Over the years, Linda has played a vital role in the quality of education services provided by DDI, and she has always been laser-focused on Best Practices in Early Childhood. In fact, under Linda’s leadership, Early Childhood Services was chosen to be a pilot school— one of only 20 in NY State— to implement Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), an evidence-based three-tiered framework to improve and integrate all of the data, systems, and practices affecting student outcomes every day.
Additionally, during Linda’s tenure, all three of the schools in the Early Childhood Services Program became fully integrated, providing the opportunity for all students to develop relationships with typically developing peers. Moreover, each school now also has an outdoor classroom, which helps enrich students’ education through meaningful, daily connections with nature and each other.
"I am very grateful for the fulfilling career I have had at DDI. I had the opportunity to grow professionally and personally, while working with wonderful colleagues. I feel I have made a difference in the lives of many children and their families over the past 32 years, and it has been a wonderful experience,” said Linda.
In addition to making a tremendous impact on DDI’s students, Linda also provided many mentorship opportunities for DDI employees, so that workforce could continuously learn, grow and excel. Linda often reflected on how it was a highlight of her career when she could witness employees grow and become experts in their professions.
We congratulate you, Linda, on 32 years of dedicated service. Thank you for your unwavering devotion to bettering the lives of others and fostering a creative, motivating environment for students to learn and staff members to excel.
Click below to take a listen to Linda’s colleagues reflect on their time with her: