Joseph Kielminski is dedicated to fostering belonging and pride among his students at Foothill High School, where he serves as a special education teacher. As the Special Education Department chair, he exposes his students to new experiences and empowers them to realize their potential. His efforts have contributed to a notable increase in the graduation rate for special education students.
Kielminski’s commitment to inclusivity has delivered impactful initiatives at Foothill — like the Special Olympics and Best Buddies programs. The latter is a vibrant gathering of parents, peers, staff and special education students who spend the morning playing games, dancing and grilling. Always looking to challenge his classes, Kielminski worked with colleagues to introduce his students to elective classes like video production and ceramics. His guidance and tailored curriculum contributed to a successful year — full of exciting morning announcements!
A champion for his students’ involvement outside the classroom, Kielminski encouraged their attendance and participation at the National Division on Career Development and Transition Conference in Reno, where students gained valuable leadership experience while conducting meetings and advocating for their needs. Kielminski develops behavior logs to help track and improve student behavior, and maintains proactive parent communication on student performance and growth through an online classroom management platform and app. Other on-campus initiatives Kielminski has launched include a sign language club, a classroom garden where students grow and sell their harvests, a hot beverage cart service teaching life and communication skills, as well as a campus and classroom cleanup group.
Through his service as a Summit Transition Program teacher leader and participation in statewide autism community events, Kielminski’s passion and innovation have extended to his mentorship of teachers involved in Specialized Programs Teacher Assistant (SPTA) and Alternative Route to Licensure (ARL) programs. His knowledge of data collection, Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) techniques, classroom management, and professional development on Nevada Educator Performance Framework (NEPF) and English language learner (ELL) best practices contribute to the overall success of his team as a Professional Learning Community (PLC) leader. The dynamic partnerships he has forged with local businesses and community organizations like Goodwill and the Special Olympics provide his students with unique, community-based instruction and paves the way for their successful transition plans upon graduation.
Kielminski earned his Bachelor of Arts in history and a Master of Arts in teaching autism from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in 2013 and 2019, respectively.
Press release: Henderson Special Education Teacher Surprised with National Milken Educator Award and $25,000 Cash Prize
