Melanie Tellison Sheppard
Houston,TX
Summary
Focused education professional with a master's degree in administration and a proven track record of helping students achieve their education goals. Skilled at building lasting relationships and collaborating with others to effectively meet objectives. Committed to providing high-quality support and guidance to students, ensuring their success in their academic pursuits. Adept at leveraging strong communication and interpersonal skills to foster a positive learning environment.
Overview
17
17
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Consultant / Trainer
Around the Way Training Consultants
07.2007 - Current
- Provide professional development training (clock hours & CPR/ First Aid) to childcare employees using a combination of up-to-date research, Texas Minimum Standards, and evidence-based classroom practices
- Develop and refine childcare providers’ skills, enhancing their productivity and quality of work
- Assist childcare owners and directors in building communication and loyalty among parents, children and childcare providers
- Perform assessments on early childhood teachers and childcare center directors to improve their quality of caregiving and assure that they maintain compliance with state regulations
- Assist center directors or owners with solving complicated problems they may encounter while running a childcare center
- Provide consultation in all areas of establishing a new childcare center including, but not limited to: locating building/working with a realtor, establishing floor plans and designing the building’s layout to maximize number of children in care, establishing policies and procedures for a center, handling licensing issues such as corrective actions and appeals, marketing and branding, the hiring process and scheduling, staff orientation and pre-service, as, well as, establishing emergency preparedness plans.
Volunteer / Principal Intern
Missouri City Middle School
09.2023 - 05.2024
- Assist the Principal, Associate Principal, and Assistant Principals as they execute the various leadership responsibilities that are critical to the school's efficient operation
- Evaluate the performance of support staff and instructors, then offer feedback
- Oversee school facilities, events and activities
- Manage issues of student discipline
- Conduct needs assessments of the school and develop improvement action plans
- Engage in ARD meetings and parent meetings for an assortment of purposes
- Monitor transitions between classes, lunch, and dismissal
- Supported the principal in conducting teacher evaluations and providing constructive feedback for professional growth.
Teaching Fellow
KIPP ZENITH Academy
08.2022 - 07.2023
- Ensure that all children feel affirmed, valued, and challenged every day
- Create and foster a positive and safe learning environment
- Create and internalize rigorous and engaging unit and daily lesson plans leveraging provided curricula/resources
- Create and internalize academically aligned lesson plans, unit plans, rubrics, and assessments
- Use best practices, including differentiation, to execute engaging instruction at a level rigorous for all students
- Infuse core values into daily lessons and every school practice, implementing school-wide student culture systems and positive classroom management strategies
- Regularly analyze student work and academic data to modify lessons, refine curricula, and inform instructional practice
- Perform necessary support duties including (but not limited to) coverage, bus, lunch, transition, and dismissal duties
- Improved student comprehension by implementing creative teaching strategies and real-world examples in lessons.
3rd-5th Grade Reading Teacher
Two Dimensions Preparatory Academy Charter School
09.2019 - 02.2021
- Develop and implement plans for the adopted curriculum program
- Assess students and prepare lessons that reflect accommodation for individual differences
- Assisted in creating a safe and nurturing classroom environment that promoted emotional well-being and academic growth for all students.
- Supported students in developing social skills through structured activities and positive reinforcement techniques.
- Consistently assess student achievement through formal and informal testing
- Collaborated with colleagues to develop cross-curricular units, enhancing students'' understanding of the relationship between subjects
- Fostered a positive learning environment by establishing strong rapport with students and maintaining clear expectations for behavior and academic performance.
- Improved student reading comprehension by implementing evidence-based instructional strategies and differentiated instruction.
5th Grade Science & Social Studies Teacher
SER-Niños Charter School
08.2018 - 08.2019
- Develop and implement suitable instructional and learning approaches, materials, tools, and resources that account for the unique requirements of the students being instructed
- Ensure that student achievement is consistently evaluated via formal and informal assessments
- Collaborated with colleagues to develop interdisciplinary lesson plans that connected social studies content to other subject areas.
- Improved student comprehension by utilizing diverse teaching methods and materials tailored to individual learning styles.
- Developed a positive classroom environment by fostering open communication, respect, and collaboration among students.
- Created lesson plans and made adjustments based on overall class performance throughout the year.
- Utilized technology to enhance student education and grasp of materials.
Childcare Center Director
The Learning Experience
09.2014 - 06.2018
- Ensuring the smooth day-to-day operation of the child-care center by balancing business concerns with what’s good for children and by providing leadership and direction to the caregivers responsible for providing safe and healthy care for the children
- Ensure the child-care center’s daily operation is administered in compliance with the minimum standards
- Make certain all employees have assignments that match their skills, abilities, and training
- Supervise all employees which includes, but is not limited to, knowing what the employees are doing and ensuring that they fulfill their assignments and responsibilities
- Coordinated special events such as holiday celebrations or parent-teacher conferences, fostering community engagement among families in the program.
- Reduced staff turnover rate by cultivating a positive work environment through team-building activities and open communication channels.
- Maintained accurate record-keeping systems to track student progress, attendance, health information, and other pertinent data efficiently.
- Developed comprehensive staff training programs, improving employee skills and increasing the overall quality of care provided.
