My name is Kris Thornwall.  

I prefer contact through email or text message (763) 221-1406.  My email is Kris.Thornwall@mpls.k12.mn.us 

I have worked for Minneapolis Public Schools for 28 years.  I am a DCD Special Ed. Teacher and have worked at Sanford Middle School since 2012.

I am the reading specialist for the Explorers Team.  I work with our non-verbal students and use CORE communication paired with books, videos and songs to encourage students to use their communication board.

I use the Unique Learning Systems program to engage my higher students.  We learn about the same topics that general education classrooms study.  Our curriculum is based on high frequency sight words.  The students are using Chrome books to access this program this year.

I am very involved in Special Olympics.  We have a Unified Sports team at Sanford.  It is called Sanford HYPE!  The players are students with special needs (athletes) and typical students (unified players).  We practice on Thursdays from 4:00 to 5:30.  We play flag football in the fall, floor hockey in the winter, and basketball in the spring.