Patricia Oliff
Special Educator, EdD, Educational Policy and Leadership
Gwynedd Valley,PA
Summary
Positive, innovative, collaborative leader with passion for fostering inclusive learning environments. Possesses in-depth understanding of special education laws and regulations and is skilled in curriculum development, program management, staff development and strategic planning. Committed to driving educational excellence and creating impactful outcomes for diverse student populations. Excels at mentoring new teachers and staff and promotes school and agency wide initiatives to foster collaborative team oriented environments. Quickly adapts to evolving challenges, manages complex projects effectively to achieve strategic objectives. Detail-oriented individual with exceptional communication skills who excels in developing efficient processes, ensuring high standards, and aligning efforts with organizational goals. Recognized for taking proactive approach to identifying and addressing issues, with focus on optimizing processes and supporting team objectives.
Overview
49
49
years of professional experience
1
1
Teacher Certification K-8
1
1
Supervisor of Special Education
1
1
Principal Certification
1
1
Superintendent's Letter
Work History
After-School Teacher
Brics For Kids
01.2014 - 08.2020
- Developed strong relationships with students, fostering a positive classroom environment conducive to learning.
- Prepared after-school enrichment activities for children to encourage student participation.
- Increased parent involvement in children''s education through regular communication and conferences.
- Tutored and assisted children in small groups of individuals to help master assignments and reinforce learning concepts.
- Redirected inappropriate student behavior and implemented program discipline system to guide proper student behavior.
- Organized and supervised games and [Type] recreational activities to promote physical, mental and social development in children.
- Served as a mentor to new teachers, sharing expertise and providing guidance on effective teaching strategies.
- Helped students explore concepts with engaging, learning-focused activities.
Supervisor of Special Education
Silver Springs/Martin Luther School
01.2005 - 01.2012
- Responsible for educational and behavioral programming for240 residential and day students from public school districts and IUs in the five county region of southeastern PA
- Duties include direct supervision of classroom teachers and assistant teachers; completion and monitoring of IEP goals and objectives including, functional behavioral assessments and transition plans; curriculum, instruction and assessment design; monitoring, planning and delivery of teacher and support staff training, including licensing, certification and professional development activities; and supervision of curriculum, reading, speech, social work, and therapeutic behavioral support staff
- As the Supervisor of Special Education I am the primary liaison with school districts, mental health, behavioral and social service agencies, and a large number of other outside support service agencies who provide services to our students
- Retired
Instructor, Teach for America
Chestnut Hill College, Graduate School of Education
01.2009 - 01.2010
- Taught certification classes to students enrolled in Teach For America program
- Students were working as teachers in K-12 classrooms in Philadelphia and surrounding school districts.
Adjunct Faculty Member, School of Ed
Temple University
01.2002 - 01.2008
- Supervised undergraduate Early Childhood, Elementary School and Special Education practicum students in preparation for student teaching
- Currently teaching practicum courses (4) in Curriculum Development and Implementation in Early Childhood Education; Observing, Documenting and Assessing Young Children’s Learning; Family and Community Involvement in Early Childhood; Observation, Curriculum Development, and Assessment of Children with Special Needs
- Curriculum, Instruction and Technology in Education
- Engaged students with insightful and compelling classroom discussion of topics relevant to coursework to boost student learning and retention.
- Utilized various teaching methodologies to accommodate different learning styles within the classroom setting.
- Organized, prepared, and revised [Type] course material and applied technological options for online and course-related software.
Educational Consultant
Ventures Education Systems
01.2002 - 01.2003
- Conducted teacher and administrator training including direct classroom observation in K-8 classrooms in PA & NJ to help schools/districts design and implement learning/teaching strategies to meet designated Annual Yearly Progress Goals under No Child Left Behind.
