Director of Special

Sielke's InformationLocation: Pittsburgh, PATitle: Intern-Director of Special EducationWilling to Relocate: NoMember Since: 2012-08-31 Helpful Links

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Pennsylvania 15211

E-mail address:

EDUCATION

2012 Ed.D. in Education, University of Pittsburgh

1995 M.Ed. in Special Education, University of Pittsburgh

1992 B.S. in Music Therapy, Duquesne University

CERTIFICATIONS

Supervisory

Special Education

Commonwealth of PA

Praxis taken on July 21,

2012 - waiting for confirmation from state via TIMS.

Instructional II

Mentally and/or Physically Handicapped

Commonwealth of PA

issued 2011

Instructional I

Mentally and/or Physically Handicapped

Commonwealth of PA

issued 1995

Licensed Professional Counselor

License Number PC002780

issued 2003

Life Space Crisis Intervention

issued 2007

EDUCATION RELATED EXPERIENCE

Teaching Fellow

University of PA

2009 - 2012

an honorary position researching and studying with Dr. Mary Margaret

Kerr, a nationally

renowned

expert in school crisis prevention/intervention and

children's mental and behavioral health. In addition to supporting the work efforts of

Dr. Kerr, accomplishments include maintenance of

www.sbbh.pitt.edu

website,

collaboration with the Pittsburgh Public Schools and ongoing research on in the areas

of school leadership and children's mental health. Also, enrollment in three to four

doctoral classes per semester within the Administrative and Policy Studies and the

Psychology in Education Departments of the School of Education.

SCaparelli

Co-Instructor

University of PA

2010-current

Co teach a course in a program certificating principals -

Health, Mental

Health and Safety

. A hybrid class combining classroom as well as online instruction

through Courseweb, the goal is to increase student's literacy, verbal and written

communication, and their ability to discern credible resources related to children's

physical health, mental health, and safety. Examples of topics include school crisis

planning (preparation, intervention, mitigation and postvention), the Centers for

Disease Control's School Health Index (SHI), both Health and Physical Education

Curriculum Assessment Tools, as well as analysis of school crisis plans and written

communication.

2009- 2012

Co teach graduate level course -

Emotional Disorders in Childhood and

Adolescents.

Using the DSM-IV

Tr, current research and text, this class orients graduate

students to mental and behavioral health disorders and children. Provided weekly

instruction, daily maintenance of assignments, announcements, grading within

Coursweb as well as project work.

2008 - 2012

Co teach graduate level course -

Positive Behavior Intervention Strategies.

This class combined the use of Kerr and Nelson's

Strategies

for Addressing Behavior

Problems in the Classroom

as a tool for learning as well as real time student behavioral

data from a local middle school. Created syllabus, provided weekly instruction as well

as daily maintenance of assignments, announcements and grading within

Courseweb.

Intern - Director of Special Education

Montour School District, PA

2012

Intern

Montour School District

150 hours with district shadowing special education director and special education

coordinator. Examples of experiences include budget planning; state special education

planning; district wide strategic planning; personnel and contractual issues; complex

IEP issues; developed school mental health proposal involving data collection,

programming, implementation, and evaluation; consulted and modeled behavioral

data collection for classroom serving children with autism; and assisted in scheduling

of state standardized exams.

Education Consultant

The Watson Institute, PA

2007 - 2009

Intern Supervisor/Behavior Specialist

Craig Academy

SCaparelli

Created sequential learning experiences within the program to support

undergraduate, graduate and pre doctoral interns. Monitor and adjust functional

behavior analysis process to meet demands of staff and students. This included

creating documents to reflect necessary data collection as well as maintaining

extensive electronic filing of incoming and outgoing data. Also, create and drive

performance standards for interns and staff through design of programmatic

handbooks, collaborative plan and review meetings, modeling and effective problem

solving.

2006-2007

Education Consultant

Penn Hills School District

Supervised four middle school emotional support teachers observing, providing

feedback and defining long term and short term professional goals. Helped staff

define and achieve goals in the area of effective instruction, behavior management,

communication and time management.

2005- 2006

Behavior Specialist

Craig Academy

Established the behavior, assessment and planning department for Craig Academy, a

partial psychiatric hospital and approved private school. This included developing

procedures for the implementation and education of functional behavioral analysis

and behavior intervention plans; ensuring best practice for data collection,

observations, interviews, and supervision of personnel management.

Special Educator

Seneca

Valley

School District, Harmony, PA

1998 - 2000

Special Educator

Supported kindergarten, first and second grades inclusively and in a learning support

classroom. Collected data and implemented behavioral and academic supports for

students and teachers. Successfully and eagerly revised paperwork and instruction to

comply with IDEA '97.

Day to Day Substitute

Allegheny County School Districts

1997 - 1998

Daily placements covering for K-12 special education and regular

education teachers.

Special Educator

Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, PA.

SCaparelli

1997 - 1998

Worked, as needed, on several inpatient classrooms facilitating

individual academic programs and small therapeutic group activities utilizing art,

music and social skills.

