In the March 15, 2024 Together for Holyoke newsletter, we introduced you to Evan Santiago, a second grade student who has excelled in the inclusive environment at Donahue School. In this week’s edition, learn more about two educators who have supported Evan’s growth and many other students like him at Donahue.
Brittany Makowski
Brittany Makowski is a second grade teacher who also serves on the Instructional Leadership Team at Donahue. She was born and raised in Holyoke. She attended Sullivan, Lynch, and Holyoke High Schools, and graduated from HPS in 2012. She received her bachelor’s degree in elementary education and master’s degree in special education with a concentration in autism, both at Bay Path University.
Ms. Makowski’s third grade teacher Mary Wright—who still works at Donahue—planted the seeds for her career in education by providing opportunities for her to work on art projects and to read with students who were in a substantially separate program. She loved interacting with her peers with diverse needs, and she found joy in connecting with others.
Ms. Makowski decided to work for Holyoke Public Schools because she wanted to “give back to a community that gave so much” to her. She began as a paraeducator and then, with the encouragement of principal Marc Swygert, she became a teacher in the ABL program for six years. Principal Swygert then encouraged her to be an inclusion teacher. She said she was hesitant at first, but he encouraged her to apply what she knew about excellent instruction for students in ABL so she could provide excellent instruction for all students in the general education setting.
Principal Swygert said he knew she would excel in the inclusion setting. “She is clearly a thoughtful educator. She is passionate about providing opportunities for all of her students. She wants great outcomes for all of her students. She is a fierce advocate for her students. She really looks at her work through a lot of perspectives and lenses. She has a thoughtful eye on special education and she is thoughtful about the implementation of her curriculum and what that means for all students. That makes her a great teacher, a great advocate, a great teammate. When you go in and see the work—but also the joy—that is awesome.”
Wendy Williams
Wendy Williams has been a special educator for 20 years. She began her career as a paraeducator in East Longmeadow and then was a teacher in an autism program in Ludlow. She was recruited to Holyoke in 2018 to be an ABL (Applied Behavioral Learning) teacher for students in grades K-2 at Donahue. In 2021, she was promoted to be the inclusion coach, where she supports general education, special education, and English as a second language teachers to plan and implement inclusionary practices in their classrooms.
Ms. Williams said she was drawn to working with students with autism because she loves “being able to work with children who learn differently and being able to provide differentiated supports so that they can access the curriculum.” She also feels energized when she sees students grow in their academic and social skills. When asked, what are the key success factors for promoting an inclusive school, Ms. Williams said, “Administration needs to be committed to the process and willing to support it with budget money, staffing, and schedule alignment, and time set aside for common planning time, collaboration, and training.”
Donahue Principal Marc Swygert said Ms. Williams’ approach and determination have been an asset for his school.
“I appreciate Wendy because she is super thoughtful and intentional about inclusion. She always keeps the needs of the students first. Ms. Williams is purposeful about looking at each individual student and situation and making sure it's designed for their success. And once she does that, she continues to do the work and follow through to make sure it's implemented. And if it’s not being implemented well or not working, she will work with educators to adjust the plan to meet the student’s needs.”