Tammy Chavez Email & Phone Number

Houston, Tx, Us

Houston, Texas, United States

As the Assistant Principal of Special Education, I manage the Special Education teachers and paraprofessionals in Lower School (K-2) and Middle School (5-8). Primary responsibilities include coaching and evaluating staff, holding weekly one-on-one check-ins, facilitating regular department meetings, creating schedules for teachers and outside related-service providers, and partnering in the interview process to hire special education staff.As the ARD Facilitator, I collect data and write student IEPs with clear disability impact statements, foster parental involvement, schedule and facilitate ARD meetings, ensure all procedural safeguards, serve as the Transition and Employment Designee (TED), and create IEPs-at-a-Glance for classroom teachers. I assist administrators, teachers, and parents in the process of Manifestation Determination Reviews (MDR) and in the implementation of Behavior Intervention Plans (BIP). As the Section 504 Coordinator, I collaborate with families and outside medical providers to identify appropriate accommodations needed for students with disabilities. I manage and track dyslexia intervention services using the Barton Reading System. As the RTI Coordinator, I facilitate bi-weekly meetings with grade level chairs, collect and analyze student data, suggest and evaluate intervention effectiveness, and support in the referral process.As a LPAC Committee Representative, I attend triannual meetings, giving input on Emergent Bilingual students with IEPs or 504 Plans. I also assist in the determination of needed accommodations for TELPAS testing.As a member of the School Leadership Team, I attend weekly leadership meetings, coordinate the administration of state and district testing for special populations, and administer the state alternative testing. I prepare and lead Professional Development sessions, such as Special Education 101, Understanding Accommodations, De-escalation, Dyslexia, Autism, Seizure Protocol, and Neurodiversity.

Houston, Texas, United States

As a Self-Contained Special Education Teacher, I taught students in grades K-3 with various disabilities in the range of moderate to severe. I modified the general education curriculum to meet each student's performance and functioning level, and created unique instructional materials to address specific areas of need. I managed difficult behaviors, including physical aggression and elopement; all behaviors decreased as a result of my classroom behavior system. I fostered positive relationships with parents to ensure their input was heard and their concerns were addressed. At the end of the school year, 100% of my students reached and exceeded their growth goals on the NWEA MAP Assessment.As a Special Educator, I collected data and performance levels in order to write accurate and meaningful PLAAFP statements and annual goals. I worked together with related-service providers to support their efforts and strategies inside the classroom. I also provided consultation with general education teachers on supporting students with disabilities in their classroom.As a General Education Teacher for the 2022 Summer Program, I successfully implemented the Amplify curriculum with Kindergarten and First Grade students, and assisted other teachers with lesson planning for this new ELA curriculum.I successfully completed the Texas Reading Academies, an in-depth study of Science of Teaching Reading principles in grades K-3. I was awarded Rêve Preparatory Charter School's Teacher of the Year for the 2021-2022 school year.

Montvale, New Jersey, United States

As a Special Education Teacher, I taught math in a resource room setting for grades 5, 6, 7, and 8, adapting and modifying the general education math curriculum. I implemented STE(A)M Fridays in the resource room to allow students to use math concepts to solve real-world problems. I collected data on IEP goal progress and other performance measures for all students, in order to write accurate and meaningful PLAAFPs and annual goals for student IEPs. I also taught Study Skills in grades 5, 6, 7, and 8. This was an opportunity for students in special education to learn various study techniques, organizational methods, and other executive functioning skills. In order to incorporate classroom instruction into study sessions, I collaborated with many general education teachers. As a previously trained LATIC Teacher, I assisted in coaching colleagues on the Learner-Active, Technology-Infused Classroom (LATIC) strategies developed by Dr. Nancy Sulla of IDE Corp. Developed and implemented Problem/Project-Based Learning (PBL) unit studies that encouraged self-directed learning and enhanced the motivation to learn.I used iXL.com to provide extra math skills practice for students, track their data, and I serve as the school administrator for our account. I sought outside professional development in order to become a Google Certified Educator, a Kahoot Certified Educator, and a Nearpod Certified Educator and Teacher Trainer. In addition, I frequently used Quizizz, Quizlet, Kahoot, FlipGrid, Flocabulary, and EdPuzzle. These platforms were particularly helpful during the many months of online teaching during the Covid-19 Pandemic.

