Meet the Presenters

Peggy Simonis (left) and Kay Zastrow (right)

Peggy Simonis is a Certified Conscious Discipline® Instructor (CCDI) and partner in Teaching Loving Discipline L.L.P.  She holds a B.A. in Communications and Journalism from the University of Wisconsin at Oshkosh.  She holds a Masters of Science in Early Childhood Special Education from the University at Oshkosh.  Peggy further holds a Professional Development Certificate (PDC) from the University of Wisconsin at Green Bay, (UWGB) and an additional degree in assistive technology from St. Norbert College at DePere, Wisconsin. 

Peggy is currently employed by the Green Bay Area Public Schools as an Early Childhood (EC) Special Education Teacher providing services to children through the EC Community Options Program.  All of the educational services that Peggy provides to children with disabilities occur in natural environments including, childcare settings, preschools, Head Start programs and homes.  Prior to working in natural environments for the past four years, Peggy served kindergarten children with special needs for nine years as part of a collaborative teaching team.  Early in her career for six years, Peggy was an early childhood special education teacher in self-contained classrooms for young children with disabilities.  Prior to that time Peggy was employed as a teacher with adults at the now N E W Curative Rehabilitation Center.

Peggy and Kay Zastrow’s speaking credentials include, the Northeastern Wisconsin Teachers Convention, Wisconsin Early Care Association Conference, Wisconsin Head Start Conference and the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Conference in Anaheim, CA.

Peggy received the Brown County Teacher of the Year Award in 1998.  She was a 2004 Recipient of a Learning In Partnership Grant from UWGB along with her teaching partner Kay.  This grant afforded them an opportunity to do action research in “The Effects of Conscious Discipline® on Aggressive Behavior and Academic Achievement.”

Peggy and her husband John reside in DePere, WI.  They have 2 sons and daughter-in-loves who all reside in Charleston, S.C.  They are also proud grandparents of Annie Grace.

 

Kay Zastrow is a Certified Conscious Discipline® Instructor (CCDI) and  partner in Teaching Loving Discipline, L.L.P.  She holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of Wisconsin at Eau Claire with a double major of elementary/middle teacher certification and special education teacher certification at all age levels.  She holds a Master of Science Degree from the University of Wisconsin at Oshkosh in Early Childhood Special Education.  Kay further holds a Professional Development Certification from the University of Wisconsin at Green Bay.

Early on in her career Kay was awarded the Outstanding Young Educators Award by the Green Bay Jaycees.  She received the Outstanding Educators Award from the Green Bay Public Schools in 1988. 

Kay has been a teacher in the Green Bay Public Schools for over 25 years working with children 18 months to 22 years of age.  She also served as an early childhood evaluator, program support teacher, autism support teacher and birth to three transition facilitator for twelve of those years.  Prior to her teaching career in Green Bay, Kay served as a special education resource teacher for the Bloomington Public Schools in Minnesota. 

Currently Kay serves as an Early Childhood Community Options Teacher working with preschoolers with disabilities in their natural learning environments including their homes, preschools, Head Start settings and childcare centers. 

She has served on numerous school and community committees and boards.  She has taught various courses as an adjunct faculty member at St. Norbert College in DePere, Wisconsin. 

Kay is married to Dr. Michael Zastrow and they reside in Green Bay with two of their six children.