MATT GENTRY The Roanoke Times

Cathy Webb (left) marches around the room with her students and aides at Macy McClaugherty Elementary School in Pearisburg. Webb has taught in Giles County for 24 years as a speech pathologist and then as an autism specialist.

MATT GENTRY The Roanoke Times

Cathy Webb (center) works with her FOCUS program students, aides and fellow teachers at Macy McClaugherty Elementary School in Pearisburg. The program is designed for pre-K to second-grade students with behavioral or developmental issues. Some have been diagnosed with autism, while others are still waiting on a doctor's designation.

| Anna L. Mallory

anna.mallory@roanoke.com, 381-8627

PEARISBURG -- Cathy Webb gathered her youngest student, 3-year-old Sam, to a corner of the classroom for an individual lesson in establishing patterns and motor skills.

Using an orange chocolate candy as an incentive, she showed him how to place Velcro-backed pennies on a board and then count them.

The towheaded preschooler has just begun work with the STAR curriculum that Webb uses in Giles County's newest educational venture -- a centralized class called FOCUS for pre-K to second-grade students with behavioral or developmental issues. Some have been diagnosed with autism, while others are still waiting on a doctor's designation.

The half-day program's lessons teach routines and skills students can use when they return to the general classroom, which is the program's ultimate goal. During the morning, Webb and other teachers mix practice of daily activities -- such as breakfast and getting off the bus -- with group play and individual academic lessons, such as counting.

"Some of our kids just need continuity when they get to school," Webb said.

Webb, who last month was named Virginia's Teacher of the Year, spearheaded the program and chose the curriculum, a first for Giles County.

Its implementation in August helped state officials award her the state's top teaching prize and a chance to compete to be named the national Teacher of the Year.

"It is absolutely the most humbling experience in my life," Webb said. "I will do my very best to represent the professional educators of Virginia."

Her work with students is one of the ways she hopes to do that. She blends the firm hand of a teacher with the right timing of giggles, tickles and play to stimulate her students' sometimes confused minds.

Through the program, she also is reaching parents of special needs students and has started a support group for them.

"I hope to be link between educators and communities," she said.

It's that work that impressed judges the most.

"She represents an underrepresented population," said Roanoke teacher and 2009 Teacher of the Year Stephanie Doyle.

Doyle sat on a committee that chose Webb from seven other regional teachers because of Webb's passion and risk-taking approach to teaching special education students.

"I'm very excited that she's going to be the voice not only for the children that she teaches, but for that type of population," Doyle said.

Webb has taught in Giles County for 24 years, first as a speech pathologist, then becoming an autism specialist. She's also had experience working outside of schools.

At Sullins College in Bristol, Webb said she was torn between the medical field and education. Speech pathology was the perfect blend, she said, and after working in a hospital setting, she was "hooked" on helping people with speech problems.

She's always been drawn to students with challenges, she said.

Jared Rader, principal at Macy McClaugherty, said Webb's background in varied industries is part of what makes her an assett to the school system.

"It brings a better sense to the program of clarity, of priority," he said.

The FOCUS program had always been in Webb's mind partly because one in every 120 students in Giles County is diagnosed with some form of autism and because she said it was too difficult to reach them all properly.

A report by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released last month says that one in 91 children are diagnosed nationally.

After a windfall of federal special education stimulus dollars, the FOCUS program was able to take shape. A classroom trailer was delivered to Macy McClaugherty Elementary School -- the program's home base -- on Aug. 1. It had no foundation or walls. Just 30 days later, it was ready for students.

Webb said getting it ready took support from the entire educational community, similar to what it has taken for her to reach the Teacher of the Year designation, she said.