Take Five with Maureen Moroney, Physical Therapist with the CPS Office for Students with Disabilities

Take Five is a series that highlights some of the many members of the CPS community who are going above and beyond for our schools. If you know someone who is making a difference, nominate them to be featured here. 

This week, in celebration of Physical Therapy Month, we are excited to spotlight Dr. Maureen Moroney, a physical therapist serving students around the city.

After graduating from the U.S. Naval Academy, Maureen’s career began with the U.S. Navy, where she served for over 20 years on active and reserve duty. In Chicago, she earned a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree and joined Chicago Public Schools, inspired by her mother, a former CPS nurse.

 As a related service provider in CPS, Dr. Moroney works in Special Education to evaluate a student's mobility and ensure they move throughout their school setting as safely and independently as possible. She also provides direct therapeutic services in the school to facilitate progress toward those mobility goals.

Beyond her work with the district, Dr. Moroney is also a proud Blue and Gold Officer for the U.S. Naval Academy's Admissions Department. In this volunteer role, she assists high school students in navigating the complex USNA application process. You may see her at your college fairs or a coffee shop, conducting admissions interviews and chatting excitedly about military service.  

Learn more about Dr. Moroney and her work below!

What are some of your goals for your students?

To get them in the classroom and get them moving! They want the freedom and ability to move, learn, and play just as much as the students in general education. I want my students to do the same in whatever ways they can. Exercise is the answer to a lot of our challenges. So getting their bodies moving, taking the stairs, and getting them onto the playground are my primary goals for my students. 

What is the most rewarding part of your job?

The most rewarding part of my job is knowing that I make a difference. I remember a former pre-K student who was having a hard time learning to walk. The minute he was given a walker, he took off on his own two feet, and his world dramatically expanded. It was exciting and heartwarming to see that ear-to-ear grin.

How do you support other physical therapists as a New-Hire mentor, and why is this important? 

When I first started at CPS, I was coming from an intense rehab clinic, where I was working with individuals who had just been discharged from the hospital with predominantly neurological injuries. So it was quite an adjustment shifting to kids in a classroom. It's still challenging to shift the medical scope of practice to an academic scope when creating a plan of care and communicating. I can't imagine how long the learning curve would have been without my mentor, and so I wanted to support others in this way. And truly, I'm learning as much from my mentee as he's learning from me. 

In keeping with Physical Therapy Month, what do you want others to know about this student population in need of care?

Our students who receive physical therapy services love to participate and love to be included. They are no different than you and me. They want to have fun and just be kids!

What is your advice to new physical therapists working in schools?

Attend an APTA annual Physical Therapy conference, particularly the pediatric or school-based conferences. It is valuable content, and the whole experience is quite energizing for your professional development. It gets you excited all over again to be a Physical Therapist.