Stephanie Johnson
Cedar Hills,UT
Summary
Talented and resilient Special Educator familiar with challenges associated with teaching special needs children. Passionate about using a positive approach and implementing systems to improve student outcomes. Works well with classroom teachers to develop accommodations and special techniques for mainstream classroom inclusion. Highly accomplished in fostering meaningful relationships to meet individual, team, and schoolwide objectives.
Overview
16
16
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Behavior Specialist, BCBA
Jordan School District
07.2022 - Current
- Provided professional development training to educate district and school-based faculty and staff on positive behavior interventions and supports (PBIS).
- Planned and facilitated needs-based professional learning experiences to improve school culture and enhance classroom management skills.
- Oversaw proactive crisis intervention training for special schools and behavior unit personnel.
- Established and facilitated a district-wide professional learning community for all social, emotional, behavioral units. Initiated collaboration between teams to create vertical alignment between management systems and utilize common assessments.
- Collaborated in designing and implementing a district-wide asynchronous class: Effective Teacher Training. Provided meaningful feedback to participants.
- Assisted behavior unit team lead in designing and implementing a PBIS framework for a new behavior unit. Collaborated in transforming the behavior management level system, decreasing restraints and increasing student mainstream time.
- Consulted with school teams on how to support students with unique behavioral needs in the least restrictive setting.
- Advised school administration on supporting teachers through utilizing positive behavior interventions and support.
- Evaluated classroom environments through observation and data collection. Consulted with regular education classroom teachers to implement evidence-based classroom management modifications and behavior intervention strategies.
- Designed and recommended strategies for individual student behavior plans. Provided modeling and support to school teams. Utilized positive reinforcement to maximize desired behavior and educational outcomes. Evaluated data for plan modifications and student growth.
- Improved behavior team referral and data collection process to increase timely responsiveness.
- Implemented a project management system to improve collaboration and efficiency within the behavior team.
- Supervised two BCBA candidates. Designed and implemented behavior skills training, observations,
Data Analyst
Southern Utah University
05.2022 - 08.2022
- Extracted key observations and insights from multiple university data sources.
- Created and coded transcripts from video and audio recordings.
- Utilized Google Drive to store and track charts, recordings and transcripts from compiled data sources.
Behavior Analyst Associate
Elk Meadows Elementary School
08.2020 - 06.2022
- Oversaw social, emotional, behavioral (SEB) unit of 3 teachers, 11 para-educators, and 25 elementary students.
- Trained SEB teachers and para-educators in principles of effective behavior management, evidence-based strategies for classroom management, and effective instruction.
- Motivated and encouraged team members to provide more effective antecedent strategies including implementing positive reinforcement procedures to increase desired behaviors while decreasing undesired behaviors.
- Significantly decreased emergency safety interventions (ESI) by nearly 75% in the first quarter.
- Coached and supervised classroom teams and modeled effective implementation of component parts of behavior plans as well as classroom management strategies.
- Revamped and improved level system to improve student outcomes. Developed data collection systems for tracking progress towards goals and objectives.
- Conducted functional behavioral assessments to identify the function of challenging behaviors.
- Observed student behavior in a variety of settings, recorded data, and analyzed results in order to evaluate program effectiveness.
- Collaborated with other professionals such as speech and language pathologists, occupational therapists, and teachers to develop comprehensive intervention plans.
- Provided crisis interventions during episodes of aggression or self-injury by using de-escalation techniques.
- Participated in interdisciplinary meetings with school personnel, parents, and guardians, as necessary.
- Conducted team meetings with staff on a frequent basis to discuss caseloads and goals. Established effective discussions around students' needs, data analysis, and utilizing a problem-solving protocol.
- Facilitated intake meetings with parents, addressing parent concerns, and ensuring smooth transitions for new students.
- Provided excellent service and attention to parents when face-to-face or through phone conversations.
- Collaborated with general education teachers in creating inclusive learning environments for SEB students, when attending their classrooms. Improved school culture and relationships with general education faculty.
- Supported school initiatives to improve student behavior schoolwide by providing behavior support training in faculty meetings.
Director of Special Education
Renaissance Academy
07.2017 - 07.2020
- Managed department of four teachers and three specialists.
- Recruited, hired, trained, and evaluated primary and supplemental staff and recommended personnel actions for programs and services.
- Trained special education faculty in teaching best practices, compliance, and special education law.
- Coached new special education teachers in classroom management, explicit instruction, and progress monitoring.
- Performed yearly special education teacher evaluations. Observed teaching methods and examined learning materials to evaluate and standardize curricula and teaching techniques and to determine areas needing improvement.
- Assisted in developing Individualized Education Plans that met the unique needs of each student.
- Audited all IEP files and ensured compliance with IDEA regulations.
- Conducted assessments to identify student's strengths, weaknesses, and areas of need. Completed all student evaluations. Analyzed and explained assessment data to parents and team members.
- Facilitated meetings among school staff, parents and guardians, outside agencies and other stakeholders as needed. Scheduled and supervised all IEP and eligibility meetings. Authorized as LEA for all special education meetings.
- Addressed parent concerns with compassion and understanding.
- Mastered crucial conversations with parents, teachers, and other school leaders.
- Coordinated transition planning processes for students moving from one grade level or setting to another.
- Observed students with problem behavior and developed behavior management plans.
- Supported general and special education teachers in implementing behavior interventions.
- Strengthened school leadership teams: RTI, Student Wellness, Literacy and Leadership.
- Led professional development activities for teachers, administrators, and support staff. Trained school faculty on special education law, confidentiality, teaching strategies, response to intervention, data collection, DIBELS scoring and interpretation, and classroom management.
- Helped first-year general education teacher establish classroom rules and routines, develop a classroom management and data collection system. Prevented her exit from education.
