Excellent Educator: Cedar SUN's Saige Decleene
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- It takes years to hone your skills in any profession, and that is true in teaching, especially teaching students with special needs. But Saige Decleene has a natural gift for connecting with those students, making her this week's and one of our youngest ever Excellent Educators.
Decleene is nearly fresh out of college. This is only her second year teaching. But she's been helping those with disabilities her whole life.
"I had a cousin growing up that had multiple disabilities and grew up helping him taking care of him and he inspired me to take this path and take care of students that maybe have more severe needs," she said.
The school where Decleene teaches, Cedar SUN in Eagan, serves students in Scott and Dakota counties who have been referred there by their district because of their disability.
"I have mostly middle school, I have 5th through 9th in my room right now, a range of disability from autism to emotional behavior to health disability we kind of do everything," she said.
The goal of Cedar SUN staff is to work closely with the students and get them back to their home district to experience high school with their peers.
"It is challenging, it can test your patience, but it's more rewarding than anything all the progress you see outweighs any stress it can cause," Decleene said. "Even just a little thing of if they learn to write their name or learn to take a break when they're frustrated, instead of throwing an object it's the little things that are huge."
Progress like that takes a team. And her paras are some of Decleene's biggest fans. One even nominated her for this award.
"I watch the news every morning I was like I'm going to do it," Shay Smith, the para who sent in the nomination, said. "She comes in here every day with the same attitude, never angry, always smiling and always on a goal making sure the kids are doing what they need to do."
You'll notice you don't see any of the students in the video, because the school wants to protect their privacy. But we couldn't help but notice how well-behaved and calm the students were when we were there.
Even with all the extra people, camera and the commotion, the students kept their focus on their lessons. Staff told WCCO that it is very unusual for students with autism but a testament to Decleene's ability.
