During the month of May, alongside Better Hearing and Speech Month, we take the opportunity to express our appreciation to our outstanding Ann Arbor Public Schools speech pathologists. 

Few abilities are as critical as communication in daily growth and learning; our speech pathologists work to increase understanding and ensure treatment of speech and language issues that can improve the quality of daily interaction and life for those students experiencing communication challenges. 

Speech-language pathologists work with individuals every day in settings that include schools, private practices and healthcare facilities. Communication is critical to connecting with others and is the channel through which all other learning happens. Difficulties with speech and language development impact a child’s ability to learn and socialize.

Some responsibilities of speech pathologists include:

• Evaluate levels of speech, language or swallowing difficulty
• Identify treatment options
• Create and carry out individualized treatment plans that address specific     functional needs
• Teach children how to make sounds, improve their voices and maintain fluency
• Help individuals improve vocabulary and sentence structure used in oral and written language
• Work with children to develop and strengthen the muscles used to swallow
• Counsel individuals and families on how to cope with communication and swallowing disorders.  

We join AAPS students, staff and families in recognizing our AAPS speech pathologists for their tremendous role in supporting and empowering our students to achieve personal, school and life success.

Thank you, AAPS speech pathologists!

Jeanice Kerr Swift
Superintendent of Schools
Ann Arbor Public Schools