Kelly Mero
New Haven,CT
Summary
Education professional with extensive experience and ability to drive impactful results. Skilled in curriculum development, instructional design, and educational assessment. Strong focus on team collaboration and adapting to changing needs. Known for effective communication, problem-solving, and results-driven approach.
Overview
26
26
years of professional experience
Work History
Education Consultant
STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
01.2014 - Current
- Address the legislative magnet school requirements of rigor, race, equity, ethnicity, and socio-economic status in the state’s magnet schools
- Ensure that all magnet schools comply with enrollment requirements
- Develop and execute a vision for recruitment and enrollment through collaboration with school-based leadership and other relevant stakeholders
- Monitor the compliance goals of magnet schools by supporting the development of diversity and inclusion in magnet schools’ programs of practice
- Ensure the implementation of educational equity and cultural pedagogy as a structural component in magnet programming
- Create a school-based vision that aligns with magnet school requirements, which includes articulated goals and measures of success
- Refine and adjust the vision as necessary throughout the academic year
- Ensure that academic programs accelerate outcomes for all students - this includes supporting strong instructional leadership and ensuring district level leadership that spirals down to all faculty through professional development, coaching, and meeting
- Identify truancy intervention models that address the academic and nonacademic needs for students and professional practice for school staff
- Support the completion of strategic operation plans and strengthen strategies for magnet schools
- Encourage magnet schools’ collaboration with community partners
- Identify and assist in developing innovative programs and/or improving existing programs focused on college & career readiness
- Provide differentiated technical assistance to magnet schools for the implementation of compliance targets
- Current Project: Education Consultant
- Office of Strategic Planning and Partnerships
Executive Director
THE HORD FOUNDATION, INC.
01.2018 - 01.2022
- Developed and implemented the strategic plan that aligned with the foundation’s mission and vision
- Created policies for board engagement, fundraising, and exposure
- Planned community engagement events
- Designed, organized, and managed the annual gala
- Worked closely with the Chairman of the Board and the Board of directors to develop short and long-term goals
- Identified challenges and success as opportunities for the foundation’s growth
- Led fundraising and development efforts
- Maintained close relationships with donors, funders, partners, staff, and volunteers
- Ensured the foundation’s annual documents were filed
- Represented the foundation in the community, at various events, and at fundraising meetings
Education Consultant
STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
01.2016 - 01.2019
- Addressed the academic and non-academic needs of justice involved youth
- Built on the re-entry framework for juvenile jails and local school districts
- Ensured multiagency case management of students when they enter and exit jails, residential centers, and community schools
- Created an accountability approach to all schools in Connecticut, within facilities and in public school districts, which serve justice involved youth
- Monitored facility, residential, and school district use of federal funds to support strategies that address the various needs of justice involved youth
- Ensured successful transition of justice involved youth from facility to school
- Supported staff training of successful behavior management strategies for classrooms and schools when managing justice involved youth
- Worked closely with district lead staff and school administrators to ensure appropriate and effective management of students who were diagnosed with mental illness or who were identified as having behavioral disruptions
- Office of Student Support and Organizational Effectiveness
Education Consultant
STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
01.2014 - 01.2016
- Served as the consultant to7 Alliance Districts, five of which were recognized for academic gains in the Commissioner’s Report dated August18,2016
- Collaborated with district partners to review annual amendments to Alliance District plans, developed and provided feedback to districts, and strengthened district strategies
- Monitored and supported the management of districts’ strategic plans
- Worked to ensure districts achieved at least a90% overall “on track” or “completed” implementation status relative to their prior strategic plan
- Provided differentiated support to districts for the implementation of assigned Alliance Districts plans
- Facilitated monthly monitoring meetings with district leadership focused on school plans, progress, reflection of data, climate and culture, and grant investments
- Provided professional resources and materials to the district leads for school reform efforts
- Supported district talent growth for minority teachers
- Monitored district report cycles and addressed trends over time
- Served as the consultant to6 Commissioner Network schools, two of which were recognized for significant academic gains in the Commissioner’s Report dated August18,2016
- Ensured each school demonstrated at least three areas of growth relative to baseline data
- Conducted biweekly school visits and monthly classroom walkthroughs
- Supported the execution of quarterly conferences for Commissioner Network schools
- Served as the Program Manager of Schools of Distinction: managed the Schools of Distinction grant through coordinating the grant process, organizing a recognition ceremony, and monitoring awarded schools’ activities throughout the academic year
