IBM SPSS
Hi, I’m
Laura Taylor Jacobs
Barrington,IL
Growth demands a temporary surrender of security.
Gail Sheehy
Summary
Talented Educational Psychologist with proven track record of dynamic instruction and innovative program administration. Skilled in handling fiscal, operational and outreach program functions. Wears many hats to accomplish dynamic student engagement objectives. Ready to apply 25 years of experience to create and evaluate innovative programs that support academic and personal success in a diverse community of learners.
Overview
16
years of professional experience
1
Language
Work History
ALGONQUIN ROAD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
School Counselor
2023.09 - Current (1 year)
Job overview
- Enhanced student emotional well-being by providing individual and group counseling sessions grounded in cognitive behavioral theory and growth mindset principles.
- Assisted students in developing academic plans by conducting a comprehensive review of their strengths, weaknesses, and goals.
- Collaborated with parents, teachers and other school personnel to complete social development studies and create individualized education plans for students with special needs.
HOFFMAN ESTATES HIGH SCHOOL
School Counselor
2021.10 - 2022.05 (7 months)
Job overview
- Supported student social-emotional development, course planning, academic progress, career exploration and postsecondary planning.
- Utilized Panorama data to create interventions targeting student academic self-efficacy, motivation and content mastery.
- Advanced cultural competence among staff members by facilitating a faculty book study examining Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain by Zaretta Hammond.
UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON
Adjunct Faculty
2014.09 - 2021.05 (6 years & 8 months)
Job overview
- Taught Human Development and Family Studies and Curriculum and Instruction courses, providing instruction to 700 undergraduate and 20 graduate students.
- Encouraged class discussions by building discussions into lessons, actively soliciting input, asking open-ended questions and using techniques to track student participation.
- HDFS 1311: Personal Development & College Success (Fall 2014 - Spring 2021),
- HDFS 4316: Dynamics of Family Relationships (Fall 2018, Spring 2020),
- CUIN 8380: Academic Writing & Research (Fall 2019),
- CUIN 4397: Introduction to Gifted and Talented Education (Spring 2014),
- CUIN 3350: Knowing and Learning (Fall 2013)
UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON
Program Director
2016.01 - 2021.08 (5 years & 7 months)
Job overview
- Developed a K-12 STEM outreach program from ground up, laying out framework, and defining roles.
- Fostered partnerships with local businesses, organizations, or higher education institutions to create experiential learning opportunities aligned with STEM career pathways
- Streamlined program operations by managing an annual budget of 400k, allocating resources, and overseeing staff performance evaluations.
- Mentored 15 staff members in best practices for community engagement, building a high-performing outreach team.
- Identified, developed and administered grants in accordance with funder requirements.
- Managed volunteer recruitment, training, and retention efforts to support various outreach initiatives.
- Leveraged grant writing skills to secure funding from various sources such as foundations, corporate sponsors, and government agencies.
- Expanded organizational reach by collaborating with local businesses and organizations for partnership opportunities.
- Developed and implemented program evaluation systems to assess program impact.
HARRIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Research Associate
2014.01 - 2015.01 (1 year)
Job overview
- Led the program evaluation for a $2.1 million federal grant funding afterschool programming to 20 campuses in Harris County
- Collected qualitative data from program staff, and quantitative data from 11 school districts
- Analyzed academic, behavioral, attendance and activity outcome data, developed an evaluation rubric to assess implementation fidelity, and assessed over 1,000 stakeholder surveys
- Compiled all written reports and provided evaluator recommendations for program fidelity and performance improvement
- Mentored graduate students from the School of Public Policy at Texas A&M University
- Guided a longitudinal study of afterschool program participation and criminal behavior
- Compiled 4 years of student data, merged data files, and ensured secure transmission.
LA PORTE HIGH SCHOOL
Guidance Counselor
2012.01 - 2014.01 (2 years)
Job overview
- Facilitated student academic and social emotional development for a caseload of 400 9th-12th grade students
- Provided academic advising, crisis intervention and career and college readiness services to students and parents
- Facilitated student course selection, performed degree plan audits and guided students in the college application process
- Guided families on financial aid and scholarship applications and provided recommendation letters for student college admissions.
