Lise van de Veen

Why this persona fits the audience

Supports 18 pupils across three mainstream classes and a small nurture group, tracking engagement, communication and regulation notes for each child in the school MIS and OneNote. Works closely with classroom teachers and a 3-person support team during review meetings.

• Age: 37
• Location: Rotterdam, Netherlands
• Occupation: SEN coordinator
• Income: €49k/year
• Education: Master's degree in special education
• Company size: Large secondary school (approx. 1200 students, 100 staff)
• Years in role: 7

“Every child's journey through school is unique; our role is to ensure they have the right map and compass, not to dictate the path.”

Lise van de Veen's journey into special educational needs coordination is rooted in a deep-seated belief in equitable education. Growing up in a family where her aunt worked as a special needs assistant, she witnessed firsthand the transformative impact of tailored support. This early exposure, coupled with a natural inclination towards organization and problem-solving, steered her towards a Master's degree in Special Education from Leiden University. Upon graduating, she spent three years as a classroom teacher in a mainstream primary school, where she often found herself informally supporting students with diverse learning needs, solidifying her desire to specialize. She transitioned to her current role as SEN coordinator at a large secondary school in Rotterdam eight years ago. Her current position demands a high degree of precision and diligence, as she is responsible for meticulously tracking the progress of 18 students across multiple mainstream classes and a nurture group. This involves detailed note-taking on engagement, communication, and regulation within the school's MIS and OneNote, a task she approaches with systematic rigor. Lise is a firm believer in the power of collaboration; she works closely with classroom teachers, often initiating conversations to understand individual student challenges and co-develop strategies. Her review meetings with a dedicated 3-person support team are critical junctures for strategizing interventions and ensuring a cohesive approach. She navigates the complexities of educational policy and resource allocation with a pragmatic outlook, always prioritizing student wellbeing and inclusion. While her income of €49k/year reflects her professional expertise, she is conscious of financial planning, prioritizing investments in her children's future and professional development over discretionary spending. Her relationship with time is one of careful management; she strives for efficiency at work to protect her evenings and weekends for family and personal rejuvenation, recognizing that burnout is a significant risk in her demanding field. She is driven by a desire for tangible outcomes, finding immense satisfaction in seeing students overcome obstacles and thrive academically and socially.

Background & daily life

A day in their life

Lise's typical weekday begins around 6:30 AM with getting her children ready for school. After dropping them off, she cycles to the secondary school where she works. Her morning is often filled with brief check-ins with teachers, reviewing student behavior logs from the previous day, and responding to urgent emails. She dedicates a block of time, usually before lunch, to detailed data entry for her 18 SEN students into the school's MIS and OneNote, noting observations on engagement, communication, and regulation. Afternoons might involve a review meeting with her support team, a consultation with a specific teacher about a student's needs, or meeting with parents. She aims to leave by 5:00 PM to collect her children, prepare dinner, and help with homework, often reviewing a few student files again briefly before bed.

Lifestyle

Lise's weekdays are structured around school hours and family commitments. Mornings involve a brisk cycle commute to school, often listening to a podcast. Evenings are dedicated to family dinners, helping her children with homework, and occasionally reviewing student files or preparing for meetings. Weekends are for quality family time, exploring Rotterdam's parks and museums, and catching up on professional reading. She's mindful of her budget, preferring practical purchases, but invests in resources that support her professional development or family's well-being. She values her downtime, seeing it as essential for maintaining her effectiveness at work.

Work life

As SEN coordinator, Lise navigates a complex web of student needs, teacher support, and administrative tasks. Her core activity involves meticulously tracking the progress of 18 students across various mainstream classes and a small nurture group. This means diligently logging engagement, communication patterns, and regulation strategies for each child within the school's Management Information System (MIS) and OneNote. She dedicates significant time to collaborating with classroom teachers, often in informal check-ins or scheduled meetings, to understand classroom dynamics and implement tailored support plans. Review meetings, typically with a 3-person support team (including a school psychologist and a teaching assistant), are crucial for strategizing interventions and ensuring consistent support. The pressure comes from balancing individual student needs with the broader school environment and limited resources.

Relationships

Lise is married to Mark, a supportive graphic designer who handles much of the household logistics. They have two children, Finn (10) and Clara (7), who are her primary focus outside of work. Her professional relationships are built on mutual respect with teachers and her small support team, though she sometimes feels the weight of being the primary point person for SEN concerns.

How they decide

Lise is a methodical and research-oriented decision-maker. She gathers information from multiple sources, consults with relevant colleagues, and weighs the pros and cons carefully, especially when it involves student welfare or new processes. She values evidence and practicality, preferring solutions that are sustainable and well-integrated into existing workflows. She is not impulsive and will often pilot new approaches on a small scale before wider adoption.

How they sound

Speaks with a clear, measured cadence. Her tone is generally calm and professional, but can become more impassioned when discussing student advocacy. She avoids overly casual slang but uses precise educational terminology. She tends to use phrases like 'It's crucial to consider...', 'My primary concern is...', and 'We need to ensure consistency in...'. She is articulate and values clarity, often rephrasing to ensure understanding.