- Served as the coordinator of the quarterly Alliance District convenings: designed and delivered universal Alliance District supports through expert presentations; provided relevant resources, tools, and information to participants; and enabled statewide collegial connections
- Turnaround Office
Program Manager – Juvenile Parole and Probation
CATHOLIC CHARITIES
01.2012 - 01.2014
- Planned and coordinated Hartford County juvenile parole program supporting forty-five committed youth
- Supervised eight case managers and two clinicians
- Managed $450,000 operating budget
- Managed relationships with local school districts, juvenile parole/probation officers, and Department of Children and Families for the collaborative servicing of paroled youth
- Created a process for transitioning youth from a juvenile facility to home, school, and community
- Worked closely with group homes, residential centers, Manson Youth Institution, and Connecticut Juvenile Training School to coordinate support services for paroled youth
- Managed daily operations and outreach that promoted education, psychosocial health, pro-social recreational activities, and positive youth development for youth on parole or probation
- Designed and monitored individual, group, and family therapy sessions for youth on parole or probation and their families
- Managed communication with funding agent and community partners
- Supervised and trained staff to meet program guidelines
- Developed individual staff plans that supported positive outcomes
- Coordinated youth participation in programs focused on reduction in recidivism, life skills, and employment
- Maintained positive and open communication with the funder, agency partners, and community partners
- Managed performance of subordinate supervisors and sub-contractors to ensure programs plans were implemented
Program Manager
NEW HAVEN PUBLIC SCHOOLS
01.1999 - 01.2012
- Directed, coordinated, and implemented three grant funded programs (21st Century Schools, ARISE, and Gear Up) focused on academic achievement, enrichment, pro-social activities, positive youth development, and college going practices
- Created and managed the behavior management program of students in nine schools throughout the district which focused on decreasing disruptive behavior and increasing student attendance and academic scores
- Directed grant funded programs along grant guidelines which resulted in an overall27% increase of high school graduation throughout the district
- Designed data driven programs for classroom use focused on improving student performance
- Ensured effective implementation of programs focused on improving student performance outcomes
- Managed student transition from juvenile facility to school while ensuring appropriate staff response to student behavior
- Supervised curriculum development for afterschool and Saturday programs focused on math and science
- Introduced and implemented electronic classrooms to the district in2006 making New Haven Public Schools one of the first districts in the state to award credit to students who earned them through electronic learning
- Coordinated grant programs through eighteen teaching staff, forty-five volunteers, and community partners along grant guidelines in nine schools
- Conducted short- and long-term teacher planning meetings with federal, state, and community partners
- Organized data drafted bi-annual reports, and presented data to the federal government, state offices, and district directors
- Created an African American History and Inventions course for Gear Up summer programs and trained staff to implement it
- Marketed the grant programs to district, city, and state offices for additional support
- Wrote lesson plans, managed, and supervised the instructional implementation of grant programs for children with low academic scores and undeveloped social skills
- Managed and supported teachers and administrators when working with children Pre-K through twelfth grades who experienced cognitive, behavioral, or social needs
- Central Office
School Manager
NEW HAVEN PUBLIC SCHOOLS
01.2004 - 01.2006
- Assisted the school principal and PPT Chair in resolving social and behavioral problems with students from Pre-K through eighth grades
- Prepared and submitted all required district and state reports for Pre-K through eighth grades
- Designed and coordinated enrichment and pro-social before-school and after-school programs
- Managed truant students while working closely with Department of Children and Families, district staff, and parents
- Organized recent educational research on topics identified by staff into presentations for staff meetings
- Managed and designed the parent involvement program
- Managed special education students who were diagnosed with a mental illness and coached the teachers who worked with them
- Organized and implemented individual counseling for parents of students who displayed disruptive behavior
- Collaborated closely with teachers of regular education students who displayed disruptive behavior and provided in-school individual and group counseling services for youth
- Supported the special education Chair in meetings, recommendations, and referrals
- Performed observations and completed functional behavior assessments on identified students
- Trained and supported teachers to use individual behavior plans for identified students
- Represented the school at city wide meetings regarding recreational and pro-social activities
- Managed grant program funding
- Ross/Woodward school
Family Literacy Coordinator
NEW HAVEN PUBLIC SCHOOLS
01.2002 - 01.2004
- Provided various workshops and training opportunities for parents that aligned with the school’s education plan
- Participated in monthly literacy training at Capital Region Education Council (C.R.E.C.)
