Mrs. Jurkynas loves her role at the Geneva School District as a learning behavior specialist. “I’m interested in creating a rapport with each student and their families,” she said. “Together, we can assist students as they achieve their goals.”
She explained that Learning Behavior Specialists support the academic and social/emotional well-being of students in a classroom. Mrs. Jurkynas works with students at Geneva Middle School North.
“Behavior is a method of communication which can provide insight into our students’ motivations and support needs,” she said. “Our students can learn from their behaviors and develop strategies focused on their goals.”
Mrs. Jurkynas always wanted to be a teacher and worked in education early in her career. During the COVID lockdown, she took advantage of spare time to obtain a master’s degree.
In 2016, she served as a special education substitute teacher. “I loved supporting students and received encouragement from my mentors to pursue a Master of Arts degree in Teaching,” she explained. “I’m excited to begin my profession as a teacher!”
When not teaching, she loves swimming and walking with her husband and two children. “I love to read, and Summer is a great time to catch up on my favorite authors,” she added. “Recently, we adopted an amazing dog and we’re having fun learning about her personality.”