*Brooklyn School Intervention Specialist*
By: Grace Paul
October 23, 2026
Chosen for this week’s Staff Spotlight is Ms. Jurisch, a first-year intervention specialist at the Brooklyn School. Previously, Ms. Jurisch earned her education at Kent State University. An interesting fact about her is that she enjoys hiking.
Q. What made you want to become an intervention specialist?
A. “Growing up, people would always tell me they could see me becoming a teacher, and I honestly thought they were crazy! That changed when I transferred schools during my sophomore year of high school. It was a difficult transition for me, and I struggled with anxiety and keeping up with school. I was fortunate enough to have two amazing school counselors who completely changed the way I viewed school and helped me see what a difference the right support can make. By my senior year, I knew I wanted to work in a school, and my counselor encouraged me to study special education. As I learned more about being an intervention specialist and gained hands-on experience, I completely fell in love with it. This job can be challenging, but knowing that I can be that person for a student who needs extra support makes it all worth it.”
Q. What does a typical day as an intervention specialist look like?
A. “A typical day as an intervention specialist is always changing. I work with students in grades 3-7, spending anywhere from 40 minutes or more with them working on reading interventions, math, and ELA. Some days, lessons go exactly as planned, and other days, I have to be flexible and think on my feet when something isn’t working for a student. A big part of my job is learning how each student learns best and finding different ways to help them succeed. I’m always staying on my toes and wondering what’s coming next, which definitely keeps things interesting.”
Q. What is something people misunderstand about your job?
A. “I think one of the biggest misconceptions is that having fewer students means the job is easier when in reality, there’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes. Between IEPs, progress monitoring, documentation, and adapting lessons to meet each student’s individual needs, there’s a lot more paperwork than people might expect. Every student learns differently, so a big part of my job is figuring out what works best for each individual and being willing to change things when they aren’t working. Sometimes, the biggest wins aren’t necessarily academic. They’re building confidence, learning to communicate a need, or accomplishing something a student once struggled with. Those little moments can mean just as much as the big milestones.”
Q. What is your favorite part about your job? What’s the most challenging?
A. “My favorite part of this job is building relationships with my students. That’s always been something I’ve looked forward to as an intervention specialist, and the students at Brooklyn are truly so special. I love getting to know their personalities, celebrating their successes, and being someone they can trust and feel comfortable with. The most challenging part is probably the emotional rollercoaster that comes with teaching. Some days, I leave feeling like I gave it my all, and other days, I reflect on what I could have done differently. Behaviors and challenging moments can be difficult, but I think those days also remind me how important patience, flexibility, and showing up for my students are, even when things don’t go as planned.”
Q. What makes Brooklyn different from other districts?
A. “Since this is my first year teaching, I don’t have a lot of experience with other districts to compare Brooklyn to, but what really drew me here were the people. From administration to support staff to fellow educators, you can tell that people genuinely care about the school and want to see it continue to grow. There’s a sense of community here, and people want to see everyone succeed, both personally and professionally. Teachers come here and stay here, and I think that says a lot about the environment Brooklyn has created. As a first-year teacher, having people who are willing to support me, help me grow, and celebrate my successes makes such a difference.”
Q. What kind of music, books, or movies do you turn to when you want to relax?
A. “When I want to relax, I love listening to EDM because it always puts me in a good mood and gives me a little boost of energy. For movies, I’ve recently been on an early 2000s kick, especially comedies that make me laugh. Sometimes, I just need something fun and lighthearted to unwind and not think too much.”
Q. What is your favorite animal?
A. “I’ve always loved rhinos! In fact, my first tattoo was a rhino, so you could say I’m a pretty big fan. Growing up, I would spend long weekends in the Summer with my Aunt Deb, who would take me to The Wilds near Columbus. I got to ride around on the back of a truck and see wildlife up close, but one of my most memorable experiences was getting to pet and feed rhinos. I fell in love with them during that experience, and they’ve been my favorite animal ever since.”
Q. What is your go-to meal after a long day of work?
A. “After a long day of work, I love something comforting and easy. My go-to is either a warm bowl of soup or Jovial gluten-free pasta with lots of red pepper flakes on top. I love a little spice, and sometimes, a simple comfort meal is exactly what I need after a busy day.”
Q. What hobbies or activities do you have outside of school?
A. “Outside of school, a lot of my time is spent with my big Bernedoodle and my three bunnies, who keep me pretty busy. I love getting outside for hikes, exploring new coffee shops, and trying new restaurants with my fiancé. I’m a huge foodie, so I’m always excited to find new places to eat to try something different. I love having little adventures and finding new things to enjoy outside of my busy school life.”
Thank you for your responses, Ms. Jurisch. I wish you all the best in your first full-year as an intervention specialist here in the Brooklyn City School District.