ROUND ROCK HIGH SCHOOL
Guidance Counselor
2010.01 - 2012.01 (2 years)
Job overview
- Provided academic planning, career and college readiness and crisis intervention services to 400 students
- Facilitated the Early College Start program in collaboration with Austin Community College
- Increased 2009 dual-credit course enrollment by 50%
- Faculty Advisor for the Round Rock Step Team
AUSTIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Recruitment & Advising Specialist
2008.01 - 2010.01 (2 years)
Job overview
- Transitioned GED graduates into college and continuing education programs
- Provided academic advising, created developmental plans and supported the career exploration process with non-traditional students
- Connected students with supportive resources to remove barriers to enrollment and increased student recruitment from correctional facilities and substance abuse treatment centers.
Education
University of Houston , Houston, TX
Ph.D. from Educational Psychology & Individual Differences
05.2015
University Overview
- Dissertation Multicultural Efficacy in the Educational Context: An examination of mediating constructs
Northwestern University , Evanston, IL
Master of Science from Education & Social Policy
08.1998
DePaul University , Chicago, IL
Master of Arts from Human Services & Counseling
06.1995
Illinois State University , Normal, IL
B.S. from Sociology
Skills
- Undergraduate Education
- Curriculum Development
- Collaboration
- Student Mentoring
- Grant Writing
- Research & Evaluation
Presentations
- Ego identity among artistically gifted adolescents, Hussain, M., Jones, M.K., Jacobs, L.T., Gaa, J.P., Olenchak, F.R., National Association for Gifted Children, Baltimore, MD, 2014
- Building pre-service efficacy through informal teaching experience, Jacobs, L.T., Jeffery, T.D., Evans, P., McAlister-Shields, L., Hatch, R., Southwest Educational Research Association, New Orleans, LA, 2014-02
Publications
- Undergraduates building spacecraft: Using inquiry-based methods to teach spacecraft engineering, Bering, E.A., Talbot, R., Khan, S., Moges, M., Jacobs, L.T., Gamblin, R.B., Greer, M., Gunawan, B., Hernandez, E., Lehnen, J., Pina, M., Porat, I., Prince, J.R., Pessoa, A.G., Ulinksi, A., Hampton, D., Molders, N., Thorsen, D., ASCEND 2020, New York, NY, 2020-11-16 - 2020-11-18
- Giftedness plus talent plus disabilities: Twice exceptional persons, the 21st Century, and lifespan development as viewed through an affective lens, Olenchak, F.R., Jacobs, L.T., Hussain, M., Lee, K., Gaa, J.P., Creative Intelligence in the 21st Century: Grappling with Enormous Problems and Huge Opportunities, Ambrose, D., Sternberg, R.J., 2015
Certification
- Professional Educator License: School Counseling, Illinois State Board of Education: 6/7/2021- 6/30/2026
Availability
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Full TimeContract WorkPart TimeWork Location
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Healthcare benefitsCompany CultureWork-life balanceCareer advancementPaid sick leaveSoftware
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BlackBoard
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Timeline
School Counselor
ALGONQUIN ROAD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
2023.09 - Current (1 year)
School Counselor
HOFFMAN ESTATES HIGH SCHOOL
2021.10 - 2022.05 (7 months)
Program Director
UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON
2016.01 - 2021.08 (5 years & 7 months)
Adjunct Faculty
UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON
2014.09 - 2021.05 (6 years & 8 months)
Research Associate
HARRIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
2014.01 - 2015.01 (1 year)
Guidance Counselor
LA PORTE HIGH SCHOOL
2012.01 - 2014.01 (2 years)
Guidance Counselor
ROUND ROCK HIGH SCHOOL
2010.01 - 2012.01 (2 years)
Recruitment & Advising Specialist
AUSTIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE
2008.01 - 2010.01 (2 years)
University of Houston
Ph.D. from Educational Psychology & Individual Differences
Northwestern University
Master of Science from Education & Social Policy
DePaul University
Master of Arts from Human Services & Counseling
Illinois State University
B.S. from Sociology
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