Education Director
Crestwood Education Ctr., Woods Services
01.1998 - 01.2002
- Principal of K-12 residential school for children with social-emotional, learning, and behavioral needs
- Responsible for all facets of academic and behavioral program
- Supervised daily operation of15 classrooms including curriculum design and implementation, behavior management plans, IEP goals and objectives, individual and family service plans, OT, PT, speech and clinical therapy plans, discharge and reintegration plans to return to community/family life
- Developed and monitored annual education budget; submission of required paperwork to comply with federal, PA and other states’ requirements.
Program Director
Montgomery Early Learning Centers
01.1992 - 01.1998
- Responsible for daily operation of12th largest not-for-profit child care provider in the Delaware Valley
- Supervised licensing, monitoring, supervision, training, fiscal management, curriculum development and program implementation in23 self-contained child care centers and school age programs in8 school districts in Montgomery and Philadelphia Counties
- Combined enrollment of over1500 children (infant through school age) and1000 families with a staff of over160 professional and paraprofessional employees
- Opened two new full service centers in1997-98
- Supervised30 foster grandparents, student teachers, graduate interns, and volunteers
- Offered testimony (1996-1997) at the state level to address parent and provider concerns related to welfare reform
- Received funding from the Twenty First Century League (1998) to assist newly employed families in North Philadelphia in meeting childcare costs
- Presented workshops (1992-1994) to teachers and administrators’ at PA Assn of Child Care Agencies annual conventions (1992,93,94) and NAEYC conference (1993,1994)
- Organized and implemented (1995) the first federally approved on-site teacher- training program to award the Child Development Associate (CDA) credential
- Forty CDA’s awarded the first year and an additional20 staff received the credential through this program in1996
- Wrote grant proposals (1994-1998) that received funding in excess of $350,000 from The William Penn Foundation, The Connelly Foundation, Septa, The Terry Lynne Lokoff Foundation, Women’s Way, The United Way and the Junior League of Pennsylvania
- Original stakeholder in the Children’s Literacy Initiative, Philadelphia (1992)
- Served on the Montgomery County Community College advisory committee in the Early Childhood Education Department (1992-1998).
Education Coordinator
Little Neighborhood Centers, Inc.
01.1990 - 01.1992
- Member of a multi-disciplinary Head Start team
- Supervised daily educational program and teaching staff in30 preschool classrooms at11 sites
- Provided annual and on-going teacher and classroom aide training
- Responsible for curriculum development and implementation
- Designed early intervention services for special needs students
- Designed Early Head Start program services for toddlers, preschoolers and families residing in shelters or transitional housing
- Trained family members as classroom volunteers
- Responsible for licensing of new centers, compliance, inspection and maintenance of on-going centers
- Responsible for writing annual Headstart Education plan; developing and monitoring annual education budget; and quarterly reports to satisfy state and federal requirements and mandated regulations.
Special Education Teacher
Wordsworth Academy
01.1985 - 01.1990
- Classroom teacher secondary math and literacy skills
- Coordinator with Eastern Montgomery County Area Vocational Technical School Program
Resource Room Teacher, K-5
Pleasantville Union Free SD
01.1984 - 01.1985
- Provided pull-out student services and teacher consultation for K-8 students with special needs to augment regular classroom program
Teacher
Small Miracles Pre-School Center
01.1983 - 01.1984
- Preschool/kindergarten teacher; special needs consultant
Preschool Coordinator
National Children’s Center
01.1977 - 01.1978
- Supervised eight self-contained preschool classrooms for students with special needs and eight combination classrooms for regular preschool/Kindergarten children and children with special needs
- Responsible for teacher and support staff supervision and training; curriculum development; licensing and compliance
- Supervised in-house training program in developmental pediatrics for Pediatric Interns from Washington National Children’s Medical Center.
Teacher/Supervisor
Pre-School Learning Center, Mamaroneck Union Free SD
01.1975 - 01.1977
- Member of Title1 Child Find Program team
- Responsible for screening preschoolers for the early identification of learning problems
- Children with handicapping conditions were enrolled in classes before Kindergarten and provided with prescriptive educational programs.
