I am currently in the middle of my fifth year with NDVS/SB! Time sure is flying by. I was hired to start with NDVS/SB in August of 2016. I received my bachelor's degree in elementary education and a concentration in reading from Minot State University in December 2015. I took a job as a kindergarten teacher in Turtle Lake, ND in January 2016 and finished out the school year there before being hired by NDVS/SB. I started my Master's in Special Education in the summer of 2016 while working as an outreach teacher in training and I completed my degree in August of 2019. I chose a profession in education because as a child it was always a dream of mine to be a teacher, and now I am fulfilling my lifelong dream. I have always loved working with children and watching them accomplish their goals is so rewarding.
When I was in high school my mom was a special education teacher at a small rural school, when she started working with her first student with a visual impairment. While working with him, she went to school for her Master's in Special Education and eventually ended up working as a teacher of the visually impaired for NDVS/SD. I saw how much she loved her job and how rewarding it was for her, so when she moved to Texas, I decided to apply for her position.
I serve regions one and two in northwest North Dakota and before COVID, I spent a lot of my time traveling around my corner of the state to see my students in their homes and their schools. I complete a lot of functional vision evaluations on a wide age range of students. I enjoy doing these because it's almost like putting together the pieces of a puzzle. When you determine what the infant or child can or cannot see, it opens up a whole new realm of possibilities to them. While working with the parents, educators, and other support professionals we are able to adapt their everyday needs to fit their life.
I live in the country outside of Voltaire with my husband TJ, Timmy (11), Marlie (2), and our three dogs. We just recently moved out to the country and while it was an adjustment for me as I have never lived in the country before, I am loving all of the new space that we have!
Erika Moulton