outgoing and kind – she never complains about what we ask her to do.” Patty Johnson, a teacher who Jessica helps at Bethany Presbyterian Church preschool, echoes those sentiments. “The kids love her. They get so excited when they see her bus pull up,” she says. “She’s always very happy and social. It’s very nice to have her with us.”

Once her preschool day ends, Jessica is then off to study at the high school, where she also gets to spend time with brothers Philip and Alex, a junior and sophomore respectively, who both play on the school’s soccer team. “I get to torture them,” Jessica says with a big grin.

In reality, she’s one of their biggest supporters, often attending their games decked out in green and white. She also loves to sit in the stands at Lions football games with her friends.

“She really feels like part of the school community,” says her father. “It’s been a really nice experience – it’s exceeded all of our expectations.”

Having Jessica in class is mutually beneficial for teachers and students. “Jessica is a fine addition to the classroom,” Kinzler says. “She is kind, compassionate, and always extremely polite. The students enjoy her presence, especially because she is always more than willing to help anyone in need.”

After graduation, by working with the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, Jessica plans to pursue her certification in childcare through UPMC Mercy Hospital. To create a college-like experience, she plans to spend three days a week with her “very cool” Aunt Linda and Uncle Tony, who have the third floor of their Squirrel Hill home ready for her.

Upon completion of the 13-week program, she will explore options for childcare employment. She should be a pro by then, having cared for all of the Zion Lutheran and Bethany Presbyterian children, in addition to volunteering at her church nursery and caring often for her younger siblings.

“At Dad and Beth’s house, I get extra preparation by helping with my brother, Joseph [a preschooler], and Elizabeth [a third-grader],” she says.

That passion, mixed with her affable personality, makes her ideal for working with kids.“

With Jess, what you see is what you get,” notes her father. “She’s always happy, always excited to be involved.”