Specialized Instruction

English Language Development (ELD)

I am the school psychologist at Coyote Creek Elementary School and I am so excited to be a part of this amazing community! I am originally from the Midwest and I attended Loyola University Chicago for my undergraduate and graduate degrees. I began my professional career working in Illinois before moving to California and working for an elementary school district. In the fall of 2024, I obtained a Graduate Certificate in Applied Behavior Analysis from the University of Colorado Denver. I work closely with our special education team and the students in our center-based program for children with autism. Additionally, I collaborate with our special education team in the identification and support of our students who have been identified as having an educational disability. I support general education students as concerns arise!

Please contact me at my email address if you have any questions or concerns: kristine.hammond@dcsdk12.org. It is easiest to reach me by email but I also have a confidential voicemail, if you prefer! I have been working at Coyote Creek for nearly 20 years and I look forward to working together this year!

Response to Intervention (RTI)

Hello Coyote Creek Families,

We are Stephanie Star, Lori Bowen, Keiko Short, and Jen Goodman. We are the RTI team at Coyote Creek. Together, we have over 100 years of teaching experience and are here to support your children. Here is an explanation of what RTI means and what we do:
RTI (Response to Intervention) is an educational strategy used to identify and support students who are showing signs of needing support academically. The goal of RTI is to provide early, targeted intervention to help students succeed and prevent long-term difficulties.

Tier 1: All students get good, evidence-based, general teaching.

Tier 2: Struggling students get extra help in small groups, with proven programs that target grade-appropriate skills.

Tier 3: For students who continue to struggle, they may receive one-on-one help or a more intensive intervention.

The goal of RTI is to catch problems early and help students improve before they fall too far behind. Teachers use data to decide what help a student needs and provide that specific intervention. In essence, RTI is about providing the right level of support at the right time to help all students succeed. The process is flexible, and interventions are adjusted based on the student's response to the initial support.

Jennifer Goodman

Keiko Short

Lori Bowen

Stephanie Star

Social Worker

Special Education

Leanne Forbes

Hello, CCE families!

I am thrilled to be part of the Coyote Creek community for my second year. I grew up in eastern Colorado and earned my Bachelor’s degree in Communication and Psychology from the University of Colorado–Boulder, followed by my Master’s in Inclusionary Practices from the University of Colorado–Denver. Throughout my career, I’ve had the privilege of serving in many roles, including General Education Teacher, RTI Coordinator, READ Plan Coordinator, Reading Recovery Teacher, Literacy Instructional Coach, Gifted and Talented Coordinator, and 504 Coordinator at both the elementary and high school levels.

My husband and I are proud Colorado natives and enjoy spending time with our two grown children camping, kayaking, golfing, fishing, and cheering on the Nuggets, Avalanche, and Broncos!

Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me by email or stop by to say hello when you’re at school.

Bark Voelker

Speech/Language

Amy Sealock

alsealock@dcsdk12.org

Bio Coming Soon!

Susan Major

Smmajor@dcsdk12.org

Hello! My name is Susan Major, and I’m truly grateful to be part of the incredible CCE community.

I grew up in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and earned my undergraduate degree at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee before heading to Chicago to complete my Masters Degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders at Northwestern University. My passion lies in Early Intervention, and I’ve been fortunate to work in the State of Illinois Early Intervention System, pediatric outpatient clinics, and private practice. One of my favorite roles was serving as the clinical coordinator at Northern Illinois University’s Speech and Language Clinic, where I could mentor graduate students and inspire the next generation of SLPs.

In 2011, my family and I traded the Midwest for the mountains of Colorado. I now live in Highlands Ranch with my husband, our teenage twins, and a Maine Coon cat (who is quite certain she’s a baby mountain lion). Over the years, I’ve worked in the DCSD Early Childhood program and as a district-wide itinerant SLP, but this year I’m especially excited to be at Coyote Creek full-time. I’m surrounded by an incredible team of professionals who share my dedication to supporting our students, and I can’t wait for all that this year will bring!

-Ms. Major

Kayla Skrepnek

kskrepnek2@dcsdk12.org

Bio Coming Soon!

At Coyote Creek, we offer a variety of programs to support the diverse needs of our students. To learn more, please click the links below: