LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Dori Grebas was nominated by her colleague, Deanna Spikes.

Ms. Grebas has been teaching special education for over 24 years. Her philosophy in teaching has always been to do what is right, not easiest.

Ms. Grebas strives to make sure the needs of her students come first, no matter what. She has worked hard as an advocate for students in many different areas: classroom, job skills, bus rights and safety, and home problems and issues. She has helped families who are undergoing homelessness, getting work to students in transition and household items for families displaced and starting over. She has gone out of her way to drop off paperwork to families that have not returned important documents and made sure students have gotten uniforms and basic hygeine supplies. Her students are "Her kids" when it comes to their needs. She has made students feel special during important times of the year, including birthdays and holidays.

Ms. Grebas has been moving up the ladder in her evaluations and ensures she is following the correct procedures. Building relationships is key when working with students, especially when working with parents, and Ms. Grebas has an excellent rapport with her parents. They feel comfortable communicating with the school and directly to her.

"I hope Dori is noticed for her overwhelming love and committment she has towards her SSD and Riverview responsibilities," said Spikes. "She is always a source of sunshine, help and care"