Recognizing Occupational Therapy Month

April is Occupational Therapy Month, and throughout the district occupational therapists (OTs) make a difference in helping each scholar succeed and achieve their dreams. OTs develop creative solutions for students to accomplish everyday tasks and are a primary support person for many scholars and families. 

Robyn Voss

Robyn Voss has been an OT for 14 years and has worked for Osseo Area Schools for the last four years. She currently works at Woodland Elementary, Osseo Education Center, and as the district's Assistive Technology OT at the CBVAT. Over the last two years, Voss has played a key role in the district’s occupational therapy department by bridging the gap between clinical and school-based practice, particularly in the area of oculomotor skills - the ability of the eyes to move in a coordinated and controlled way. 

Drawing from her clinical experiences, Voss has guided fellow OTs on how oculomotor difficulties directly impact academic performance, including reading and writing. For example, when oculomotor skills are impaired, students may struggle with reading because their eyes may lose their place, skip words or have difficulty following a line of text. Writing can also be affected, as poor eye movement control can make it hard to copy from the board, space letters correctly or maintain proper letter sizing and alignment.

Voss has served as a primary resource for training her colleagues on screenings and evaluations for oculomotor deficiencies as well as how to implement effective interventions. As a result of these efforts, the district's OT department has engaged in various continuing education courses and dedicated its Professional Learning Team (PLT) to emphasize the importance of oculomotor skills in the school setting.

 
Kim Tiesma 

Kim Tiesma has been an OT with Osseo Area Schools for 25 years and has worked with almost every age level, from birth to post-secondary. She currently works at Willow Lane Early Childhood Center, Palmer Lake Elementary and with students in the 279Online program. She has had the unique experience of seeing students’ progress and growth, following some students from early childhood through middle and high school. Tiesma learned early on never to underestimate her students’ unending potential. She loves to lean into what students are able to do and finds the greatest success when tailoring student learning to their own unique interests and motivators. 
 
Tiesma has helped write a few grants to assist student learning and achievement during her years working in Osseo Area Schools. Most recently, she identified a need for student access to sensory-friendly tools during school events, particularly during family engagement events which can be fun and exciting, but also loud, crowded, and unpredictable for some. To help fulfill this need, she wrote a grant this year which was approved and funded through the District 279 Foundation. She was able to create kits that include “sensory friendly” tools for students and families to use during school events. Each kit includes items such as headphones, fidgets, a timer, communication/AAC visuals, QR codes for self-regulation ideas, visuals for emotions, sunglasses and a drawstring backpack to carry the items during the event. She was able to fund three kits each for 28 sites across the district and hopes that access to these tools assists students and families so that they can better enjoy and participate in family engagement events.