Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Awards
Certification
Trainings And Professional Development
Timeline
Generic

Suzanne Fichera

Methuen,MA

Summary

Special education professional with proven track record of fostering inclusive learning environments and implementing effective instructional strategies. Strong emphasis on team collaboration and achieving positive educational outcomes, adaptable to changing classroom dynamics. Skilled in behavior management, curriculum development, and student advocacy, bringing reliability and flexibility to role.

Overview

25
25
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification

Work History

Special Education Teacher, Grade 5

Methuen Public Schools - CGS
09.2011 - Current
  • Provided small group and individualized instruction to match goals outlined in each students' individualized education plan.
  • Provided support within regular education setting to ensure students' individualized education plan goals were met.
  • Provided Wilson Reading and Just Words small group instruction to match needs outlined in individualized education plans.
  • Developed reading/fluency instruction lessons for small groups to match the needs outlined in individualized education plans. Reading instruction utilized programs such as: Read Naturally, Seeing Stars, RAVE-O, Reading Comprehension and Visualizing and Verbalizing.
  • Consulted and co-taught with the regular education teacher.
  • Completed diagnostic testing (formal and informal) for individual education plan annual review and re-evaluations: as well as, progress monitoring within the program.
  • Assessments utilized included: Wechsler Individual Achievement Test - 4, Gray Oral Reading Test, Test of Written Language, Oral and Written Language Scales, Comprehensive Test of Phonological Processing, Test of Word Reading Efficiency, Wechsler Individual Achievement Test -4, Word Identification and Spelling Test, Achievement, Key Math, Feifer Assessment of Mathematics Ability, Qualitative Reading Inventory.
  • Designed and implemented individualized education plans tailored to student needs.
  • Chaired and participated in IEP team meetings.
  • Acted as Case Manager for students which included providing close communication with parents and staff, preparing progress reports, annual review narratives and individual education plans.
  • Accommodated regular education assessments, classwork, and homework to meet the goals outlined in each students' individualized education plan.
  • Prepare and write IEPs within required deadlines while ensuring accuracy and compliance.
  • Consistently meet deadlines for all Special Education paperwork.
  • Maintain ongoing communication with parents/guardians to support student progress and collaboration.
  • Strong organizational skills with expertise in managing documentation and recordkeeping.

Grade 2 and 4 Teacher

Methuen Public Schools CGS & Tenney Grammar
09.2001 - 06.2011
  • Instructed students according to Common Core and Methuen Scope and Sequence in all academic areas.
  • Implemented Lucy Calkins Writing Instruction.
  • Worked cooperatively with parents, colleagues, staff, and administration.
  • Planned instruction with teachers, team members and instruction specialists.
  • Attended workshops and in service seminars as prepared by the assistant superintendent in order to improve instruction.
  • Communicated regularly with parents, administration and staff support.
  • Used summative and formative assessments in order to guide instruction.
  • Administered the Developmental Reading Assessments (DRA) and DIBELS three times a year.
  • Provided differentiated instruction in order to meet the needs of students.
  • Co-taught with Special Education Teachers.
  • Used effective ESL strategies to meet the needs of ELL students in the classroom.
  • Assessed students using standards based report cards.

Long Term Substitute Teacher Grades 1, 3, and 4

Methuen Public Schools CGS
09.2000 - 06.2001
  • Instructed students according to Common Core and Methuen Scope and Sequence in all academic areas.
  • Implemented Lucy Calkins Writing Instruction.
  • Worked cooperatively with parents, colleagues, staff, and administration.
  • Planned instruction with teachers, team members and instruction specialists.
  • Attended workshops and in service seminars as prepared by the assistant superintendent in order to improve instruction.
  • Communicated regularly with parents, administration and staff support.
  • Used summative and formative assessments in order to guide instruction.
  • Administered the Developmental Reading Assessments (DRA) and DIBELS three times a year.
  • Provided differentiated instruction in order to meet the needs of students.
  • Co-taught with Special Education Teachers.
  • Used effective ESL strategies to meet the needs of ELL students in the classroom.
  • Assessed students using standards based report cards.

Education

Master of Education - Elementary Education - Grades 1-6

Endicott College
Beverly, MA
05.2002

SEI Category 1, 2, 3, and 4

Methuen Public Schools
Methuen, MA

SEI Retell Course (Short Bridge)

Methuen Public Schools
Methuen, MA

Moderate Disabilities Certification

Merrimack College
North Andover, MA
10.2015

Bachelor of Arts - Elementary Education - Grades 1-6

Merrimack College
North Andover, MA
05.2000

Skills

  • IEP development
  • Strong verbal communication
  • Strong organizational abilities
  • Effective team collaboration

Awards

  • James J. St. Germain, Awarded to the highest ranking Education Senior pursuing Graduate Studies., 05/01/00
  • CGS Teacher of the Year, 05/01/09

Certification

  • Massachusetts Licenses, Moderate Disabilities, Pre K-8, Professional, 01/01/31, Sheltered English Immersion - Teacher, Endorsement
  • Wilson Reading - Level 1 Certification
  • Wilson Dyslexia Practitioner (W.D.P)
  • Wilson Reading Advanced Strategies 7-12
  • Wilson Just Words

Trainings And Professional Development

  • Read Naturally
  • Connect to Comprehension
  • Rave-O-Retrieval, Automaticity, Vocabulary, Engagement, Orthography
  • Landmark Outreach Trainings for Language Based Disabilities
  • Talking and Writing: Strengthening Written Expression
  • Lindamood Bell
  • Visualizing and Verbalizing - Visualizing and Awards Verbalizing for Language Comprehension and Thinking
  • On Cloud Nine - Visualization and Verbalizing for Math
  • Seeing Stars - Symbol Imagery for Phonological and Orthographic Processing in Reading and Spelling

Timeline

Special Education Teacher, Grade 5

Methuen Public Schools - CGS
09.2011 - Current

Grade 2 and 4 Teacher

Methuen Public Schools CGS & Tenney Grammar
09.2001 - 06.2011

Long Term Substitute Teacher Grades 1, 3, and 4

Methuen Public Schools CGS
09.2000 - 06.2001

Master of Education - Elementary Education - Grades 1-6

Endicott College

SEI Category 1, 2, 3, and 4

Methuen Public Schools

SEI Retell Course (Short Bridge)

Methuen Public Schools

Moderate Disabilities Certification

Merrimack College

Bachelor of Arts - Elementary Education - Grades 1-6

Merrimack College

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