Originally from Ontario, Canada, Candie Oleson moved to the beautiful state of Washington during middle school. The oldest of ten children, Candie set her sights on becoming a physical therapist so she attempted to take all the anatomy, biology, physiology and sports medicine classes she could while in high school. During her senior year, she took a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) class and worked full-time in a nursing home after graduating from high school.

“During my time at the nursing home, I noticed the SLP was having the most fun of all the therapists so I looked into speech pathology and decided it was a perfect fit. Initially, I didn’t think I would work in the schools, but after covering a few maternity leaves, I realized it was quite enjoyable,” said Oleson.

Oleson continued her education at Edmonds Community College, completing an Associate of Arts degree. She earned Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Speech and Hearing Sciences from Washington State University.

A Typical Work Day at Aberdeen School District

An SLP for the Aberdeen School District (Aberdeen, WA), Candie supervises an SLPA and works alongside a speech tech. She treats students remotely in the speech therapy room where there is a large screen computer and desk that comfortably fits two students. The SLPA may treat a student in the room at the same time, which allows for collaboration and supervision hours. 

“Gotta give a shout out to Jeannie, the best speech tech you could ask for, and current and past SLPAs Audrey and Lauren,” adds Oleson.  

Around 8:00 am, Candie starts with a cup of hot tea and checks her calendar. If she doesn’t have an early morning meeting, she will take time to follow-up on emails or plan for several treatment sessions. 

“I also touch base with an amazing assistant/speech tech I get to work with that day, and then I finally start therapy between 9:00-9:30 am.” 

After several sessions in the morning, Candie breaks for lunch before resuming her sessions. Once a week, she allots time to complete evaluations or process paperwork. 

After students are dismissed for the day at 3:00 pm, Candie attends mandatory meetings or meets with her assistant/tech to review student plans, answer questions, brainstorm, or even just chat and support each other as friends.

“While I have always felt like being an SLP is a good job, I have never been so happy and satisfied with my position as I am now. Not only do I have a fully remote position with someone in-person to help me, I have been able to work at the same school for a few years now.”

“I love helping students become better communicators and especially enjoy watching them grow and meet their goals. I also love that my students sometimes teach me a thing or two, in addition to entertaining me with their positive, fun, silly and witty personalities. Kids really can say the “darndest things,” adds Oleson.  

The Care Options for Kids Difference

Candie learned about Care Options for Kids and school-based services from colleague Sandra Lucas. She encouraged her to look into a position there because she felt it was the kind of company that treated its employees well on so many levels ---from its mission of “putting kids first;” supporting a work-life balance; kind and knowledgeable directors; and ongoing support through its online community. 

“I have worked for several different agencies over my 14 years as an SLP. Many of these agencies were fine and good, but Care Options for Kids has been in a league of its own…and perhaps the thing I brag about most is the stellar parties, which makes this company stand out from the rest,” adds Oleson.

“I have wholeheartedly recommended Care Options for Kids clinicians to other districts. I wouldn’t hesitate to do so again. The clinicians I have worked with and supervised have been skilled, high quality, and caring professionals that make positive opportunities happen for the students they serve,” adds Rick Bates. EdD, Director of Special Education at Aberdeen School District.

Embracing Family Time, Active Lifestyle

Candie’s proudest accomplishment is being a happy mother and content SLP working a remote position that brings her stability, joy and just enough challenges to keep her on her toes. 

“My mom has always inspired me to be a kind, hard-working and gentle person. I have also been inspired by some very genuine people who overflow with compassion, thoughtfulness, creativity and wit,” adds Oleson.

In her spare time, Candie loves spending time with family, especially with daughters, Abby (13) and Lily (10). 

“We love to play games, craft, paddleboard, foster kittens, spend time near the water and be silly.” 

Candie also loves to dance. She started with jazz, tap, ballet, and lyrical as a child, and as an adult she’s taken up Tango. She loves to travel and hopes to make it to Brazil next year. 

“I am also an actor for the “Murder Mystery Company” so my free weekends might be spent as 'Maid Oolala,' 'Anita Drink,' a frazzled Blockbuster employee, or time traveling to the 1920s to become a famous star and mischievous girlfriend of a mob boss!”

Candie’s Three Tips for New Clinicians

1. Prioritize organization and time management, including time for yourself!
   
   
2. Remember that communication is happening all the time so don’t be hard on yourself when a session isn’t going perfectly to plan. Just remember every moment can be used to improve something, and those child-led moments can bring the biggest gains.
   
   
3. Try to get good at "point-of-service" documentation. For example, try to complete progress reports while you see the student. This can be done by having them do some drill work for data, and then earning an in-person game to play while you enter in the information (or on the computer if you have a second computer available for you). Even if you don’t update every goal during that time, it saves a ton of time later and makes the task less daunting.

Join Our Team

At Care Options for Kids, we partner with school districts to provide seamless support for students, integrating into the school setting to deliver speech and occupational therapy and enhancing their social, emotional, and behavioral growth so they can better access the curriculum.

We are committed to making a difference for our people through empowerment and encouragement to be there for themselves and their own families. We provide the choices and opportunities our people need to enhance their lives and grow their careers so they can provide better care for others. We believe in making a difference in every way, every day.

We hire speech-language pathologists, speech-language pathology assistants, school psychologists, and occupational therapists. Our community of professionals fosters growth for one another and for the kids we serve. Join our team!