Jay Williams, AEL SpEd

Special Education Coordinator, Biology, & Life Skills Teacher

Jay began his teaching career in southern Wisconsin in 2003, inspired by his high school biology teacher and science professors in college. He moved to Utah in 2005, teaching Biology, Anatomy & Physiology, and Environmental Science at a therapeutic boarding school and developing a love of hands-on, project-based learning.

Trips with students to the mountains and rivers strengthened his connection to nature and the outdoors, while providing students with the opportunity to see science in action and apply their learning through labs in the field. Whether catching bugs in a prairie, examining insect larvae in a stream, or identifying constellations in the night sky, it’s about bringing students outside to witness the beauty of the natural world.

Jay was the academic director at a school for Autistic boys for 8 years, and he used this to jump start his career in Special Education. His focus on teaching Executive Functioning skills using carpentry and student-led projects emphasizes the importance of students building their own toolbox of strategies to prepare for the next step in life. In his free time, he enjoys rock climbing, skiing, and fly fishing in the mountains.

*License Associate - Special Education with Mild/Moderate Disabilities - AE Endorsement