05/27/2026
🗣️ May is Better Hearing and Speech Month, and across the Yakima School District, Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) and speech pro-techs are bringing innovative, research-backed approaches to students of all ages.
At Yakima School District's Early Learning and Preschool programs, SLP Nancy Pietras has developed a "Literacy-Based Speech Therapy Circle," a multisensory experience grounded in evidence-based practice 📚. Her sessions weave together movement, music, mindfulness, and affirmations to keep young learners engaged and excited about speech 🎶🧘♀️✨.
"Every moment counts when providing literacy-based speech therapy with preschoolers," Pietras says. "We know language happens when kids are in motion." 🏃♂️💬
Her approach of incorporating large-body movements with sounds, a routine mindfulness opener, and a closing movement activity reflects a growing understanding that, for young children, learning and movement go hand in hand 🤝.
One of the most significant developments in YSD's speech-language services is the expansion of the push-in model, an approach where SLPs and speech pro-techs come directly into the classroom rather than pulling students out for isolated therapy sessions 🏫.
This means students receive speech-language support within their natural learning environment, alongside their peers 🧑🤝🧑. Teachers, paraprofessionals, and support staff learn strategies in real time, creating opportunities for communication throughout the school day, not just during scheduled sessions ⏰.
At McClure Elementary School, SLP Kathlyn Whitehurst leads "Core Word of the Week" sessions three times a week, pushing in during breakfast and academic rotations 🍎. She has seen stronger use of targeted vocabulary and increased staff confidence in modeling AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) devices.
At Roosevelt Elementary School, SLP Sarah James notes that push-in services have enabled teachers to learn and apply communication strategies throughout the day, leading to measurable progress for students with significant communication disorders 📈.
At Whitney Elementary School, SLP Theresa Schippers-Boler has seen an unexpected bonus: all students, not just students enrolled in speech therapy, are excited about her visits 🌟. "They ask the teacher when Ms. Schippers is coming in again," she shares; a sign that the model is reducing stigma and making speech learning a whole-class experience 🎉.
At Eisenhower High School and A.C. Davis High School, SLPs Gretchen Buegge and Marcela Ventura report a significant increase in language use, participation, and student confidence since implementing the push-in model in self-contained classrooms 💪.
Push-in services are also underway at Adams Elementary, Nob Hill Elementary, Barge-Lincoln Elementary, Garfield Elementary, Gilbert Elementary, and McKinley Elementary, carried out by a dedicated team of SLPs and speech pro-techs working in close collaboration with classroom teachers 🤝. Expansion of the push-in model to additional schools is planned for the next school year 🗓️.
Across every school and grade level, a common theme emerges: when speech-language support is embedded into the school day, students communicate more, generalize their skills more effectively, and grow in confidence 🌱.
As the district continues expanding the push-in model district-wide, the work of its dedicated SLPs reflects a clear commitment: when speech-language support meets students where they are, everyone benefits 💙.
Interested in joining YSD's Speech-Language team? 🔎 Visit ysd7.org/SLP to learn about open positions.
Read more stories at ysd7.org/ysdstories 📖
