Rachel Vieira
Summary
Seasoned IEP Team Leader offering 24 years of experience in educational leadership positions. Focused on building and enhancing relationships, meeting IEP mandated timelines and compliance. Desires growth-oriented position in a dynamic and collaborative school environment.
Overview
22
22
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Special Education ESY Assistant Director
Somerville Public Schools
03.2024 - Current
- Managed crisis situations calmly, maintaining safety protocols while supporting the emotional well-being of affected students during challenging moments within the school day.
- Built trust and rapport with students and staff through positive reinforcement and strong communication skills.
- Maintain high standards for students and positive behavioral supports.
- Enhanced student learning by adapting instructional strategies to individual needs.
- Supervise the maintenance of accurate records & data on the academic process and attendance of students.
- Assist in the screening and hiring and assigning of summer program special education staff.
- Supervise the special education staff and conduct staff meetings as necessary for proper function of the summer program.
- Collaborate with the director as well as other department chairs to coordinate, plan, assure implementation with fidelity for all students in the general education and special education programs.
IEP Team Chair
Somerville Public Schools
12.2023 - Current
- Schedule all annual reviews, re-evaluations and emergency placement meetings.
- Chairs all annuals reviews, re-evaluations, and emergency placement meetings.
- Schedules interpreters for IEP meetings.
- Send meeting notices and invitations to families, service providers and team members.
- Intergrade goals and objectives provided by special educators into the IEP and edit for compliance.
- Follow DESE regulations and adhere to all mandated timelines and compliance.
- Complete all special education paperwork related to IEP meetings.
Preschool Educational Team Chair / Preschool Battelle Coordinator
Whittier and Adams School
08.2019 - 12.2023
- Maintain compliance with special education regulations
- Monitor IEPs for accuracy and compliance
- Complete all files and statistical reports required by the Coordinators of Special Education and or the Director of Special Education
- Chair TEAM meetings, write and oversee the development of IEPs, send completed IEPs to parents within 45 days of the date that the parent consents to testing, and secure necessary signatures
- Must also supply each service provider with a copy of the IEP, monitor the IEP for compliance by service providers, explain 3rd party access to parents, and obtain permission for 3rd party access if the parent is agreeable
- Provide consultative services on organizational problems and structures as they affect the learning climate of the school
- Participate in providing in-service training to professionals, paraprofessionals, and parent groups
- Ensure that equal educational opportunity is provided to all individuals regardless of race, color, sex, gender identity, disability, age, marital status, religion or national origin
- Assume responsibility for the coordination of the evaluation team process; i.e
- Contacting parents, coordinating/completing the evaluation(s), coordinating and collating of overall evaluation data, processing the required forms, scheduling meeting(s), and chairing evaluation TEAM meetings and processing IEP(s) within regulatory timeline
- Arrange IEP review/re-evaluation assessments and meetings to discuss students' progress and write a new or amended IEP
- Act as a liaison with community agencies.
Inclusion Teacher
Whittier School
08.2015 - 08.2019
- Gave direct support to all students in a Kindergarten and 2nd-grade classroom by working closely with the general education teachers using a variety of co-teaching models to deliver instruction
- Collaborated, designed, and implemented differentiated engaging lessons with scaffolding and modifications as needed for all students to succeed and meet the daily content and language objectives
- Informally and formally assessed and monitored students' academic growth to ensure they were on track to meet their IEP goals and grade-level benchmarks
- Reviewed, developed, and implemented Individualized Education Plans
- Provided two-way communication between school and home with parents through Class Dojo
- Active member of the community involved in fundraising, volunteering at community events, and attending school board meetings.
Learning Adaptive Behavior Teacher
Keverian School
08.2002 - 08.2015
- Integrated Open Circle curriculum according to the Massachusetts State framework and learning standards
- Implemented appropriate strategies, and token boards, and provided support for students on the spectrum
- Implemented curriculum according to the Massachusetts State framework and learning standards
- Developed and applied appropriate behavior modification plans
- Participated in Project Read program for the development of literacy
- Participated in Research for Better Teaching Program
- A consistent resource to teachers as needed through emails, phone calls, observations, and conferences
- Provided professional development throughout the year for district teachers including collaborative problem solving, different types of circles, social and emotional learning
- Continuously reflected and adapted SEL classroom to meet building needs for both students and teachers
- Serviced students identified as having Social and Emotional Special Education needs, specifically self-advocacy, self-regulation, organization, social skills, and pragmatics, in both inclusion and pull-out settings
- Serviced students identified as having in writing, and learning strategies, in both inclusion and pull-out settings
- Provided intervention services to students with specific needs including smaller circles, collaborative problem-solving sessions, lunch/snack groups, recess groups, journaling, mindfulness
- Offered weekly, daily, as-needed check-ins and breaks to proactively avoid dysregulation
- Responded to help students in reactive moments and facilitating reflection and repair
- Provided weekly/monthly consultations to teachers that have students identified as needing SEL support
- Collaborated with paraprofessionals regarding individual student behavioral and academic progress
- Wrote, modified, and implemented Individualized Education Programs and 504 Plans, as well as facilitated annual IEP and 504 meetings
- Implemented multiple classroom behavior plans and modified as necessary to best suit individual students.
Education
CAGS -
American International College
05.2009
Graduate -
Fitchburg State College
05.2004
Undergraduate -
Salve Regina University
05.1998
Skills
- New IEP familiarity
- Classroom Management
- IEP Documentation
- Social Skills Training
- Multidisciplinary team collaboration
- Program coordination
Certification
- Professional license, Special needs (PreK-9) Moderate Disabilities, Massachusetts
- Principal/Assistant Principal, PreK-6
- Sheltered English Immersion Endorsement, Crisis Prevention (TCIS)
- Special Education Administrator ( all levels) Pending
- Lively Letters Trainer
- Open Circle Coach
- Adult and Pediatric First Aid/CPR/AED
Training
- Lively Letters, Preschool, 08/2023
- ALICE Training, 08/2023
- 51A Mandated Reporter Training, 08/2023
- Social Emotional Training, 08/2018
- DIBELS Next for Literacy Assessment Training, 09/2018
- Google Tools for Students with Disabilities, 11/2018
- Happy Appy Hour, Salem Collaborative, 04/2018
- Designing an Accommodating Classroom, Salem Collaborative, 02/2018
- Brain-Based Learning, Salem Collaborative, 08/2017
- Class Dojo Workshop, Salem Collaborative, 08/2017
- Lively Letter Trainer, Dedham MA, 07/2016
- Lively Letters, Parts I and II Dedham MA, 07/2014
Timeline
Special Education ESY Assistant Director
Somerville Public Schools
03.2024 - Current
IEP Team Chair
Somerville Public Schools
12.2023 - Current
Preschool Educational Team Chair / Preschool Battelle Coordinator
Whittier and Adams School
08.2019 - 12.2023
Inclusion Teacher
Whittier School
08.2015 - 08.2019
Learning Adaptive Behavior Teacher
Keverian School
08.2002 - 08.2015
CAGS -
American International College
Graduate -
Fitchburg State College
Undergraduate -
Salve Regina University
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