About Me
As I begin my 44th year in education, I am excited to join the Military School Districts' Cooperative as the project coordinator for the TEA Innovative Services to Students with Autism Grant that the Cooperative received in partnership with SAISD. The focus of this grant is ensuring secondary and post-secondary (18+) students gain the vocational, communication, social/behavioral, and transition skills they need to be successful participants in their communities as they exit the public school system. I am passionate about the importance of this type of instruction for our students and am thrilled to have the opportunity to be a part of this important work.
I grew up in Grafton, West Virginia (the home of Mothers' Day); however, San Antonio has been my home for the last 34 years. I graduated from Fairmont State College with a Bachelors' degree in Music Education. I earned my Masters' degree in Special Education from West Virginia University. While still in West Virginia, I taught middle school students with Intellectual Disabilities and Autism for 9 years in a life skills classroom. Upon moving to Texas, I was employed with Northside ISD for the next 29 years full time and then 5 years part-time as a TRS Retiree. In NISD, I taught students of all ages with a variety of learning challenges from Kindergarten to post-secondary. I also served as an Employment Specialist and Transition Specialist. Several years ago, I left the classroom for a role as a Support Specialist providing support and training to classroom and district staff as well as parents of students with learning challenges. I also served as the Grant Facilitator for a previous Services to Students with Autism Grant with NISD and 8 other districts in a consortium.
I have been blessed to work with amazing students, families, and staff members throughout my career and I look forward to getting to know the wonderful students, families, and staff at Fort Sam, Lackland, and Randolph Field ISDs!