- Created summer learning activities for children entering kindergarten
- The results of this activity resulted in a75% increase in kindergarten entry scores and the program was adapted district wide
- Coordinated and supervised tri-annual school-wide academic enrichment studies focused on geography, the classics, and the animal kingdom
- Created and implemented the African American History program for third and fourth grade students making it the only school in the district to provide the year-long program
- Designed and coordinated pro-social afterschool activities
- Assisted parents of PreK through third grade with effective academic and non-academic home learning
- Maintained existing school community partnerships and established new ones
- Organized community resources to support families in need and children in crisis
- Managed students who were diagnosed with mental illness and worked closely with their teachers and families
- Provided recent educational research to teachers who worked with students who displayed disruptive behavior
- Performed observations and completed functional behavior assessments on identified students
- Trained and supported teachers to use individual behavior plans for identified students
- Advocated for families of children in crisis
- Quinnipiac School
Family Educator
NEW HAVEN PUBLIC SCHOOLS
01.1999 - 01.2002
- Established and designed the Family Resource Center at this school while implementing the goal of empowering families through support, resources, and referrals to parents of students in Pre-K through third grade in already existing Family Resources Centers in the district
- Worked closely with the preschool programs to prepare children for kindergarten
- Initiated and directed the new curriculum writing for preschool classrooms to ensure that it included activities that supported student learning and preparation for kindergarten
- In one school year, school readiness increased53%; and the academic preschool program was adapted district wide
- Organized intervention services for children in need and families in crisis
- Worked closely with Department of Children and Families to perform regularly scheduled home visits to identified families
- Managed teen pregnancy prevention and teen parent counseling
- Designed family centered programs at the school which resulted in a72% increase of family involvement
- Hill Central School
Education
Ph.D. - Psychology
Walden University
M.S. - Philosophy
Walden University
M.S. - Human Services - Organizational Management
Springfield College
B.S. - Human Services
Springfield College
A.A. - Paralegal Studies
Connecticut Business Institute
Skills
- Student engagement
- Inclusive education
- Behavior intervention plans
- Teaching strategies
Timeline
Executive Director
THE HORD FOUNDATION, INC.
01.2018 - 01.2022
Education Consultant
STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
01.2016 - 01.2019
Education Consultant
STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
01.2014 - Current
Education Consultant
STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
01.2014 - 01.2016
Program Manager – Juvenile Parole and Probation
CATHOLIC CHARITIES
01.2012 - 01.2014
School Manager
NEW HAVEN PUBLIC SCHOOLS
01.2004 - 01.2006
Family Literacy Coordinator
NEW HAVEN PUBLIC SCHOOLS
01.2002 - 01.2004
Program Manager
NEW HAVEN PUBLIC SCHOOLS
01.1999 - 01.2012
Family Educator
NEW HAVEN PUBLIC SCHOOLS
01.1999 - 01.2002
M.S. - Philosophy
Walden University
M.S. - Human Services - Organizational Management
Springfield College
B.S. - Human Services
Springfield College
A.A. - Paralegal Studies
Connecticut Business Institute
Ph.D. - Psychology
Walden University
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