Meet Sabrina Bussard | Co-owner and Executive Director of Respite Essentials, LLC

We had the good fortune of connecting with Sabrina Bussard and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Sabrina, what is the most important factor behind your success?
In a word, Family. The idea behind Respite Essentials, LLC came from family experience with other providers in town. There was something missing in the services they provided, something my mom and I felt we could improve, a personal touch. Between my mom always being my rock, my sister being a sounding board through the entire process, I definitely wouldn’t have ever taken the leap into this company if it wasn’t for my mom and sister. The support provided to me by my husband and children, even though there are days I hardly see them because I’m running around, has been essential to my success.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Growing up in a small town, I spent many high school hours volunteering in my mom’s elementary classroom and those of her colleagues. My favorite students were always those the teachers had the most difficult time with. As I aged, I worked in daycares, after school programs, and other classrooms, where I found this same thing to be true. Kids, who we now would call neurodivergent, were so easy to understand. I’ll never forget once as a college student, being back home working at the local summer camp and having one of the hardest kids yelling at staff and running away. I met him out on the field. I have no idea what I said, but he turned around and went back inside where we took a breath before he made amends with the staff he had cussed out. Those were the events I loved handling. I just knew what to say and how to say it so they understood. As I grew into an adult, I chose to become a teacher. I obtained my associates in early childhood (by far the most productive of all my degrees as it’s helped me better understand every child and adult I’ve ever encountered), my Bachelors in Elementary Education and two masters degrees, one in Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Education and one in School Leadership. I also obtained my Special Education license. Even with all this information, I loved working in the classroom. I loved finding ways to make all of my students, included in the classroom. I worked in a fully inclusive classroom, where I had as many IEPs as non IEPs. I used a play based model where kids designed their own learning in unique and creative ways. My students made enormous progress and generally had fun doing it. Kids reading levels didn’t matter to one another, they found ways to help and support each other. Some students were learning their letter sounds, while others were reading fifth grade level texts and creating alternative endings to their stories. The neurodivergent students were just as successful as those neurotypical students.

On the other side of my life, were my own children. My daughter, began reading at three years of age, she was assessed and was deemed proficient in all kindergarten standards at 4 years old. By third grade she was reading at a 12th grade level. My son on the other hand, had several learning disabilities that made learning more difficult for him. Although my children were at different ends of the learning curve, they were both struggling. They struggled with the pressure and anxiety brought on by school, the long tedious days. With all my degrees, I still couldn’t help them with what I knew they needed. I knew they both needed something different but I couldn’t help them while working to support so many other children, so I left education, to help my kids. I chose to homeschool them. Both kids did very different learning. We took several years to grow into this new role. Learning to be a full time mom was hard. Quite possibly the hardest thing I’ve ever done. Any stay at home moms out there know what I mean. Working at home with my own children, opened my eyes more to the needs of neurodivergent children. I continued to work with families on the side and helped them find the best way to educate their children. I tutored neurodivergent children in the evenings. It was the perfect scenario for me. I loved working with kids who learn differently. I loved helping them find how to incorporate movement, games, and real life knowledge into their day to day.
Throughout most of these years, my own siblings were learning to live with their own neurodivergent children. They were working to find assistance for their own children. Through their experience, I learned about the CES waiver, designed for children struggling with significant disabilities including Autism. While tutoring kids was fun, it wasn’t truly changing things for kids. Few parents could afford to pay and even then it was limited time. These children were oftentimes still lacking in adaptive skills which I knew they needed to truly be successful with education.
As my children began to need me less at home, I knew I needed to do something more. My mom and I began to explore starting a company to provide services for children on the CES waiver. We knew that if children had experience having a “coach” every week for hours kids would be more able to make progress in their education, and their lives. The program also provides parents a break so they can be the best parent they can be.
It took us almost two years to fully finish the process and to get started seeing kids, but it was so worth the wait. In the last year, I have seen such immense growth from the children we work with. Children who couldn’t leave the home because they would run away are now going with staff to explore the world around them. Children who didn’t know how to initiate conversations with peers are willingly asking new children to play. I couldn’t be more proud of the group of kids we work with! The change in parents is also amazing. When parents have a team to support them, they are able to make the unimaginable come true for their kids.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Finding things to do in the Grand Valley is not a short list. If my friend came for a week we would start our day with a hot cup of coffee and a fabulous breakfast at First Watch. After Breakfast we would rally the troops (our kids) and get down to the Las Colonias river, where we would sit along the beach and visit while our kids ride the river. We would grab snacks out of the cooler while we reapply sunscreen the entire day. When we get tired of all the sun, we would probably head downtown for a bite to eat at Rockslide.
After a long day in the sun, we would opt to head up to the Mesa for the second day. I’d make a quick breakfast at my house before we grab the cooler and head up to the mesa lakes. We would take the paddle boards with us and we would spend the day hanging out at the lakes, hiking the forest enjoying one anthers company. We would finish with a big dinner at Red Lobster’s before having a game night with all the kids.
Day 3 I’d need a break. Love my friend, but by day 3 I would need to refill my bucket and catch up on laundry, dishes, household chores. We would see each other briefly in the evening for more smores in the back yard.
Day 4 we would hang around my house. The kids would have nerf gun wars and play with the neighbor kids while us adults hang out in the back yard and play corn hole. We would finish off the night with a bon fire and smores!
Day 5 is a cooler day, we would head out to the monument to hike up devils kitchen. When we finish, we head for some much deserved lunch at Ale House. We decide to head to the mall when we are done and let the kids roam. I’d grill up some steaks and asparagus for dinner.
Day 6 we would take a trip to Glenwood and enjoy the hot springs. We would grab some food at the Colorado Hotel before heading back to town.
Day 7 we would grab a quick cup of coffee at Sweet Kiwi Bakery before we head to pack backs, and say our goodbyes.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My shoutout goes to my co-owner and mother, Carolyn Gregory. Not only has she been my rock, my guide, my partner through this journey, she’s also my best friend. It has been so amazing to take this leap with her. I can’t imagine working with anyone else on this project. Our hearts are both in the same place, with putting the kids in this community first. Each decision we make has the shared vision and focus. I couldn’t have landed a better, partner, friend and mother!

Website: respiteessentials@gmail.com

Facebook: Respite Essentials, LLC

Image Credits
Victoria Champion