DR. RONICA JACOBS
Richmond
Summary
Educator with 24 years of experience in leadership, instruction, and training. Proven ability to implement innovative strategies that enhance learning outcomes. Skilled in analyzing operations, recommending improvements, and developing effective systems. Strong rapport-building skills with diverse populations to achieve common goals.
Overview
23
23
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Multilingual Coordinator
Sheldon ISD
Houston
07.2021 - Current
- Provide leadership and guidance in identifying, designing, sharing, and evaluating multi-tiered systems of support for secondary multilingual education, English language development instruction in all content areas, and Languages Other Than English (LOTE); specifically Spanish and French.
- Develop, deliver, manage, and evaluate professional development sessions for teachers, paraprofessionals, and leaders that support the implementation of sheltered instruction for English language development and LOTE.
- Collaborate with content curriculum coordinators to ensure successful practices that enhance and close the access and achievement gap through standards-based instruction.
- Plan and facilitate parent, family, and community engagement activities and events to meet the requirements of Title III.
- Assist teachers and campus leaders by supporting data-driven instruction to implement multilingual programs, from planning to assessment.
- Coordinate quarterly Credit by Exam (CBE) sessions for Spanish.
- Determine appropriate instructional technology applications that support ELD instruction and LOTE, such as Read 180, English 3D, Lexia, Rosetta Stone, Cengage, Ellevation Education, Summit K12, and Extempore.
- Designed the first Secondary Multilingual Department Program Manuals for Sheltered Instruction, NAC, and LOTE for program alignment and implementation
- Represent Sheldon ISD as a presenter at numerous state and local conferences
Assistant Principal / Summer School Principal
Sheldon ISD
Houston
07.2020 - 06.2021
- Built productive relationships with staff, students, parents, other district personnel, and community members to assist the Principal with building the capacity of the school.
- Proactively sought and facilitated initiatives that align with the campus goals set by the principal and district leadership.
- Established strong line of communication with principal, staff, students, and parents on all activities and events occurring at the school.
- Addressed and investigated disciplinary issues of students by providing positive redirection that support social-emotional learning and protected or rebuilt the relationship between student/teacher.
- Mitigated and reduced attendance concerns of students by staying in communication with the attendance clerk, students, and parents.
- Coordinated all state-mandated testing events and convey all dates, expectations, and training to staff. Communicated state-mandated testing dates and procedures to students and parents.
Education Specialist
Region 4 Education Service Center
Houston
07.2019 - 06.2020
- Migrant Education Program (Title I, Part C) and Section 504 Specialist.
- Served as a liaison to school and district administrators and staff, parent and community groups, local university staff, and external government agencies for the purpose of conveying information, promoting, and maintaining ongoing support for Migrant Education Programs by following regulatory guidance from the Texas Education Agency (TEA) and the Office of Migrant Education (OME).
- Presented at national, state and local conferences, state and local meetings, workshops and seminars for the purpose of conveying and/or gathering information required to perform functions under Title I Part C (Migrant).
- Analyzed data (e.g. student assessment data, migrant family demographics, etc.) for the purpose of determining professional development needs for staff, identifying academic and health/safety needs of student groups or individuals, and preparing student data reports for district and state use.
- Collaborated with a variety of groups and/or individuals (e.g. Community organizations/agencies, health department, state agencies, district Directors, Assistant Superintendents and/or Superintendents, District Nutritional Supervisors, etc.) for the purpose of linking students and families to necessary services, overcoming cultural language or economic barrier to services, and bringing support programs into schools.
- Developed and administered area budgets and related financial activities (e.g. staff mileage reports, supplies, training materials, program materials and resources, budget transfers, etc.) for the purpose of ensuring that migrant funded resources adhered to specifications of the budget and delivery of program services.
ESL Department Chair / ESL Specialist
Alief ISD
Houston
02.2014 - 06.2019
- Administered required language proficiency and academic achievement tests for determining placement for students in grades PreK-4, along with ongoing monitoring of student progress for database of ELL students.
- Developed language acquisition support plans (ELL plans) for all ELL students for classroom instruction and on state and local assessments.