College Instructor
College of New Rochelle
01.1976 - 01.1977
- Adjunct Professor, Department of Special Education
Teacher/Supervisor Nursery-Pre-School Deaf/Blind Department
New York Institute of the Education of the Blind (NYIEB)
01.1972 - 01.1975
- Preschool/Kindergarten teacher multi-handicapped unit
- Supervisor, multi-handicapped summer program
Education
Doctorate - Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
Temple University
Philadelphia, PAMasters of Education - Special Education
The Pennsylvania State University
State College, PA01.1972
Bachelor of Arts - Sociology and Psychology
Brandeis University
Waltham, MA01.1971
Skills
- Early intervention
- Instructional leadership
- Parent-teacher collaboration
- Positive behavior support
- Adaptive learning
- Multicultural sensitivity
- Classroom observation
- Special education law
- Assistive technology
- 504 plan coordination
- Transition planning
- Social-emotional learning
- Autism spectrum disorders
- IEP implementation
- Teamwork and collaboration
- Problem-solving
- Attention to detail
- Problem-solving abilities
- Multitasking Abilities
- Excellent communication
- Critical thinking
- Organizational skills
- Classroom management
- Active listening
- Effective communication
- Relationship building and networking
- School improvements planning
- Student engagement
- Safety and security procedures
- Task prioritization
- Behavior management
- Student performance data analysis
- Coaching and mentoring
- Analytical thinking
- Diversity and inclusion
- Student achievement
- Complex Problem-solving
- Educational research
- Strategic planning
- Professional development
- Employee performance evaluations
- Continuous improvement
- Written communication
- Educational staff supervision
- Curriculum development
- Crisis management
- Administrative management
- Community relations
- Mission planning
- Policy implementation
- Technology integration
- Collaborative teaching
- Curriculum adaptation
- Responsible and dependable
- Adaptability and flexibility
- Decision-making
- Conflict resolution
- Goal setting
- Time management abilities
- Facility management
- Inclusive education
- Professional development planning
- Interpersonal skills
Certification
- Mentally and/or Physically Handicapped (Inst II)
- Supervisor Special Education
- Elementary School Administrator
Affiliations
Delegate to National HeadStart annual conference
Speaker at the Council for Exceptional Children annual meeting.
Founding Member Children’s Literacy Initiative
Timeline
After-School Teacher
Brics For Kids
01.2014 - 08.2020
Instructor, Teach for America
Chestnut Hill College, Graduate School of Education
01.2009 - 01.2010
Supervisor of Special Education
Silver Springs/Martin Luther School
01.2005 - 01.2012
Adjunct Faculty Member, School of Ed
Temple University
01.2002 - 01.2008
Educational Consultant
Ventures Education Systems
01.2002 - 01.2003
Education Director
Crestwood Education Ctr., Woods Services
01.1998 - 01.2002
Program Director
Montgomery Early Learning Centers
01.1992 - 01.1998
Education Coordinator
Little Neighborhood Centers, Inc.
01.1990 - 01.1992
Special Education Teacher
Wordsworth Academy
01.1985 - 01.1990
Resource Room Teacher, K-5
Pleasantville Union Free SD
01.1984 - 01.1985
Teacher
Small Miracles Pre-School Center
01.1983 - 01.1984
Preschool Coordinator
National Children’s Center
01.1977 - 01.1978
College Instructor
College of New Rochelle
01.1976 - 01.1977
Teacher/Supervisor
Pre-School Learning Center, Mamaroneck Union Free SD
01.1975 - 01.1977
Teacher/Supervisor Nursery-Pre-School Deaf/Blind Department
New York Institute of the Education of the Blind (NYIEB)
01.1972 - 01.1975
Doctorate - Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
Temple University
Masters of Education - Special Education
The Pennsylvania State University
Bachelor of Arts - Sociology and Psychology
Brandeis University
- Mentally and/or Physically Handicapped (Inst II)
- Supervisor Special Education
- Elementary School Administrator
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