Recipient:  Betty Clemens Jones

School: Jacob-Hespeler Secondary School

Number of Years Teaching: 22

Subject: a specially designed program for students with autism who are high functioning.  It is the only program of its kind in Waterloo County.

Grades: 10 through 12

When Betty looks back at her life she is very grateful for the many supports she had in her life - several of them being her teachers.  She describes them as being “incredible to me”.

Betty has her ASD students for their whole time at high school.  She has learned to listen well so that they are able to share parts of themselves with her.  She starts her day at 7:00 so she has everything completely organized.  Her classroom is designed as a “safe harbour”.  She greets them into a comfortable, relaxed structure where they know she is there to help them with any challenges of their day.  As she watches her students develop and have “yahoo” moments she sees that doors are opening to their future.  Her role is to help prepare them for their next stages so they can fulfill their hopes and dreams.

Every day Betty’s students are confronted with a barrage of sensory stimuli, new social situations, communication challenges, as well as the day to day struggles.  Through research, learning different approaches and constant communication with parents, Betty is helping them develop as individuals with unique spirits and a wealth of talents.
Betty spoke of a quote on the wall across from her classroom:  “I think a hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles". Every day she has the opportunity to teach and learn from such heroes, her students.

Parents Arlene and Peter nominated Betty.  They wrote:

Betty is remarkable in her care for the overall well-being of her students.  She makes the connection between her homeroom students and their classroom teachers to ensure an understanding of the needs is addressed and to make a positive connection.

In March our son was given an opportunity to speak to educators at a conference.  Betty was our contact.  She helped arrange a practice run within the local school board, took Josh to the conference site so he could be familiar with the setting and sat as his support person the evening of the speech.

Betty is very tuned to the moods and needs of her students.  We were very confident sending Josh on a Music Department trip to Europe knowing Betty would be available should he become anxious and that she would allow him to make choices for himself, thus giving him an appropriate degree of independence.

Josh’s early school years were less than positive. The gifted care of Betty, and her EAs, have given him the confidence that “He can!”