Behind every student success story, there are dedicated people helping it happen. Our licensed employees bring expertise, compassion, and care to that work every day, supporting students, educators, and schools across our region.
At Clackamas ESD, our licensed team includes about 180 staff members in at least 20 different types of roles. They teach students, lead professional learning for staff, support social skills development, and provide speech, physical, and occupational therapy. Their work reaches students, educators, families, and communities across Clackamas County.
Their work reflects our mission to lead, serve, and innovate for learning. We are grateful for every licensed employee and the meaningful difference they make each day. This Licensed Employee Appreciation Week, meet a few of our licensed staff members and learn how they serve our community.
Students thrive when they are truly seen, deeply supported, and encouraged to reach beyond expectations. That is the kind of learning environment Clackamas Education Service District teacher Bridget Considine creates each day in her Life Enrichment Education Program class at Happy Valley Elementary, where she helps students grow not only academically, but also in confidence, independence, and possibility. As a LEEP teacher, Bridget centers the whole child, building meaningful skills for everyday life while also supporting families every step of the way.
Supporting Students and Families
When Bridget talks about her work, she speaks just as passionately about families as she does about students. She knows many families are carrying an enormous load, especially those caring for children with profound autism and complex needs. That is why she sees her role as more than teaching academics. She wants families to know their child is safe, cared for, and understood.
One recent text from a family especially stayed with her. Over the weekend, they reached out to share that they had finally been able to cut their child’s toenails, a moment that may seem small to others, but to them was a major victory. Bridget understood immediately how meaningful it was.
For her, those moments matter. They reflect trust, partnership, and the kind of progress worth celebrating.
Finding Her Path
Bridget did not always know she would become a teacher. She earned her undergraduate degree in developmental psychology and once thought nursing might be her future. But while working in a preschool, she became interested in behavioral intervention. Helping one young student with autism find success made her own path clear.
After moving from Minnesota to Oregon, Bridget worked as a behavior coach before stepping into a teaching role on an emergency license. She later earned her master’s degree in special education and found the work she was meant to do.
Raising the Bar for Students
One of Bridget’s biggest motivations is raising expectations for her students. She is committed to creating a classroom that is academic, engaging, and full of possibility, one where students are met with dignity, meaningful learning, and high expectations.
Over time, Bridget has moved away from compliance-based practices and embraced neuroaffirming approaches, focusing less on external rewards and more on what is truly meaningful to her students. That shift has helped create a classroom where students feel safe, respected, and motivated to engage in meaningful work.
“I’m always meeting my students where they’re at. I offer them as much as I can, then watch what sparks their interest and what they’re ready to take in. That’s what motivates me every day and keeps me going,” says Bridget.
A Classroom Full of Curiosity
Bridget’s classroom is full of movement, creativity, and hands-on learning.
This year, she works with six students in a room where there is always something happening. Students track caterpillars as they grow into butterflies, care for a classroom garden, update watering logs, build vocabulary, and take part in interactive projects tied to monthly units. Everything is designed to meet students where they are while inviting them into rich learning experiences.
Among Bridget’s favorite units are a space unit, where students help create a giant solar system, and a zoo unit, where they research an animal, build a habitat, create artwork, and present their projects to other students. These experiences give students the chance to show what they know and take pride in their work.
Building Inclusion at Happy Valley
Inclusion is another major part of Bridget’s work at Happy Valley Elementary.
General education students come into her classroom regularly to help with morning work, calendars, and vocabulary. Bridget has also helped create more opportunities for her students to participate in general education settings and school activities. One student recently performed in the talent show, while others now take part in general education PE and music.
Bridget shared that helping break down barriers to inclusion has been one of her biggest drives, and that Happy Valley has come a long way. Those opportunities matter because they help students be known, included, and celebrated as part of the larger school community.
Looking Ahead
Outside of work, Bridget describes herself as a homebody who enjoys walking her dogs and relaxing on the couch with a good show when she has the time. But between teaching, bartending, and personal support work, free time is limited.
This summer, Bridget and her fiancé will get married and move back to Minnesota to be closer to family. While she is excited for what comes next, leaving Oregon and the school community she has poured so much into is bittersweet.
