Strategies
Philosophy Statement
The Smedberg Strategies Department (Special Education) believes that all students can learn. We each have distinct and differing abilities and we feel it is our mission to provide our students with a safe, supportive, and challenging environment within which they can accentuate their strengths and meet their challenges. We feel that our department is a crucial and integral part of the total school environment and we strive to maintain excellence in our collaborative relationships with all staff and students. We are committed and dedicated to our responsibilities as educators at Smedberg. We take pride in our school, our department, our work, and most of all in our students!
Instructional Programs- The staff's goal is to meet the needs of all students by offering stimulating language arts and math programs with attached strategies to give all students an equal learning opportunity.
- Language Arts Intervention - The staff utilizes a scaffolded curriculum that is designed to build skills in reading comprehension, fluency, vocabulary development, and writing mechanics.
- Math Intervention - The staff provides a scaffolded curriculum that is designed to build skills in mathematical applications, fluency, number sense, basic geometry, and pre-algebra within real world uses.
Specialist Duties:
- Assessment/Evaluation
- Development/Implementation of Individual Education Plans (IEPs)
- Coordination of all services for students on IEPs at school site
- Collaboration/Consultation with classroom teachers, administrators and parents
- Monitor student progress
- Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP)
- Individual Transition Plan (ITP)
Parents/Teachers/Administration:
- Consultation about student concerns
- Strategies, modifications, and accommodations to use in the classroom
- Behavior interventions
- Learning disability
- Parent resources
- Books, newsletter, and videos
- Team teaching
- Instructional assistants to help in classrooms
- Academic screening
Staff Members:
Avina, Celina - Education Specialist ~ Math Strategies Teacher
BS in Psychology with a Minor in Criminal Justice
Clark, Kristen - Education Specialist ~ TAC MA Special Education Credetial; Ed.D Curriculum & Instruction
Dunzweiler, Amy - Education Specialist ~ ELA Strategies Teacher
BA, English; Mild/Mod ED Specialist Credential; Multiple Subject Credential
Drass-Perera, Stephanie - Education Specialist ~ ELA Strategies Teacher
MAE Education Specialist, Mulitple-Subject Credential, Learning Handicapped Credential, & Resource Specialist Certificate
Hinds, Amanda - Education Specialist ~ Level II
BA Multiple Subject K-8 and Special Education w/ Mild-Mod Credential
Jimenez, Christi - Education Specialist ~ ABSS, Dept Chair MAE Education Specialist, Mild-Mod Credential; MS Counseling; BA Psychology
Long-Chan, Sam - MHT ABSS Program
MSW, LCSW; BA Child Development
Masters, Nicole - Speech-Language Pathologist
MS Speech-Language Pathology; BS Speech Pathology and Audiology
Padilla-Lively, Liz - School Psychologist Ed.S, LMFT
Souliere, Natasha - Education Specialist ~ Math Strategies Teacher BA Degree in Letters and Science; Credential Education Specialist/Mild-Mod
Paraeducator Support Staff:
Azevedo, Jimmie
Baker, Jennifer (Tena)
Bogue, Stefanie
Hazard, SusanHiggins-Williams, Mikee
Hopper, Marion
Laney, Laura
Nguyen, Hong
Tritz, Judy
Watson, Sharon
