Valerie Black
Chapman
Summary
Dedicated Administrator with strong classroom background in special education and general education. Adaptable, reliable, and ready to sit at the table with staff and fellow administrators to figure out how to meet the needs of students in our changing educational system.
Overview
37
37
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Library Director
Mapleton Elementary School
- Managing the physical space of the library, the computer system for signing out/returning books, budget preparation and ordering of new books.
Principal
MSAD #45
Washburn, ME
07.2023 - Current
- Led Tier 3 grant work to build instructional approaches and improve school testing scores.
- Fostered a new PTO group to promote collaborative work and promote family engagement within the school.
- Implemented data-driven decision-making processes to evaluate and improve academic performance in math and reading.
- Oversaw increase of home-school communication as a way of increasing engagement and attendance.
Assistant to the Principal
Mapleton Elementary School
01.2021 - Current
- Attending to immediate student and behavior needs during times when the principal is not in the building.
Assistant Director, fall musical
01.2021 - Current
- Includes ordering of marketing materials, general help with all directors, assisting with rehearsals, communicating with parents, students, and school personnel.
Fifth Grade Teacher
MSAD #1
01.2018 - Current
- Build an environment where students feel safe to take risks with their learning and feel that their individual learning needs will be respected.
- Incorporate the Maine Student Book Award program into a reading incentive program that exposes children to a variety of rich fiction and nonfiction, funded by an annual local grant.
- Communicate with parents regularly in ways that help them to feel that they know what is happening in their children’s learning day and how decisions are made to maximize the learning experience.
- Strive to stay relevant with the changes in education as it relates to social studies, reading, and work with inclusive practices through professional development, online blogs, webinars, and classes.
Boys’ Intramurals Instructor
01.2011 - 01.2022
- An afterschool activity for boys to be active during the winter months. I implemented two field trips per year - a trip to the Middle School to watch a basketball game and tour the facilities and a trip to Gentile Hall at the end of the year for swimming, rock climbing, and gym games.
Team Manager for Destination Imagination
01.2010 - 01.2021
- Included helping the program to grow from two middle school teams to include two teams at the high school level as well. Over the past ten years I have taken multiple teams to Global Finals and one has placed top seven in the world.
Special Education Teacher
MSAD #1
01.2005 - 01.2018
- Design and implement intervention instruction for a K-5 resource room.
- Supervise Educational Technicians, including scheduling and services they provide within classrooms.
- Lead IEP team meetings.
Developmental Therapy Teacher
Caribou School District
01.2004 - 01.2005
- Developmental Therapy Teacher, Caribou School District 2004-05 school year
Special Education Teacher
MSAD #27
01.2000 - 01.2004
- Special Education Teacher, MSAD #27 2000-2004
Teacher
Berlin Community School
01.1999 - 01.2000
- Teacher in self-developed Pre-First 1999-2000, Fifth 1994-1999, and Second grades 1992-1993.
Teacher
Harmony School District
01.1990 - 01.1991
- Teacher of Grades 3/4, 1990-1991
First Grade Teacher
MSAD #3
01.1989 - 01.1990
- MSAD #3: First Grade Teacher, 1989-90
Education
Masters - Educational Leadership
UNE
01-2015
B.S. - Elementary Education
University of Maine at Presque Isle
01-1989
Skills
- Staff management -
- Parent engagement and communication
- Verbal and written communication
- Student achievement
- Data-driven instruction
Certification
- Administrative
Timeline
Principal
MSAD #45
07.2023 - Current
Assistant to the Principal
Mapleton Elementary School
01.2021 - Current
Assistant Director, fall musical
01.2021 - Current
Fifth Grade Teacher
MSAD #1
01.2018 - Current
Boys’ Intramurals Instructor
01.2011 - 01.2022
Team Manager for Destination Imagination
01.2010 - 01.2021
Special Education Teacher
MSAD #1
01.2005 - 01.2018
Developmental Therapy Teacher
Caribou School District
01.2004 - 01.2005
Special Education Teacher
MSAD #27
01.2000 - 01.2004
Teacher
Berlin Community School
01.1999 - 01.2000
Teacher
Harmony School District
01.1990 - 01.1991
First Grade Teacher
MSAD #3
01.1989 - 01.1990
Library Director
Mapleton Elementary School
B.S. - Elementary Education
University of Maine at Presque Isle
Masters - Educational Leadership
UNE
Professional Activities
- Assistant Director, High School Musical productions, 2020-2023
- Coach, Destination Imagination for middle and high school teams, 2009-2020
- Maine Student Book Award Committee - applied and accepted a position on this committee - one of four teachers in the state that serve. 2021-2023
- Maine Writing Project coursework. Certificate of Mentorship in Writing.
- Mentoring teachers with conditional certification using the Maine State Mentor model.
- Aroostook Right To Read Director for MSAD #1, including serving as author and event site coordinator. 2009-2014
- Digital ELA curriculum work, including developing writing prompts and rubrics for the fourth grade English and writing curriculum.
- Steering Committee/Teacher Evaluation, identifying models and developing the framework for a new teacher evaluation system for MSAD #1 to comply with state regulations.