5th Grade Math Teacher / 4th Grade ELAR Teacher
Houston Independent School District
01.2013 - 08.2014
- Use the state standards to create rigorous, objective-driven, arts-infused lessons aligned with curriculum maps
- Identify in each lesson what thinking skills will be explicitly taught and practiced; what physical, social, or content skills students will be able to do, and how students will know if they can do it
- Differentiate for individual students based on their unique learning needs so all students are appropriately engaged and challenged
- Develop standards that are aligned and measurable by ambitious goals that will increase student opportunities for achievement; assess and track performance against those goals
- Provide ongoing and timely feedback to students on their progress toward meeting big goals by frequently checking for understanding and listening
- Communicate and enforce high expectations and standards for behavior and academic performance to create a strong culture of achievement and respect
- Implement classroom procedures, systems, and routines that provide structure for students and maximize instructional time
- Communicate respectfully and thoughtfully with parents/guardians while remaining sensitive to different families’ cultures, values, and needs.
- Supported students in developing social skills through structured activities and positive reinforcement techniques.
Long Term Substitute Teacher
Harmony School of Discovery
08.2012 - 01.2013
- Teach content and skills in assigned subject area utilizing curriculum designated by Harmony Schools
- Instruct students in basic subject matter specified in Texas standards and ethics
- Develop lesson plans including supplementary materials compatible with the school’s basic instructional philosophy and congruent with the assigned course
- Evaluate academic and social growth of students, prepare report cards, keep appropriate records to include attendance reports, checklists, census forms, and other recordkeeping activities as necessary
- Evaluate each student’s progress in meeting the course standards
- Establish and maintain standards of student behavior needed to provide an orderly, productive classroom environment
- Identify each student's needs and cooperate with other faculty members in assessing and helping students solve learning, health and attitude problems
- Communicate with parents and school counselors on student progress
- Supervise students in classroom activities during instruction time
- Administer testing in accordance with the State of Texas testing practices, and model non-discriminatory practices in all activities.
Childcare Center Director
A&W Academic Academy
02.2010 - 08.2012
- Ensure caregivers exceed the Minimum Standards set by childcare licensing
- Oversee the implementation of age-appropriate curriculum and day to day operations
- Schedule age-appropriate activities & field trips
- Host open houses and enrollment tours
- Maintain staff and children files aligned with state licensing and other statutory regulations
- Communicate with the center’s owner about important matters and meet with parents and staff to facilitate students' developmental goals or concerns
- Schedule, recruit and discipline staff
- Make sure the staff obtains appropriate professional development and maintains proper teacher/child ratio
- Implement school policies and procedures to ensure the health and safety of children, parents, and staff
- Monitor incoming payments, arrange equipment and building maintenance, as well as keep all licenses and permits current.
CPS Investigator
Children Protective Services
08.2008 - 02.2010
- Conduct specialized investigations of child abuse and neglect
- Develop and maintain communication with working relationships within and outside the agency, particularly with professionals associated with law enforcement investigations
- Provide expert consultation to the community on complex protective services problems, particularly associated with forensic child abuse and neglect investigations
- Conduct in-depth interviews to accurately obtain information to determine immediate or long-term risk of abuse or neglect
- Assess family dynamics and functioning to determine the degree and type of agency intervention needed
- Prepare and provide sufficient case documentation (including forms and narratives) to provide a complete and accurate record of cases, including legal documentation or testifying in court for all necessary court cases
- Promote and demonstrate appropriate respect for cultural diversity among coworkers, families and all work-related contacts.
Education
Master of Education in Educational Administration and Foundations -
Texas Southern University
Houston, TX05.2024
Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice -
Southern University A&M College
Baton Rouge, LA05.2008
Skills
- Microsoft Office and Internet Proficient
- Customer Service Skills
- Classroom Management Skills
- Planning and Execution Skills
- Coaching, Mentoring and Feedback Skills
- Excellent Communication & Listening Skills
- Leadership Skills
- Self-starter and Results Oriented
- Organization and Time Management Skills
- Able to Work Independently or on Teams in a Variety of Work Atmospheres
- Critical Creative Thinker and Problem Solver
- Fast Learner with the Ability to Adapt to Changing Policies or Standards
Certification
- Core Subjects with STR EC-6
- English as a Second Language Supplemental
Timeline
Volunteer / Principal Intern
Missouri City Middle School
09.2023 - 05.2024
Teaching Fellow
KIPP ZENITH Academy
08.2022 - 07.2023
3rd-5th Grade Reading Teacher
Two Dimensions Preparatory Academy Charter School
09.2019 - 02.2021
5th Grade Science & Social Studies Teacher
SER-Niños Charter School
08.2018 - 08.2019
Childcare Center Director
The Learning Experience
09.2014 - 06.2018
5th Grade Math Teacher / 4th Grade ELAR Teacher
Houston Independent School District
01.2013 - 08.2014
Long Term Substitute Teacher
Harmony School of Discovery
08.2012 - 01.2013
Childcare Center Director
A&W Academic Academy
02.2010 - 08.2012
CPS Investigator
Children Protective Services
08.2008 - 02.2010
Consultant / Trainer
Around the Way Training Consultants
07.2007 - Current
Master of Education in Educational Administration and Foundations -
Texas Southern University
Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice -
Southern University A&M College
- Core Subjects with STR EC-6
- English as a Second Language Supplemental