The Month of Better Speech and Hearing – May!

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Learning more about our therapists

In our continued tribute to Better Speech and Hearing Month, it seems only fitting to recognize that Speech-Language Therapists are masters at being flexible in designing individual services for their clients as well as the location for which these services are delivered.  

The Stories That Got Us Here

Ellen’s flexibility was outstanding when she delivered speech services in her client’s home…….which was residence to more than 25 cats…. all of which were “Range Free”. Being ‘range free’ means no rules or expectations. Let that sink in for a moment, you know it did….straight through the carpeting! It’s safe to say, Ellen’s been the cat’s meow for quite some time!

Early in VernaAnn’s career, she would travel to 8 different Amish farms in Lancaster, PA.  Be it that she was ‘English’ these Amish families would not allow her in their homes to deliver speech-language services to their children.  This did not deter VernaAnn from traveling to these farms every week, where she delivered services on the front porches from August to November!!!  Eventually, VernaAnn gained the trust of these families and was welcomed her into their community…. and homes for therapy!

Elizabeth hasn’t had the experience of delivering speech services in a strange place where I worked, however her first job was in a very diverse school in Chicago.  She had a group of 3 boys that focused on social skills. While this seems like a pretty normal occurence for a school speech therapist, the fact that the boys’ native languages were Urdu, Bengali, and Polish made service delivery a little different.  Something is to be said for the universal language of charades!

One would not think that the great outdoors and Speech Therapy are a mix. Gina, however is an expert in this combination.   One summer she would provide therapy services a girl while she was at a day camp in the MetroParks. There was nowhere to sit, so we walked a little way to a picnic table in the middle of a very woodsy area. Suffice it  to say mosquitoes, bees, 90 degree weather, and speech therapy do not mix!

In Mary’s experience-rich career, she has delivered services in a myriad of locations.  None of which are the ideal location you read about in the college textbooks. Mary has delivered speech services under a stairway – no distraction there; in the basement of a century old building next to the boiler – so quiet and acoustically perfect (NOT!); in a parking lot – not that’s what you call fast service; on-line – because, technology  and of course the proverbial “speech closet – which is the smallest place in a school where everyone who enters describes it as ‘cozy’. Rest assured in a shoe box or the Taj Mah Hall Mary’s speech services were delivered with the utmost quality!

Have wheels, will travel!  Speech-therapy knows no vacation.  Ellery has delivered speech services on the open road.  Actually, in the backseat of a 12 hour ride to North Carolina.  You might consider bringing your speech-therapist on vacation, we are pretty sure that being the Aunt of this adorable client might have had a little something to do with Ellery’s dedication.  

Wendi has experienced the ups and downs of delivering speech services…..on a trampoline of course!  Co-treating with a Physical Therapist resulted Wendi’s need for some creative therapy techniques. Wendi gave new meaning to bouncing right along!

No weather or location or animal or language can keep these dedicated women from doing their jobs… delivering amazing speech-language therapy services!

Yours in Speech,

Lakeshore Speech Therapy

May is Better Speech and Hearing Month!

college logos 1May is Better Speech and Hearing Month.   

It’s the time of the year when we in the field like to increase awareness of communication disorders and the role your friendly Speech Therapist or Audiologist plays in providing life changing therapies.  While May is a great time to better understand the field of speech-language pathology and audiology, it also provides us opportunity for us at Lakeshore Speech Therapy to share a little bit more about ourselves.

Our Amazing Team

The team at Lakeshore represents a total of over 100 years of experience in the delivery of speech-language therapeutic intervention.  100 years!!!! Individually this outstanding team is dedicated to improving communication for young and old. But where did they get their start? Where did they begin as college freshman and end as professionals with a Master’s Degree in Speech-Language Pathology? Let’s find out:

Ellen Spear holds her Bachelor’s and Master’s degree from Marquette University!   Goooooo Golden Eagles!

VernaAnn Kotansky received her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the State of University of New York at Geneseo. Gooooooo Knights!

Elizabeth Lazowski received her Master’s degree from  Northwestern University and is a proud Wildcat!

Ellery Martinko is a proud Viking, graduating from Cleveland State University with her Master’s degree.

Mary Yutzy proudly received her Master’s degree from the University of Akron.  Way to go Zips!

Gina Perciavelli  graduated with her Master’s from Ohio University.  Bobcat’s in the house!

Wendi Willmer graduated with her Master’s from Kent State University.  Golden Flashes all the way!

From Eagles to Knights, Wildcats to Vikings, Zips to Bobcats and Flashes, Lakeshore therapists represent their colleges well!

Yours in Speech,

Lakeshore Speech

Making Learning Fun for Everyone: Lakeshore Summer Programs

Lakeshore Speech Therapy, LLC is proud to announce our 2018 Summer Programs.

