Allegan Area ESA recently hired two new administrators, Jodie Kurtz and Brady Chestnut, in the Specialized Instruction department.
Jodie Kurtz (pictured above on the left) is the new Transition Services Supervisor. In addition to her role as the Transition Center Principal, Ms. Kurtz will also serve secondary special education teachers and the transition age student population across the county as Transition Coordinator.
“Over the next three to five years our goal is to improve post-secondary outcomes for students with disabilities specifically as it relates to employment,” said Allegan Area ESA Director of Specialized Instruction Rebecca Reed. “Ms. Kurtz will lead this important work in collaboration with staff and administrators from our member districts, Allegan Area ESA programs, and community partners.”
Most recently Ms. Kurtz was the Special Education Supervisor for a neighboring Intermediate School District (ISD). Prior to her administrative role, Jodie was a special education teacher in both the Early On and Post-Secondary Transition worlds with Calhoun ISD.
Brady Chesnut (pictured above on the right)is the new IDEA General Supervision System Coordinator. She will partner with Allegan Area ESA member districts and programs to coordinate effective implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) within a Whole Child framework and in alignment with the Allegan Area ESA strategic priority to support regionally coordinated education programs. She will also provide vision and leadership for Allegan Area ESA's low incidence ancillary services and supports.
Over the next three to five years, Allegan Area ESA will build a comprehensive system of support to ensure all staff in our member districts and programs know the requirements of IDEA, verify that everyone is implementing the requirements correctly, and support any identified areas of improvement.
Before coming to Allegan Area ESA, Ms. Chestnut was Director of Specialized Instruction for five years at Allegan Public Schools. Prior to her administrative role, Ms. Chestnut was a secondary special education teacher in a neighboring county.
“I am thrilled to welcome Ms. Kurtz and Ms. Chestnut to our team,” said Ms. Reed. “Their skills and energy will help to ensure we continuously improve outcomes for students with disabilities within our service area.”