Jessica L. Vargas
Westfield,United States
Summary
Versatile Special Education Teacher with focus on individual student needs across settings. Empathetic and accommodating towards students from diverse backgrounds with care for trauma informed decisions, and creating meaningful relationships among students, families, and the community. Success in the utilization of restorative practices to make a lasting positive impact. Implementing specifically designed instruction by catering to diverse learning abilities to students with range of exceptionalities. Proficient in employing constant communication, adhering to deadlines, patience and positive reinforcement in team efforts to deliver exceptional educational tools, fostering academic, behavioral, and social emotional achievement. I want to use my experience to grow professionally in the community in which I live.
Overview
4
4
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Special Education Teacher
Westfield Washington Schools
Westfield, IN
03.2022 - 05.2024
- Promoted a positive learning environment through the use of differentiated instruction and individualized support for diverse learners.
- Developed IEPs tailored to individual student needs, ensuring their academic success and personal growth.
- Improved student behavior management by implementing consistent routines, clear expectations, and positive reinforcement strategies.
- Fostered strong relationships with parents and guardians, maintaining open lines of communication to ensure student progress.
- Evaluated student progress regularly using various assessment methods, ensuring accurate measurement of skill development and areas requiring additional support.
- Participated in ongoing professional development opportunities focused on evidence-based practices in special education teaching methodologies.
- Supported students in developing social skills through structured activities and positive reinforcement techniques.
- Assisted in creating a safe and nurturing classroom environment that promoted emotional well-being and academic growth for all students.
- Implemented behavior modification strategies, resulting in improved self-regulation and classroom participation among students.
- Delivered effective and differentiated classroom instruction to range of neurodiverse students.
- Taught multiple subjects to students with intellectual or emotional disabilities.
- Collaborated with other educators to develop instructional strategies.
- Helped students with special needs integrate into general classroom environments by advocating for individual requirements and helping teachers solve problems.
- Facilitated small group instruction to address individual learning needs.
- Coordinated regular meetings to share and analyze student performance data and success plans with colleagues and parents.
- Developed and implemented behavior management plans to improve student behavior.
- Worked closely with parents and guardians to address students' issues on multiple fronts.
Special Education Teacher
Winding Ridge Elementary
Indianapolis, IN
11.2020 - Current
- Created and managed IEPs targeting academic, behavioral, and social emotional goals for students in addition to applying content knowledge across grade levels with methods to support
- Ran (RTI) groups utilizing programs like , Orton Gillingham, Visualize Verbalize
- Taught small group, one on one, or co-teaching models
- Created FBA/BIP, making behavior sheets to track student behaviors, monitoring behaviors, and supporting the general education staff, related arts teachers, and support staff in implementation, and strategies for behavior
- Worked with support staff, the school counselor, administration, general education staff, community liaisons, social workers to connect families, teachers, and students with resources and supports to address various concerns/needs
- Served as a Social-Emotional Curriculum expert with training in Second Step and Ripple Effects while leading differentiated social skills lessons to groups and individual students
- Worked as a reading specialist, collaborating with the reading team, teachers across grade levels, support team members, and families to identify at risk students, and implement interventions while simultaneously monitoring data
- Redirected students using Positive Behavior Support (PBIS)
- Various professional development opportunities in the areas of restorative practices, building relationships, supporting special education students
- Use of restorative practices to repair harm through inclusive processes that bring together students and educators
- Supervised the instructional assistants, creating their schedules, as well as providing any training to support the students they would work with, as well as evaluating their performance in order to provide any necessary guidance to help their work with students
- Established positive connections with families, communicating often, and aiding them with resources and supports in addition to recording student progress to inform parents and school administration
- Taught students across multiple classifications and degrees of disability categories individually and in group sessions
- Modified and provided accommodations to students using various instructional strategies and technology supports
- Member of the LATISS (Integrated System of Support) Team which included staff from across professional settings to discuss and monitor referrals for at severe and at risk students (academic, behavior, social emotional concerns) to strategize and implement supports as well as provide assistance to classroom teachers and families to help remove barriers to student success
- Offered stability and positive reinforcement in student lives to build strong rapport and trust with students and parents, in turn creating a safe environment for engaged learning
- Part of the district Strategic Planning Committee
Long-Term Substitute Teacher
Kelly Educational Staffing
Indianapolis
09.2020 - 10.2020
- Followed the curriculum and plans left by the classroom teacher to continue student education
- Worked with the sixth grade during PLC to develop meaningful lessons, strategies for behaviors
- Maintained day-to-day classroom management and discipline to promote learning initiatives
- Led community circles to build relationships with students, and them with each other
- Sat on case conferences for students as their teacher of service
- culturally responsive teaching in a diverse school
Education
Bachelor of Science - Elementary And Special Education
Ball State University
Muncie, IN05.2020
Skills
- Culturally Responsive
- Restorative Practices
- Proactive Judgement
- Leading Intervention Groups
- Time Management
- Adaptability and Professionalism
- Problem Solving
- Data Collection and Management
- Deescalating Intense Situations
- Excellent Written and Oral Communication
- Community Outreach
- Quality/Project Management
- Organizational Support
- Attendance Punctuality
- Positive Reinforcement Methods
- Individualized Instruction
- Dependability
- Behavior Intervention Planning
Certification
- Bachelor of Science in Elementary and Special Education
- Certification in Elementary Education (Grades 1-6)
- Certification in Special Education - Mild Interventions (Grades 1-6)
- Brainspring Phonics First (Orton GIllingham Multisensory Phonics Instruction)
- OG Math
- Visualize Verbalize
- Seeing Stars
- CPI
- CPR Trained
- Suicide Prevention Training
Timeline
Special Education Teacher
Westfield Washington Schools
03.2022 - 05.2024
Special Education Teacher
Winding Ridge Elementary
11.2020 - Current
Long-Term Substitute Teacher
Kelly Educational Staffing
09.2020 - 10.2020
Bachelor of Science - Elementary And Special Education
Ball State University