Julie Gutman Special Education Director

Winslow Coyne Reitnouer Excellence in Teaching Award Winners

Julie Gutman, Special Education Director, Lake Orion Community Schools

Julie is the Special Education Director for Lake Orion Community Schools in Michigan. Julie has been in special education for 27 years. She is passionate about all students learning to read. She has enjoyed seeing the students build their vocabulary, expand their prior knowledge, and increase their progress within the curriculum. Lake Orion Community Schools is proud to continually graduate many students with disabilities by keeping them in the classroom with the support of Learning Ally and the ongoing instruction of learning to read and participate in the classroom.

Julie’s primary focus is to increase the knowledge of all staff around working with students who learn differently through a wide array of training, coaching, and collaboration with general education staff, special education staff, coaches, and administration. Lake Orion Community Schools is proud to have one team working for all students. Thanks to this focus, Lake Orion Community Schools has built a model program for students with unique learning needs. For the past several years, Lake Orion Community Schools’ students have demonstrated how profoundly impactful good instruction and teaching is by collaborating as one team and using programs like Learning Ally. All students are able to access reading at school and at home using this resource. Lake Orion Community School staff and Julie promote the very best practices and learning for all.