Michelle Freitas
San Diego,CA
Summary
Dedicated to creating safe, welcoming, and stimulating environments that foster individual growth and positive community impact. Experienced in training and educating adults to serve young children, their families, and unhoused individuals effectively. Demonstrated leadership and program management skills as an initiative-taker and team-builder. Passionate about helping individuals realize their purpose and achieve their full potential. Committed to being an agent of change and advocating for young children and their families, resulting in significant positive community outcomes. Background includes working with children exposed to violence, substance abuse, and those with mental or physical limitations. Expertise in developing plans, curriculum, and activities to build skills and enhance development. Detail-oriented team player with strong organizational skills and the ability to handle multiple projects simultaneously with a high degree of accuracy
Overview
14
14
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Child Development Specialist IV
San Diego Community College District
11.2022 - Current
- Implement a daily curriculum that fosters cognitive, language, social-emotional, and physical development in young children.
- Conduct observing, evaluations, and documentation of children's progress and behavior, and collaborate with instructors to create a supportive and enriching learning environment.
- Engage with parents through regular communication and planned activities to support child development at home and ensure the health, safety, and well-being of all children in the program.
- Maintain a clean, organized, and stimulating classroom environment maintaining title 5 and title 22, and actively participate in professional development opportunities to stay current with best practices in early childhood education.
- Coaching, modeling effective teaching methods, and providing constructive feedback to help educators reach their full potential.
Program Director
San Diego Rescue Mission
08.2014 - 07.2021
- Scheduled and supervised staff meetings to discuss new ideas and update participants on program details and milestones.
- Recruited and trained staff and volunteers to upgrade collective team skills.
- Mentored team members for professional development, resulting in increased productivity and job satisfaction.
- Provided ongoing direction and leadership for program operations.
- Collaborated with various teams to uncover issues, identify applicable solutions, and offer guidance.
- Designed customized training programs to enhance staff knowledge and skills in key areas of responsibility.
- Collaborated closely with executive leadership to develop strategic plans for long-term growth.
- Monitored program performance to identify areas for improvement.
- Established strong partnerships with internal and external stakeholders for collaborative problem solving.
- Expanded licensed childcare services through the development and implementation of a comprehensive vision, mission, and goals.
- Increased capacity by 90% and enhanced family involvement practices, wrap-around services, parenting education, family advocacy, and therapeutic services to provide intervention and prevention for preschool-age children and families experiencing homelessness.
- Implemented Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) practices, positively impacting 110 team members and over 400 clients.
- Developed program, staff, and client/student handbooks, resulting in organizational alignment, accountability, and improved quality of services.
- Executed wellness, education, skills training, and transitional support programming, policies, expectations, and limits, serving women and women with children to achieve stability, healing, skill development, housing, and increased independence upon reentering the community.
- Designed and facilitated adult education and training programs, including COVID response, parenting education, child development training, and role-specific professional development for teachers, CLAs, MRAs, and Advocates.
- Created and oversaw volunteer strategies and engagement initiatives.
Lead Teacher
Catholic Diocese
12.2010 - 06.2014
- Established positive relationships with parents through regular communication regarding student progress and collaborating on strategies for academic success at home and school.
- Developed and implemented differentiated instruction strategies to accommodate diverse learning styles, increasing student engagement and success.
- Planned and implemented different daily activities to enhance every student's overall development and growth.
- Mentored new teachers on best practices for classroom management and instructional techniques, contributing to their professional growth and effectiveness in the classroom.
- Organized field trips that enriched classroom learning experiences by connecting students with real-world applications of course concepts.
- Designed and executed project-based learning experiences, promoting teamwork, problem-solving skills, and real-world connections for students.
- Facilitated Bank Street Curriculum and Core Knowledge Learning Foundations.
- Fostered student curiosity and interest through creative hands-on activities.
- Scheduled conferences with parents to discuss students' progress and classroom behavior.
Education
Master of Arts - Human Development
Pacific Oaks College
Pasadena, CA10.2024
Bachelor of Arts - Child Development
Point Loma Nazarene University
San Diego, CA05.2022
Associate of Science - Child Development
San Diego Miramar College
San Diego, CA08.2020
Skills
- Nonprofit Organizational Leadership
- Program Development, Leadership, and Management
- Child Development and Early Childhood Education
- Adult Education
- Documentation Management
- Quality Assurance
- Operational Enhancement
- Team Building, Team Performance Improvement, and Teamwork and Collaboration
- Time Management
- Self Motivation and Self-Directed Learning
- Attention to Detail
- Develop and Deliver customized training programs that enhance professional skills and personal growth
Affiliations
- Member since 2018, National Association for the Education of Young Children
Certification
- CCTC Program DIrector Permit 2022
Timeline
Child Development Specialist IV
San Diego Community College District
11.2022 - Current
Program Director
San Diego Rescue Mission
08.2014 - 07.2021
Lead Teacher
Catholic Diocese
12.2010 - 06.2014
Master of Arts - Human Development
Pacific Oaks College
Bachelor of Arts - Child Development
Point Loma Nazarene University
Associate of Science - Child Development
San Diego Miramar College
- CCTC Program DIrector Permit 2022
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