Speech/Language Pathologist (PK-5)

Mary Livingston

Speech/Language Pathologist (PK-5)

Livingston photo

Ms. Livingston is pleased to be the speech and language pathologist that serves Kendallvue Community School! Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) strive to heighten the communication skills of students needing specialized instruction with articulation, voice, fluency and language skills. She received her BA in Communication Disorders from the University of Northern Colorado in 1985, and she earned her MA in Speech and Language Disorders from the University of Northern Colorado in 1987. She is a certified SLP through the American Speech and Language Association (ASHA) and holds her clinical competency of certification. Over the past twenty-nine years, she has provided speech and language services for students with a myriad of disabilities in Jefferson County from preschool to high school. Identifying why a student exhibits communication delays and the extent of their delays is imperative for effective interventions and treatment to be effective.

Ms. Livingston lives in in the beautiful city of Golden, Colorado with her family. Some of her favorite things to do are spending time with family and friends hiking, vacationing, swimming, cooking, gardening and reading. She is proud to share that she is a native of Colorado and attended Jefferson County Public Schools from kindergarten through High School.

Being Kendallvue’s speech-language pathologist allows Ms. Livingston to help students be successful in all areas of communication. She facilitates this through consultation with parents and teachers and direct instruction with students both in and out of the classroom setting. By using individual informal and formal assessment tools and gathering information from parents, specialists, and teachers, she is able to delineate strategies for students and help them generalize skills within their classroom and home environment. Ms. Livingston values learning about all of the new and exciting speech and language evidenced-based assessment and intervention by taking classes, supervising of college students, collaborating with teachers and specialists and reading best evidenced-based practices. With that knowledge, she can help implement the most effective speech and language interventions and individual learning plans (IEPs) to guarantee each student communicates to his/her full ability.

Ms. Livingston promotes tying verbal communication with literacy skills in general education classrooms and through a literacy grant, “Early Childhood Literacy Project,” earned in 2011 to boost communication skills for early learners age preschool to first grade. Refer to the website to learn of the books used and lessons taught. https://sites.google.com/a/jeffcoschools.us/early-childhood-literacy-project/

When nonverbal and/or preverbal students need additional assessment and/or augmentative communication beyond the scope of our specialized assessment team at Kendallvue, the Assistive Technology Team (ATAT) through Jefferson County can be accessed free of charge. After the school team and parents make a referral, an assessment is completed and additional suggestions may be given, such as a communication board, dynamic communication device, etc.

Her goal is to keep an open line of communication with students, parents, classroom teachers and specialists to strive to meet the communication, academic and social needs of all students. It’s exciting to have the opportunity to work with young children because of their strong desire to grow and learn! It’s her belief that all children can be successful and can be effective communicators.

Speech and Language Resources:

http://www.asha.org/public/speech/development/suggestions/

http://www.asha.org/public/speech/development/language_speech/

http://www.asha.org/public/speech/development/Literacy/