Jerry Morton

Because his Coast Guard family lived in eight different states as he was growing up, Jerry Morton attended multiple public schools. Starting life in Duluth, Minnesota, passing through the Midwest and down to the Texas gulf coast, Jerry experienced the diverse norms of various subcultures. He learned that despite appearances, we are all the same, united in our common humanity.

This awareness was enhanced in his pursuit of a master’s degree in school psychology, then by his three years in the Army, and yet again by his two years as a school psychologist serving inner-city schools being integrated for the first time. After obtaining his Ph.D. in school psychology, he began his career leading an educational cooperative as it assisted multiple school systems to begin serving children with disabilities.

Through these varied life experiences, Jerry became aware of the stress that change can create within individuals and institutions. In turn, he learned many helpful strategies to use in assisting individuals and institutions confronted with change. Jerry and the staff of the cooperative implemented those strategies as they assisted school systems to develop educational services for their children with special needs.