Michele Matera

• Provided effective, comprehensive, and meaningful instruction for The Exceptional Learner and Behavior Management Techniques course.
• Built relationships with students, mentoring on personal, professional and academic goals.
• Provided students with timely academic progress information and actionable feedback.
• Encouraged class discussions by building discussions into lessons, actively soliciting input, asking open-ended questions and using techniques to track student participation.
• Used variety of learning modalities and support materials to facilitate learning process and asses student progress.
• Worked with colleagues and administrators to create robust education programs.
• Collaborated with faculty members in designing The Exceptional Learner course for the Early Childhood Department.

• Cultivated positive relationships between community members, school students and teachers.
• Researched and incorporated new educational trends and instructional strategies to optimize education effectiveness.
• Supervised and evaluated school staff to ensure optimum student achievement.
• Established instructional practices driven through statistical performance data.
• Researched and wrote proposals for educational grants.
• Developed, implemented, and monitored annual parent engagement plan.
• Conducted professional development sessions in data driven decision making, student centered instruction, behavior management, social and emotional learning,trauma informed practices, IEP development, and developmentally appropriate school environment .
• Awarded NAEYC accreditation for Skane School.
• Collaborated with the entire school-community based programs regarding school improvement.
• Developed, implemented, monitored, and evaluated a long-range strategic plan that is inclusive and focused on instructional improvement.
• Developed and monitored an annual parent engagement plan.
• Conducted professional development sessions in data driven decision making, student centered instruction, classroom management, social and emotional learning, trauma informed practices,and developmentally appropriate school environment .
• Received NAEYC accreditation for Skane School.

• Coordinated special education services through frequent principal collaboration and consultation.
• Evaluated and supervised curriculum specialists, support staff, consultation center staff, special education teachers, paraprofessionals, vision teachers, and behavior specialist.
• Provided technical assistance, professional development and support to district leadership and schools in the Planning and Placement Process.
• Supervised maintenance and analysis of all special education data.
• Responded to State Department of Education’s requests and compliance issues.
• Implemented a comprehensive plan to establish a continuum of special education services in schools.
• Ensured compliance with Individual with Disabilities Improvement Act (IDEIA) and state and federal laws.
• Assisted in the recruitment of personnel of special education teachers and administrative staff.
• Served as a member of the District Improvement Plan Committee.

• Teamed with subject matter experts in evaluation and revision of training tools in order to continually improve learning platforms.
• Established, developed, implemented, and monitored inclusive co-teaching models.
• Provided professional development to general education teachers, special education teachers, paraprofessionals, principals, and parents.
• Worked collaboratively with administration to provide services to students with special needs in their least restrictive environment.
• Modeled classroom lessons
• Developed Individual Education Plans
• Chaired District Planning and Placement meetings

Taught students with and without special needs in grades preschool through grade 4.