Mrs. Lenise Sgutt 

(My last name is pronounced "scoot", like scoot over or scoot down)

Who Am I?

Personally:

I grew up in Sesser and went to school here from kindergarten through high school graduation. I now live in Herrin.     

Professionally:

I earned my master's degree in speech/language pathology from Eastern Illinois University in May of 1992 and was hired by the Sesser-Valier School District at the beginning of the 1992-1993 school year. I am a licensed speech/language pathologist in Illinois and have my Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC). I also have teaching certificates for K-12. I belong to my professional organization which is called the American Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA).  I serve students preschool through high school age. I attend conferences and trainings regularly to maintain my license, certification, and teaching certificates.

What in the World is a Speech/Language Pathologist (SLP)?

Dictionary Definition:  Someone with a degree and/or certification in speech and language pathology who is qualified to diagnose speech, language, and voice disorders and to prescribe and implement therapeutic measures. Other titles for speech/language pathologists include speech/language therapist, clinician, correctionist, or communicologist. Here are some of the areas that we diagnose/treat::

Articulation (speech sound disorders/delays)
  child may say "ot" instead of "dot"
  child may say "ba" instead of "bad"
  child uses one sound for another, such as "t" for "k"
Language disorders/delay 
Voice disorders
Stuttering/disfluency/cluttering
Processing disorders (auditory/language)

My Definition:  A professional who finds out if kids have a speech/language delay or disorder and then attempts to help those kids who do. 

What do I do all day?

I spend most of my day providing speech/language therapy for students. I generally start therapy at 8:30 and usually end the last session around 3:00. Most therapy sessions are 20-30 minutes in length one or two times per week, with some students sessions lasting for a 45 minute block. Students in 2nd through 12th grades are encouraged to remember their speech days/times and they are provided with a clock (it's made of paper) reminder to attach to their desk (if preferred). Junior high and high school students write their speech time in their agendas. Other things that I do as a speech therapist are speech/language re-evaluations for students who I already see for speech therapy and initial speech/language evaluations for students who have been referred with speech and/or language concerns. I also attend and participate in many student Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings throughout the school year. 

How do you get in touch with me?

School Contact Number:
      1-618-625-5105 (Ext. 132)

I have a phone in my classroom; however, I do not answer if I have students in the room. You are welcome to leave me a message and I will try to get back to you as soon as possible.
 
You may also e-mail me through my school e-mail:
     [email protected]