My name is Laura Silvestain, and I am very excited to be a part of the middle school Special Education team! I am passionate about working with middle school students as they embark on such a unique and dynamic time in their lives. I am also committed toward working for acceptance and inclusion for all our students throughout the school community. I received both my bachelor’s and my master’s degrees in music therapy from the University of Evansville and Molloy University, respectively. Prior to working at Soaring Heights, I was a board-certified music therapist in the Austin, Texas area and in the Denver metro area. I worked primarily with children and adolescents with intellectual and developmental disabilities in school settings. It was there that I fully realized my passion for working in schools, and I am excited for this new adventure in teaching! I hope to bring my music therapy training into my classroom to encourage growth and progress on my students’ goals in creative ways. Some fun facts about me: I play trumpet, piano, guitar, and percussion! My most unique playing experiences have included playing in a Civil War era brass band and playing in a trumpet festival in Orvieto, Italy I have a small zoo at home: 4 cats, 1 dog, and 1 Mr. Ewer I lived in a manor house in England for a semester in college. That manor house has been the setting for movies such as The Haunting and The Secret Garden.