The 2013 Floyd G. Hudson Outstanding Service Award

Recipient Mark Semmler

The Council for Learning Disabilities has awarded the distinguished 2013 Floyd G . Hudson Outstanding Service Award to Mark Semmler. Each year, the award is given for outstanding performance and commitment by a professional who works in the field of learning disabilities in a role outside of the classroom. As the recipient of this national award, Mark will be recognized in October at the Council for Learning Disabilities International Conference in Austin, Texas.

 

Mark serves as a special education coordinator for the Cherry Creek School District in Denver, Colorado. Mark partners with district math leaders to provide professional development in diagnostic assessment and research-based instructional practices for teachers who work with students who struggle with mathematics.

 

In addition to the impact Mark has within his district, he also works part time for the Colorado Department of Education, teaching online classes in math interventions and providing regional trainings in assessment and implementation of interventions within the framework of the Colorado Academic Standards.

 

Mark is an active member of the Colorado Metro Math Intervention Team (CoMMIT) whose purpose is to ensure that educators working with struggling learners, including those with disabilities, have the content knowledge and understanding to provide appropriate interventions.  He also serves on the steering committee for the planning and carrying out of an effective statewide professional-development project (Math on the “Planes”), sponsored by the Colorado Council for Learning Disabilities in conjunction with CoMMIT, the Colorado Council of Teachers of Mathematics, and the Colorado Department of Education.

Mark states that the goal of the services we provide is postsecondary success for our students. As the coordinator of the district’s Assistive Technology Team, he was instrumental in constructing assistive technology labs in each of the district’s 19 secondary schools. The technologies in these labs were selected with the input of area colleges and designed to replicate the experience a student has while attending college.

Claire Sabochik, a fellow special education coordinator, states, “Mark is     revolutionizing mathematics instruction for students who struggle.  Much like the            contributions of Floyd G. Hudson, Mark’s work will have a lasting influence on special      education professionals and on the lives of people with disabilities.  Mark truly             exemplifies the best of Special Education professionals in practice today!”