Ramsey, New Jersey, United States

As an Instructional Strategies Specialist, I traveled to various public school districts to consult with administrators and K-12 educators to build Learner-Active,Technology-Infused Classrooms (LATIC). Together, we sought to design learning environments that embody the ten core principles of successful classrooms. I provided professional development seminars to educators through long-term and short-term workshops, focused presentations, and ongoing personal classroom coaching.Relying upon my training and experience teaching in urban schools, I worked with urban educators throughout the New York City Public School System to foster 21st Century Skill development in their students and to focus on targeted aspects of instructional design. I lectured, modeled, and coached teachers on High Impact Teaching Strategies (HITS) to use with at-risk high school students.When not consulting in schools to provide face-to-face professional development, I developed and facilitated PD sessions through an online Virtual Learning Community (VLC) platform with teachers from a wide range of districts throughout New York and New Jersey. To stay abreast of the lastest research and trends in education and leadership, I actively participated in book studies with other IDE Consultants, such as "Start with WHY" by Simon Sinek, "Good to Great" by Jim C. Collins, "Drive" by Daniel Pink, "Flow" by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, and "Thinking Fast and Slow" by Daniel Kahneman.

Newark Public Schools

Clinical Faculty Member, in conjunction with the Montclair State University Network for Educational Renewal (MSUNER), serving as a cooperating teacher, on-site mentor, co-facilitator of workshops and seminars, and adjunct faculty on campus. Promote and value culturally responsive teaching and teaching for critical thinking.MSUNER Teacher Incentive Grant Recipient in 2010 to use Rosetta Stone English to build literacy skills. MSUNER Digital Scholar 2010-20112014-2015 Newark Classroom Inquiry Project Teacher. This project is a collaborative initiative to create small communities of inquiry within and among teams of Newark teachers across grade levels, school subjects, and specializations.

Ann Street School, Blue Ribbon School Of Excellence

Special Education Teacher in various settings, including full inclusion, resource pull-out, and self-contained; teaching independently, as a team teacher, and as a co-teacher in grades 3 through 7. Routinely collaborating with related service professionals to make instruction complimentary and cohesive, as well as organizing up to four paraprofessional student aides in one setting. Specializing in the development of personalized learning environments and in the creation of uniquely engaging hands-on activities for repetition and practice of both literacy and math skills. Instructional methods emphasize differentiated instruction, interdisciplinary unit planning, monitoring individual progress toward IEP goals, student advocacy, inquiry-based learning, technology integration, and behavior modification. General Education Teacher for 5th grade English Language Arts for SY 2013-2014.Served as the Middle School Debate Coach and the Literary Magazine Advisor.Fully trained in Wilson Reading, the Great Books program, Heidi Jacobs Interdisciplinary Unit Planning, Alternate Proficiency Assessments, and Dynamic Learning Maps Alternate Assessments.Lead Curriculum Writer for the 2011 NPS Summer School Program.Successfully conducted online fundraising to sponsor class trips, including the Museum of Jewish Heritage-A Living Memorial to the Holocaust in NYC, an Autumn Farm Tour of Sun High Orchards, and the Newark Museum and Planetarium. Conducted action research on language acquisition supported by innovative technology interventions (2010-2011) and inquiry-based teaching (2014-2015) through the Montclair State University Network for Educational Renewal.Awarded the 2015 School Teacher of the Year by Newark Public Schools.

Newark, New Jersey

Taught Second Grade Summer School at Maple Avenue School in Newark Public Schools as a Teaching Fellow in a program called TeacherNex. This is a highly selective teacher training institute through The New Teacher Project (TNTP) that seeks to bring highly qualified and skilled teachers to struggling Urban schools in order to close the achievement gap.

Englewood, New Jersey

Assistant Director and Mental Health Counselor in the Life Enrichment and Achievement Program (LEAP), a day program for dually-diagnosed, developmentally disabled adults. Responsibilities included adult special education, individual case management, skills training, behavior management, group therapy facilitation, individual therapy, community integration, crisis intervention, advocacy, medication management, record keeping, Individual Habilitation Plan (IHP) writing and documentation, and collaboration with families and the Department of Developmental Disabilities (DDD). As the Assistant Director, I supervised eleven Mental Health Counselors as they carried out the above activities with their clients.Facilitator of Clinical In-Service Seminars and Regional DDD Conferences. Seminar titles included: Mental Health Issues of Hispanics, The Haitian Experience, and A Culturally-Minded Counselor.

Psychology Department

As an Adjunct Professor, I taught five undergraduate psychology courses: Child Psychology, Psychology of Adjustment, General Psychology I, and Educational Psychology (twice). Constructed syllabli, established course expectations, prepared and delivered lectures, maintained attendance records, developed exams and term paper assignments, graded student work, monitored for cheating and/or plagiarism, and determined final course grades. Mentored students pursuing the study of psychology and wrote letters of recommendation for further degree programs.

Middle School Teacher Certification, Mathematics

Post-Baccalaureate Endorsement, Special Education: Teacher Of Students With Disabilities

Master'S Degree, Psychology

Graduate Assistant in the Psychology Department (1999-2000 and 2000-2001). Assisted the Department Chair in daily management.

Bachelor'S Degree, Psychology

Psi Chi National Honor Society for Psychology Students Phi Kappa Phi National Honor Society Summa Cum Laude Graduate ~ 3.9 GPA Sigma Xi.