Hi, my name is Jileen Ward. I am excited to be part of the Special Education Team at Hawthorn Academy. I am from Ucon, Idaho. I am married to Ward and have four exceptional children. I love spending time with my family, playing games, and traveling. I enjoy reading and biking. I learned to play pickleball this summer.  My favorite sport to play and watch is basketball (Michael Jordan is the G.O.A.T.). 

All students are unique and capable of learning. As their teacher, it is up to me to learn my student's learning styles. Your student deserves the best education to prepare them for real life. As their teacher, I want to meet their individual needs in a classroom where students feel safe to take risks and express themselves. I want to create a classroom where students can thrive, explore to reach their full potential, and discover their Superpowers. While I like to see students enjoying themselves in class, I expect them to work and focus on the task.

I ultimately enjoy spending time with my family and friends. I also love, love, love my Mini and Muffin Maltese puppies.

 I hold a Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice with a minor in Psychology and a Master's degree in Special Education. I was a paraprofessional in the middle school Special Education department for seven years, and this will be my third year teaching.

All students are unique and capable of learning. As their teacher, it is my responsibility to understand my students' learning styles. Your student deserves the best education to prepare them for real life. As their special education teacher, I strive to meet their individual needs in a classroom where students feel secure enough to take risks and express themselves. 

I want to create a classroom where students can thrive, explore, reach their full potential, and discover their Superpowers. While I appreciate students enjoying themselves in class, I expect them to work and focus on the task at hand. 

“A good teacher cannot begin or continue to inspire learning without being a learner.” 

I want to be a lifelong learner and look forward to learning from your child.