While the brochure is available on our website, we wanted to take a few moments to dive deeper into explaining these great opportunities.

Speech Boot Camp –

This camp is designed for children with apraxia, motor speech impairment or phonological disorders to provide intensive and individualized speech therapy over the course of 2 weeks.  This ‘camp’ is a one on one opportunity with Ellen Spear.  Each child would come for 30 minutes of intensive therapy hyper-focused on the child’s needs specific to speech production. Ellen will draw upon her expertise in this area as well as her certification in PROMPT.  This may be the opportunity your child needs to set into motion significant progress related to speech production.  June 18-21 and June 25-28. Space is limited. $60/session – this camp can be billed to insurance or paid privately.

Roller Coaster Makers Camp – 

designed for students entering the 9th – 12th grades who may struggle with social skills, making friends, and working in groups.  This camp will highlight a social skill per day and then incorporate that skill within the day’s construction of a roller coaster.  This camp will  combine STEM skills as well as social skills/executive functioning skills and will be led by VernaAnn Kotansky.  As a certified Assistive Technology Specialist and Speech therapist, VernaAnn will draw upon her love of science and technology to create an open and enriching experience for the teens in this camp.  Direction following will be a must as well as ability to work independently and demonstrate self-regulatory behaviors.  Every camper will take home a roller coaster, but not until the “Gallery of Roller Coasters” is shared with family and friends. June 19 – 22nd – 10am-12pm. $300. Space is limited to 6 students. Private pay only as this group is not a skilled service therefore we are unable to bill insurance.

Lakeshore Has Gone To The Dogs! A Reading Summer Camp – 

designed for students entering the 1st to 3rd grades – Lakeshore is proud and excited to introduce Stan the Therapy Dog and his amazing handler (and elementary school teacher with 20 years of experience) Patti Cramer. This program will run 3 sessions which will focus on practicing reading strategies to improve Accuracy, Fluency and Comprehension.  During each session: Day 1 :Reading Accuracy-assess and practice reading strategies to improve a reader’s accuracy; Day 2: Reading Fluency– Work on pacing, phrasing, punctuation and reading with expression; Day 3: Reading Comprehension– introduce and practice various strategies to improve reading comprehension. Students will read books at their independent level to accomplish these tasks. Students will have one on one time with Patti. They will also work together on these strategies and they will have the opportunity to read to Stan to show off their skills.  Session 1: June 11-13,  Session 2: June 18-20, Session 3: June 25-17  – 10:00-11:30am.  Space is limited to 4 students per session. Cost $250/session. All 3 sessions- $700.  Private pay only as this group is not a skilled service therefore we are unable to bill insurance.

Guided Makers Social Skills Camp –

designed for students entering the 5th – 8th grades who struggle with social skills, making friends and working in groups.  STEM skills are every important in today’s world and this camp will begin to introduce those skills in combination with social skills. Social skills will be introduced daily and campers will practice these  social skills while making “STEM creations” and working in a group.  This camp will be led by VernaAnn Kotansky as well.  Campers will take home their creations.  The camp will culminate with a “Makers’ Gallery” for friends and family to enjoy all the creations! June 12 – 14th – 10am-12pm. $300. Space is limited to 6 students. Private pay only as this group is not a skilled service therefore we are unable to bill insurance.

Superflex: A Superhero Social Thinking Curriculum – 

designed for students ages 8 – 11 years old.  Following the amazing adventures of Superflex, your campers will gain the Superhero skills to combat the likes of the horrible villains ‘Rock Brain’, ‘WasFunnyOnce’, and ‘Glassman’ to name a few. This class will be led by Ellen Spear.  Your child will be engaged in the world of Superflex while learning and practicing the ever important social skills.  Perfect timing for a refresher as they begin to prepare for the start of the 2018-19 school year!  August 6-9th – 3-4pm. $300. Space is limited to 6 students.  Private pay only as this group is not a skilled service therefore we are unable to bill insurance.

Registration Information – Spots are Limited

Registration deadline for all programs is May 25,  2018. Payment is due in full by the date of the first class for all programs.  There will be no refunds for missed sessions. We reserve the right to cancel and reschedule session days  at any time.  We accept cash, check and most major credit cards as payment. 

Upon registering, we will send you a packet of information that must be completely filled out and returned by June 6, 2018.

We reserve the right to cancel the class entirely should registration not meet minimum requirements.  All clients that did register will be notified at least three (3) days prior to the first class and refunds will be given at that time.

Register for all programs by calling (1-440-471-7901) or emailing Kelly (krigo@lakeshorespeech.com) at Lakeshore Speech Therapy, LLC.

Yours in Speech,

Lakeshore Speech Therapy, LLC