As Kathy Kraynak taught a second grader how to use a motorized “power chair” wheelchair one Monday morning, she peppered her instructions with plenty of encouragement and compliments. She gave the student a high-five for stopping her chair before it ran into a wall and flashed a big smile once the student put her feet back on the footrest.

At one point, another elementary student walked by and said, “Wow, she’s moving all by herself today!”

Kraynak turned to the student in the wheelchair, beaming.

“You hear that? You’re doing a great job!” she said.

Kraynak is one of two physical therapists who work for Ferndale School District, and she focuses on students in preschool through fifth grade. For about 30 years, she’s helped students of all abilities reach their fullest potential and participate in school activities alongside their peers.

“I truly believe that every student has the right to have friends and have engaging opportunities and be a part of their communities,” Kraynak said. “Teaching kids how to interact together, despite differences, is really important.”

Because Kraynak works with students with a wide range of physical, cognitive, and behavioral challenges, she helps students in a variety of ways. For some students, like the story above, she teaches them how to properly use equipment like wheelchairs and walkers. For other students, Kraynak will teach them developmental motor skills like jumping, or throwing and catching a ball, or she’ll work with school staff to modify activities so everyone can join in.

“If a kid is using a walker and can’t hold onto a tennis racquet in P.E., I may come up with some adaptation,” she said. “We can hang a ball on a string and have one hand on the walker while they hit the ball that’s suspended, so they don’t have to chase it around.”

Much of Kraynak’s work involves incremental improvement. But she relishes seeing her students solve a problem.

“I love to see the smiles on kids’ faces when you help them figure out how to do something that was challenging for them,” she said. “It’s the little stuff!”

Growing up in Chicago, Kraynak initially wanted to become a preschool teacher due to her love of working with kids. But she also had an interest in the medical field. After volunteering at a local children’s hospital’s physical therapy ward, Kraynak realized that this was where she belonged. Eventually, she made the switch from working in hospitals and clinics to working in schools.

“It felt more functional to see kids where they spend most of their day,” Kraynak said. “In clinics, you see them for maybe an hour a week, and you don’t see how that work carries into their day-to-day life.”

Helping students overcome physical challenges can help them in the classroom, according to Kraynak.

“Movement drives cognition,” she said. “The more independent you are with your movement, the more you’re able to learn about your world.”

But what is equally important to Kraynak is seeing her students thrive in school regardless of their physical abilities.

“Kids come in not being able to walk, and their families are feeling really sad about that and worried they won’t make any friends,” she said. “Then, they see them in an inclusive setting – maybe they’re using equipment to get around, but their friends think the equipment is really cool. It’s joyful to see the look in parents’ faces when they realize that their kids are a part of the community.”