398. Compliance Is the Baseline Not the Finish Line: Featuring Korenne Wolken

What if compliance was not the finish line for special education services, but the starting point for providing every student with the instruction and support they deserve?

In this episode, Joshua Stamper sits down with Korenne Wolken, Director of ANW Special Education Interlocal, to explore how leaders can create stronger, more collaborative, and student-centered special education programs. Korenne shares why Specially Designed Instruction must move beyond curriculum and paperwork to address each student’s unique needs, how advocacy can influence decisions beyond a local district, and why supporting staff as individuals is essential to building morale and improving outcomes for students.

About Korenne Wolken

Korenne Wolken serves as the Director of ANW Special Education and has been with the organization for 17 years. Before stepping into administration, she taught for 10 years before becoming the Dayschool Principal. She then served as a Coordinator for 2 years and is currently in her 5th year as Director.

Korenne originally set a career goal of becoming a coordinator and shares that she never imagined one day serving as the Director of ANW Special Education. She considers it an incredible honor to lead an organization she has dedicated so much of her career to supporting.

As a teacher, Korenne loved witnessing the moment students found success and gained confidence in themselves. Today, as Director, she finds that same joy in supporting staff. She strives to ensure ANW provides the training, resources, and support needed for staff to grow and be their very best for students.

Korenne is passionate about ensuring every student has access to the supports they need to succeed, recognizing that success looks different for every individual. She is also deeply committed to helping students build the skills necessary to become successful and productive members of society.

Korenne can cook some of the most complicated dishes you can imagine and make nearly anything from scratch — but she says she absolutely cannot make no-bake cookies successfully!

To our staff, students, and families: ✨ “Never stop advocating!” ✨

Follow Korenne Wolken

Website:www.anwcoop.com Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/anwspecialeducationinterlocal603 Email: kwolken@anwcoop.com

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