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Beth Curtis has spent more than 15 years helping students with disabilities gain access to technology, learning materials and school activities at Key Center School.

As the school’s technology specialist, Curtis develops curriculum, leads school-wide projects and participates in focus groups focused on improving education for students with special needs. She also works with the Central Office, school board, and county IT and Cybersecurity departments to make specialized tools and programs available to Key Center students and other Category B students across Fairfax County Public Schools.

Those efforts support the district’s obligation to provide a Free Appropriate Public Education while expanding equity and accessibility for students who might otherwise be overlooked.

Curtis serves on several Key Center committees, including the Equity Team, Get-2-Green and the school improvement team. Her work extends well beyond technology: She assists students directly, helps with feeding and meets with families who need support completing forms or accessing learning materials from home.

She also takes part in community events such as 5K races and the Polar Plunge in support of Special Olympics.

“From the start of the workday to its end, Ms. Curtis brings thoughtful touches to those around her,” Principal Ann Smith said.

Often among the first employees to arrive, Curtis helps shape the school’s atmosphere by managing a staff-favorite hallway playlist and maintaining a coffee bar with chocolates in her office.

Curtis “radiates optimism and positivity,” Smith said. “Her thoughtfulness and dedication make a profound difference in the daily lives of students, staff, and parents.”

A few years ago, Curtis volunteered to revive Key Center’s yearbook process. She assembled and motivated a team that produced a well-received yearbook designed to ensure students could see themselves represented in print.

Her accessibility work is also visible in the school garden. As co-leader of the Get-2-Green team, Curtis helped design the space so students with a range of abilities could participate. The garden includes assistive technology such as a switch-operated watering system, allowing students to take part more independently.

Curtis also helps manage Key Center’s website and weekly newsletters, using them to feature employees, share school news and strengthen connections with families. That work contributed to Key Center receiving an Award of Communications Excellence in 2023.

“The images she selects highlight smiling students, reflecting the joy and engagement they experience at the school,” Smith said. “The thoughtfully curated content helps new families get a genuine sense of our school’s welcoming and dynamic personality.”