- Operated the School's Interpreter/Translation Request system and acted as a Spanish Interpreter as needed (ARDs, Parent/Teacher conferences, etc.).
- Coached teachers in how to incorporate a variety of instructional techniques and teaching strategies to meet different aptitudes and interests of students, including whole group (co-teaching)/ small-group or individual learning that supports differentiated instruction.
- Facilitated in-services and staff development activities and staff meetings as required or assigned and followed up with coaching sessions with teachers.
- Reason for leaving: Obtained position at Region 4 Service Center
Owner / Education Director
Shaw-Harris Educational Services
Houston
05.2008 - 01.2014
- Provided tutorial services to students of the community.
- Hired and trained clerical and instructional staff.
- Maintained constant communication with parents pertaining to students' progress.
- Created company mission and vision.
- Created all marketing materials, designed and maintained website.
ESL Teacher
Cypress-Fairbanks ISD
Houston
01.2003 - 06.2008
- Taught academic content aligned with the TEKS.
- Planned and organized lessons and activities.
- Maintained constant communication with parents pertaining to students' progress.
- Encouraged students to reach their full potential.
- Administered TELPAS, TELPAS Reading, TOPT, RPTE, TAKS LAT (Science, Math, Reading).
- Reason for leaving: Opened business
Education
Doctorate of Education - Educational Leadership
Concordia University Texas
Austin, TX04-2023
Master of Education - Educational Leadership
Concordia University Texas
Austin, TX12-2009
Bachelor of Science - Interdisciplinary Studies, Early Childhood Education
Prairie View A&M University
Prairie View, TX12-2002
Skills
- Advanced Spanish proficiency
- Beginner French proficiency
- Instructional technology expertise
- Professional development facilitation
- Instructional coaching
- Project and product management
- Research skills
- Data analysis techniques
- Program monitoring and evaluation
- Curriculum design strategies
- Relationship building skills
- Technology integration
- Title I, III, and IX knowledge
- Team collaboration skills
- Process improvement methodologies
- Problem-solving abilities
- Multilingual education strategies
- Podcast production expertise
Certification
- Teacher Certifications - EC-4, Self-Contained 1-6, 1-8, ESL EC-8
- Principal Certification - EC-12
- Advanced Educational Leadership
- Texas Reading Academy Certified
References
AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST
Affiliations
- Podcast Host of Lifejacked: The Resilience Podcast
- Founding Board Member of Shaw-Harris Scholarship Fund
- Texas Council for Women School Executives
- Houston Area Association of Bilingual Educators
- National Association of Bilingual Educators
- Houston Area Association of Black School Educators
- Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated
Accomplishments
- Created the Sheldon ISD Seal of Biliteracy Award for graduating seniors
- Lowered RDA STAAR scores to 0 in Math, Science and Social Studies and to 1 in ELA
- Proposed 3 new courses for the high school course guide and wrote the curriculum: ELDA 2, Research and Technical Writing, and Advanced Language for Career Applications
- Created the Sheltered Instruction PD Program (ShIELD) that provided a stipend to ELA ESL certified teachers
- Defended dissertation (2023): School Leaders' Preparedness and Proficiency to Adapt to Virtual Leadership During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Languages
Spanish
Professional
French
Elementary
References
References available upon request.
Timeline
Multilingual Coordinator
Sheldon ISD
07.2021 - Current
Assistant Principal / Summer School Principal
Sheldon ISD
07.2020 - 06.2021
Education Specialist
Region 4 Education Service Center
07.2019 - 06.2020
ESL Department Chair / ESL Specialist
Alief ISD
02.2014 - 06.2019
Owner / Education Director
Shaw-Harris Educational Services
05.2008 - 01.2014
ESL Teacher
Cypress-Fairbanks ISD
01.2003 - 06.2008
Doctorate of Education - Educational Leadership
Concordia University Texas
Master of Education - Educational Leadership
Concordia University Texas
Bachelor of Science - Interdisciplinary Studies, Early Childhood Education
Prairie View A&M University
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