Joe McQueen M. ED:

I am the director of alternative education for the Regional Office of Education #33. I have over twenty years’ experience in the field of mental health. I was a LBS1 teacher, special education coordinator, and a residential treatment specialist. I am an author and have been working as a dynamic trainer and speaker for the past five years, presenting at national conferences and working with various schools in west central Illinois.

Author of the Book: Calming Young Minds Mental Health, De-Escalation, Trauma, and Restorative Practices in Teens

I am a U.S military veteran (GO NAVY), a husband of over 20 years and a father to 3 amazing daughters. I have happily dedicated the last 25 years working and teaching in the field of special education with an emphasis on students with mental and emotional disabilities. I started working in a residential treatment center (RTC) in 1999 after honorably discharging from the Navy. I worked with kids ages 6-14 with severe mental and emotional disabilities. Many had been victims of horrific abuse. During this time, I completed my undergraduate degree as a learning behavioral specialist (LBS1) at Illinois State University (home of the Red Birds). After graduation I taught a 4th-6th grade self-contained behavior disorder class (now called emotional disabilities), throughout this time I also became certified to do drug and alcohol counseling while working at an RTC on a Gang unit, outside of Chicago for 16-19-year-old inmates' wanting to get a sentence reduction or early parole. So I did teacher by day councilor by night for 5 years before I had to let go of the night job.

I eventually moved into the high school setting and had helped develop behavioral programs for our co-op elementary schools.

I was offered a job in sunny Phoenix Arizona so my wife and 3 daughters set out on a new adventure. I worked at a day school for 6 years where I was an IEP coordinator, transitions coordinator and teacher. I learned a lot and had a great time. After weathering the heat a few years, the prospect to move north away from the inferno summers of Phoenix arose I saw opportunity knocking. I got to return to my first love RTC work. I loved the work and the opportunity to work with emotional and behavioral kids again. I spent 5 years as the Director of education at an all-girl RTC located in the secluded mountains of Prescott Valley Arizona. We are one of the top facilities in the nation for sexually exploited teens.

I have been blessed that the majority of my career has been spent working with teens in the gang, substance abuse and sexually exploited population.

I am currently the director of alternative programming for the Regional office of education in Galesburg Illinois. I over see two campuses with over 100 students all in alternative programs for various reasons, from expulsion, sever acting out behavior and anxiety or truancy.