Special Education

Brett Ambrosino

Hello! This is my first year as part of the Morton family, and I couldn’t be more excited. Although new, this district has proven they are fully committed to helping your kids grow academically as well as personally. I am a graduate, postgraduate, and former athlete at Northern Illinois University where I received my degree in Special Education. I have taught Physical Education and Special Education classes in my tenure as a teacher.

I am very excited for the opportunity and looking forward to working with students in the community. I am here to help, so if you have any questions and/or concerns, please email me directly and I will be happy to assist you. Go Bears!

 

Matt Edquist

I have been teaching since 2002, after graduating from Northeastern Illinois University with a Bachelors in Secondary Education.  I spent the next five years teaching United States and World History at Chicago Vocational High school, before I went back to the University to pursue my special education endorsement.  Since then I have held a variety of teaching positions throughout the Chicago Public School system.  In the fall of 2016 an opportunity presented itself and I accepted a position at Morton Alternative School, where I have taught special education for the last three years.  My years of experience prepared me for this unique small school environment, and I enjoy cultivating relationships with my students and inspiring them to become their best selves. 

I am also an active member of the Illinois Air Force National Guard, having served over 24 years.  In my free time I enjoy reading, sports, and spending time with my wife and two boys. 

 

Julian Glenn

I began working at Morton Alternative School in 2004.  I had worked in several other schools before that time, but none had the sense of community and collaboration that this school did.  I have taught Math, Science, Art, and Business classes at the Alternative School.  I am known for my patience with my students, and I try to encourage them to do their best and to feel good about the progress they are making.  Although my title is a special education teacher, some would say I am a master of all trades: the school’s resident artist, IT guy, gardener, and philosopher.  

I love music, art, gardening, and discourse.  When I’m not at work you’ll likely find me at home with my family, helping my daughter with her studies or working on my home or garden. 

 

Lily Hernandez

This is my first year as a Special Education teacher at Morton.  I come from Mexican immigrant parents who worked in factories their entire adult lives, and I was a Chicago CPS student my entire life.  My oldest brother was the first to graduate College and I was the second.  In high school, I was inspired by my Geometry teacher.  She is the reason I love math, and because of her I know the difference one teacher can make in a student’s life.  I graduated Von Steuben High School, Chicago in 1993, and I am grateful for the experiences I had there with students from diverse cultures and backgrounds. After high school I worked in administration at National Louis University for 14 years.  Then, after taking a five-year break to be a stay at home mom, I decided to become a Substitute Teacher and Paraprofessional in Berwyn.  I worked in a classroom that had students who had been diagnosed with severe profound disabilities.  I absolutely fell in love with teaching.  It was in that classroom that I realized that this is what I should have been doing my whole life.  I decided to pursue career in education and become a Special Education teacher. 

My goal is to remind each student that they are able to succeed.  I am here to give each student the tools they need to reach their goals and beyond.  I have high expectations and hope to have a positive impact on each student that passes through my classroom.  I understand that all students are different and learn differently which is why I am always coming up with new strategies to present the curriculum.  I feel strongly about maintaining relationships with parents and expect them to be my partners.  We are in this together!  I have my own Freshman Mustang at Morton West and my daughter will be there in two years, so I know it takes a strong partnership.

Degrees and Certifications:

National-Louis University,
M.A. in Public Policy, 2011

National-Louis University, B.S. in
Management Information Systems, 2009

Transitional Bilingual Educator License with
Stipulations, 2020

Learning Behavior Specialist Endorsement (LBS1)
K-age21, 2020

Bilingual Education Teacher-Spanish Endorsement
PreK-12, 2020

DePaul University Masters Student, 2021

 

Lisa Litberg

I have been teaching at the Alternative school for over two decades, and I have lots of stories!  I love this building, its staff and its students, and have never wanted to be anywhere else.  As a special educator,  I know how important it is to build relationships with students to help them succeed.  My goal is to help my students see where they are most successful and capitalize on those achievements, while allowing themselves to learn from their setbacks.