Eastern Star

   Michelle's dad recommended me for the Eastern Star Educator award and ask me to write a letter.   I still have lots to learn.   Myfamily continues to "learn me" whenever I mess up as I often do by being "out-of-touch."   Here is what I submitted.
1/15/2012
The Education of Elizabeth Montan Neese
Elizabeth Montan was the 3rd of 10 children of a remarkable divorced mother, Irene Montan.   They lived on a 63-acre sheep farm in New Philadelphia, Ohio.   Irene’s slogan was,” It’s just me, the kids, and the good Lord.”   She believed in the Power of Education, Community Service, and School Activities.   The Montan family was active members of Schoenbrunn Grange in Tuscarawas County, Girl and Boy Scouts, and 4-H.   When a young autistic child named Jamie was abandoned by his family, Irene took Jamie into our home instead of placing him in a State Institution.   Jamie’s tantrums and autistic behaviors taught Elizabeth to keep her composure and respond to misbehavior quietly and with dignity.   The Urban/Rural Exchange Program from Cleveland contacted the Tuscarawas Farm Bureau to ask area farmers to sponsor children for summer visits to the farm.   In 1967, the Montan family invited a young African American boy and girl from Cleveland to stay for the summer.   Irene took her children to catechism at Sacred Heart Church for sacraments, choir practice, and alters servers.   Irene assisted all 10 of her children to apply for financial aid so that they could attend college.  
Elizabeth and her older sister, Sarah, were selected to participate in Ohio University’s First Upward Bound Program in Athens, Ohio for the summers of 1967 through 1969.   Elizabeth attended study skills classes with other teens to improve her grades at Indian Valley North High School, raise her SAT Scores, and prepare\for college life.   Through Work Study, Federal Grants, and Loans, Elizabeth was able to live on the Ohio University campus, purchase books, and eat in the college cafeteria where she worked on the serving line.   Other Work Study jobs included working in the library and the Athen’s State Mental Health Hospital.   Spring Semester of 1973, Elizabeth Graduated with a degree in Special Education with a K-12 Mental Retardation certification and a minor in Psychology.
In August 1973, Elizabeth Montan was hired at Danville Elementary School, a farm community in Knox County, to teach K-3 Special Education students who were Mentally Retarded.   To Elizabeth’s surprise her boss, Mr. Lindsay, was her former Principal from Midvale/Indian Valley North High School.   After two years teaching Special Education, Danville’s Superintendent offered Ms. Montan a second grade position with a plan to become certified in Elementary Education.   Because Danville was a poor farm community, Elizabeth’s college loan balance was reduced each year until it was paid in full in the 9 years she taught at Danville.   Elizabeth taught catechism at St. Luke’s Catholic Church and assisted with weekend retreats for Danville Catholic teens.
Elizabeth met her husband, after reading an ad in the yellow pages, “Walkins Welcome.” James Neese took her 4:00 appointment for a haircut after school at Merle Normans Hair Salon in Mount Vernon, the county seat of Knox County.   James and Elizabeth moved to Plano, Texas.   Elizabeth worked at the First Methodist After School Care Program and at the LaQuinta Inn as a maid, housekeeper, desk clerk, and night auditor.   The Dallas Convalescent Center offered her a position as Education Supervisor of their institutionalized handicapped residents.   The residents were taught academics, self help, and leisure skills.   When the Dallas Independent School in house teacher of the school age residents transferred, Mrs. Neese interviewed with Dallas Independent School District and was offered the position.  
The next fall Dallas ISD started the project “Special Education Home Coming.”   The school age residents of the Dallas Convalescent Center were bused from the institution to their home schools.   Mrs. Neese was transferred to the Developmental Center at Gaston Middle School.   During the three years that Elizabeth worked at Gaston Middle school, the outstanding Adaptive PE Staff introduced her students to swimming, basketball, bowling, volleyball, and Track and Field activities,   Regular Ed warm-hearted Student Helpers would join the disabled students during their lunch hour for socialization.   The Special Tech Advisory Committee was formed and Mrs. Neese was chosen to serve on the Adaptive Technology Committee to reviewed adaptive devises for computers that would make them more accessible for the handicapped.  