Special Education Teacher
Renaissance Academy
08.2016 - 07.2017
- Taught students with a variety of special needs in small group, one-on-one, and co-teaching settings.
- Individualized instruction for students in grades 3rd-8th.
- Supported general education 8th-grade math instruction by developing and teaching a math lab to help struggling students.
- Collected daily, weekly and bi-weekly progress monitoring data. Utilized data to inform teaching, scope and sequence.
- Collaborated with teachers and parents to write effective IEPs.
- Supported general education teachers in providing classroom accommodations for students with IEPs.
Mentor Teacher
Brigham Young University
03.2016 - 07.2019
- Mentored pre-service teachers by providing guidance on lesson planning and preparation, data collection, instructional techniques and classroom management.
- Observed work of pre-service teachers to evaluate performance and recommend changes to strengthen teaching skills.
- Coached pre-service teachers on IEP preparation and conducting IEP meetings.
- Developed pre-service teachers through modeling of best practices using standards-based curriculum.
- Conducted continuous meetings to provide constructive feedback and encouragement to pre-service teachers.
Special Education Team Leader
Oak Canyon Junior High School
08.2014 - 06.2016
- Chaired Special Education Department, including 5 teachers and 2 specialists.
- Improved team communication through planning and facilitating weekly team meetings.
- Administered and analyzed all academic testing for student evaluations department-wide.
- Worked closely with school counselors and administration to ensure proper student placement.
- Established and maintained cooperative working relationships with students, parents, and schools.
- Trained department para-educator in organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills. Supervised and guided their work with students.
- Collaborated with teachers to develop unit plans/daily lessons to improve instruction in English and math.
- Taught students with special needs in small-group settings and co-taught English and co-taught math.
- Communicated regularly with general education teachers to ensure student accommodations/modifications were met in general classrooms.
- Improved 8th grade math lab with explicit instruction. Created a model for other math labs to follow. Improved student grades in general education math class.
- Created classroom environment conducive to learning and appropriate to student maturity. Promoted positive learning environment to engage students and encourage lesson participation.
- Implemented instructional activities to keep students actively engaged in meaningful learning experiences.
Special Education Teacher Intern
Oak Canyon Junior High School
08.2013 - 06.2014
- Developed and implemented individualized education plans for students with special needs.
- Modified general education curriculum for special education students using various instructional techniques and technologies.
- Delivered effective and differentiated classroom instruction to a range of neurodiverse students in reding and math.
- Evaluated student performance using formative and summative assessments.
- Gathered data to measure student progress and determine learner needs.
- Maintained records on each student's progress throughout the school year.
- Implemented positive behavior management techniques to foster an effective learning environment.
Special Education Teaching Assistant
Brigham Young University
09.2012 - 12.2012
- Collaborated with special education professor to ensure students’ success in CPSE 300.
- Assisted in developing and delivering lectures to undergraduate students, in absence of professor.
- Graded assignments and delivered constructive feedback to students on ways to improve.
- Developed positive relationships with students through individual interactions and recognition of accomplishments.
- Provided individualized support to students who required additional help with understanding concepts or completing assignments.
- Helped to explain assignments to boost student comprehension.
- Cultivated positive relationships with faculty members through open communication channels; evidencing superior relationship-building competencies.
Special Education Para-Educator
Lincoln Academy Charter School
09.2007 - 06.2012
- Assisted teacher with all aspects of teaching and grading.
- Created lesson plans and taught class of ten.
- Tracked student progress and established a system for re-teaching concepts not thoroughly understood.
- Individualized math instruction for 7th grade student resulting in significant progress after 4 months.
Education
Master of Science - Special Education
Brigham Young University
Provo, UT04.2022
Bachelor of Science - Special Education
Brigham Young University
Provo, UT06.2014
Skills
- Rapport-Building
- Positive Reinforcement Methods
- Interpersonal Relations
- Verbal and Written Communication
- Differentiated Instruction
- Attention to Detail
- Standardized Test Evaluation
- Group and Individual Instruction
- Discussion Facilitation
- Critical Thinking
- Instructional Techniques
- Performance Evaluation
- Staff Development
- Departmental Leadership
Certification
- BCBA - Board Certified Behavior Analyst
- Utah Licensed Behavior Analyst: August 2023-2025
Affiliations
Council of Exceptional Children
Presentations
Seminary and Institute Adaptive Needs Coordinators Annual Conference
Salt Lake City, UT
June 2022
Behavior: Function-Based Thinking
Seminary and Institute Adaptive Needs Teachers Summer Conference
Utah North Area
Orem, UT
July 2022
Function-Based Thinking in the Classroom: Strategies for Improved Classroom Management
Timeline
Behavior Specialist, BCBA
Jordan School District
07.2022 - Current
Data Analyst
Southern Utah University
05.2022 - 08.2022
Behavior Analyst Associate
Elk Meadows Elementary School
08.2020 - 06.2022
Director of Special Education
Renaissance Academy
07.2017 - 07.2020
Special Education Teacher
Renaissance Academy
08.2016 - 07.2017
Mentor Teacher
Brigham Young University
03.2016 - 07.2019
Special Education Team Leader
Oak Canyon Junior High School
08.2014 - 06.2016
Special Education Teacher Intern
Oak Canyon Junior High School
08.2013 - 06.2014
Special Education Teaching Assistant
Brigham Young University
09.2012 - 12.2012
Special Education Para-Educator
Lincoln Academy Charter School
09.2007 - 06.2012
Master of Science - Special Education
Brigham Young University
Bachelor of Science - Special Education
Brigham Young University
- BCBA - Board Certified Behavior Analyst
- Utah Licensed Behavior Analyst: August 2023-2025
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