Mr. And Mrs. Neese spend the next year vacationing and working on Hilton Head Island awaiting the birth of their daughter Michael.   Elizabeth was hired as a 4th grade teacher with Beauford County Schools in South Carolina.   Elizabeth spent 4 weeks for maternity leave in November 1988 and was able to return full time after the winter break.   Michael always makes the days brighter and the evenings more peaceful with her presence.   She reduces stress with her hugs and reassurances.   With her love, Mica helps Elizabeth and James cope!
The summer of 1989, Elizabeth called the Principal of ED Walker Special Ed Center who offered her a teaching position in the Severe and Profoundly Handicapped Autism Classroom.   Mayme, an exceptional teacher from the Convalescent Center, was one of the teacher assistants of the Autism class.   Community Based Instruction was easily taught because the school was within walking distance of the Valley View Mall, a fire station, and a park.   Ed Walker staff and students were not afraid to share their many talents.   Various Holiday Programs were performed on the stage of the school auditorium and later shared with the elderly residents of the Convalescent Center.  
James developed bacteria pneumonia and was hospitalized in May 1992.   Elizabeth’s mother’s heart failure worsened in New Philadelphia, so the Neese family moved home to Ohio.   That August, James had a massive heart attack which damaged the front part of his heart.   Elizabeth got a part-time job with New Philadelphia Schools, worked in a furniture store, and a grocery store but without medical insurance, James could not receive his heart operation.   After her mother passed away, Elizabeth returned to DISD at Robert T. Hill Middle School as a Special Ed Teacher on April 1, 1993.   James had his open heart surgery December 1993.
At Robert T. Hill Middle School, Elizabeth taught Resource, Behavior Program, and Inclusive Support Units.   The Special Ed 7 and 8 graders participated in the In-School Scouting program.   The students sold popcorn and wreaths to earn money for their Special Olympic Basket Ball and Track team trips to Austin and Houston.   Mrs. Neese acted as Liaison, Department Head, and Curriculum Instructional Leadership Team (CILT) member whenever she could not persuade others to take the positions.   When resource units were being faded-out because of the Highly Certified Requirement for all teachers, Mrs. Neese requested a transfer to Charles A Gill Elementary School and started working at Gill in February 2004.
At Charles A Gill Elementary, Mrs. Neese taught resource students reading and math.   In class Support was provided for grades kindergarten through 4th grade.   Elizabeth served as CILT, Liaison, and Department Head.   Charles A Gill’s enrollment dropped after the 6th grader were moved to the middle school and Larry Smith Elementary opened up in the neighborhood.   During the October Rift in 2008, Mrs. Neese’s position was cut and Elizabeth was transferred to W H Adamson High School.   This transfer came at a very stressful time at the Neese household.   James had suffered a massive brain hemorrhage in his vision area on July 8, 2008.   After several surgeries and rehabilitation at Baylor Hospital, James was returning home but needed 24 hour supervision.   Rehab Without Walls would provide therapy in the Neese home.   Michelle Pluckett was a good friend of Michael’s and she volunteered to “live in” to help provide care.  
Michael and Michelle provide emotional support and enable Elizabeth to balance work, doctor and hospital visits, and 24-7 care of James.   The girls help with meals, medication needs, and tutored Elizabeth in calculator skills and basic algebra steps so that she could provide knowledgeable assistance to the 9-12 grade students in her Inclusive Math Classes.   The exceptional Math teachers while instructing their students have enabled Mrs. Neese to provide individual and small group instruction to the Special Ed and General Ed Math students.   The staff at Adamson High School and Dallas ISD have been very supportive and understanding about the many absences that Elizabeth has accumulated due to the many doctor and hospital visits the James has needed at the Dallas VA Hospital, Medical City and Doctor Hospital because of his Congestive Heart Failure.  
Last year many Dallas Independent School Employees retired or were abruptly cut from Special Ed positions were those who molded Mrs. Neese into the professional that she has become.   The Teacher Assistants, Administrators, General Ed Teachers, Diagnostics and Psychologist, Clerks, Secretaries, Speech Therapists, Deaf Ed Itinerant, Occupational and Physical Therapist, Adaptive PE and Assistive Technologist, Nurses, Cafeteria Workers and Custodians, Bus Drivers, Youth Action and DISD Police, Counselors, Parents and especially Students to name a few.   Mrs. Neese’s Education remains incomplete therefore she needs to continue working with the excellent staff and undergrads of Dallas ISD.   “Elizabeth blooms wherever she is planted surrounded by her support team.”