Special Educator/Acting Coordinator of Special Education

Alternative Public Schools, Nashville, TN

1995 - 1997

Turner Elementary School, In Partnership with Alternative Public

Schools, Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania

Served kindergarten and first/second grade

multi-age classrooms inclusively. This included facilitating special education

meetings, cooperative teaching/planning, and individualized instruction for students

warranting pull-out, continual data collection via observations, interviews, charting

and records analysis, actively supported parents and teachers by researching,

education and collaborating in order to achieve child-centered learning, least

restrictive environment and most appropriate services for each child. Was on the

curriculum development team designing a school wide curriculum model for multi-

age classrooms, completed IST training, designed customized forms to fulfill federal,

state, and local laws, served as a liaison between district administration and Turner

special educators, and was Acting Coordinator for Special Education in building,

bringing service and records into compliance over a two year period.

Private Piano Teacher

1993 - 2008

Programming and instruction of piano students of varied ages and

abilities.

RESEARCH AND WRITING EXPERIENCE

Developed Training Scenarios for filming of training videos

Virginia Department of Education

August 2011

Advisory Board

JEPPA - Journal of Education, Policy, Planning and Administration

May 2011 - current

Writing Assistant

Dr. Mary Margaret Kerr

March 2005 - March 2006

Collaborated with authors to create test bank questions

and instruction manual components to parallel each chapter of

Behavioral Interventions

SCaparelli

Research Assistant

Lincoln Intermediate Unit, New Oxford, PA

1997

Assistant to Dr. Mary Margaret Kerr, reviewed programs for students with

emotional and behavioral disorders. Classroom observations, interviews and review

of records were compiled into data and for feedback.

Research Assistant

Los Angeles Unified School District

1994 - 1996

Chanda Smith vs. Los Angeles Unified School District, Dr. Mary Margaret

Kerr, Consent Decree Administrator for Los Angeles Unified School District. This

federal class action suit involved the reformation of special education forms, policies

and procedures. Types of data collection included focus groups, administrative

interviews, parent interviews, record reviews and classroom observations. A team of

professionals charted and analyzed data making recommendations based on collected

data.

CLINICAL EXPERIENCE

Music Therapist

Creative Therapies Enterprises, PA

1994 - 1998

Subcontracting work serving clients weekly. Completed assessments,

developed treatment plans, and implemented weekly music therapy service for

children of varied needs in their homes.

Music Therapist

State Correctional Institute of Pittsburgh

1993 - 1995

Worked with forensic psychiatric inmates

in

a state piloted special

needs unit housing sixty homicidal and suicidal inmates. Collaborated weekly within

a treatment team reviewing inmate history, current diagnosis and treatment options.

Created/implemented three weekly therapy groups, individual case work utilizing-

among other techniques - song writing and analysis for treatment.

Music Therapist

Quincy United Methodist Home, Quincy, PA

1992 - 1993

Completed internship with geriatric population ranging from

independent living to skilled nursing. Learned the skills and applications of music

therapists in a nursing home setting, including a specialized Alzheimer's unit.

Conducted evaluations, collaborated with treatment teams, designed treatment plans,

SCaparelli

implemented group and individual music experiences to meet goals and objectives for

each resident.

COMMUNITY SERVICE

School Advisory Council President

Bishop Leonard St. Mary of the Mount Academy, PA

2009-2011

Spokesperson

Bette Press

2010

communication with the press representing the publishing efforts and materials

of Bette Press Publishing.

Writer/Editor

Washington Heights Athletic Association, PA

2008

Through interviews of parents, members of the organization and children,

was able to collect data enough to reveal a historical timeline of the organization and

offer volunteer coaches a valuable resource. Final contents include yearly calendar

events, mission statement, definitions, structure outline, contacts, and clear

expectations of volunteers.

Educator

Bishop Leonard St. Mary of the Mount Academy, PA

2007 to 2009

Teach grades K-6 components of music such as theory, history/style,

form, timbre, performance, and expression. Write, rehearse and produce final

presentation,

Six Gifts You Can't Wrap,

to include music, dance and stage talents of

over 80 children.

Educator

Wallace Presbyterian Church, Greentree, PA

2006

to 2011

Lead weekly Bible Focus class for adults. Responsibilities include

research history related to current lesson, preparation of handout, and facilitating

class direction and discussion.

Policy Writing

February 2006 - February 2007

Collaborated with other professionals to develop

policy, guidelines and training manual for Wallace Presbyterian Church. Based on

SCaparelli

Safe Sanctuaries, created a customized document that addresses issues of child abuse in

the church setting. This included proactive steps, best practice, and training of all staff

and volunteers.

PRESENTATIONS

School leadership and school mental health. CGSE Student Research Conference,

Pennsylvania. November 2011.

Differentiated instruction: Designing instruction for student success. Teacher

Educators for Children with Behavioral Disorders, Tempe, Arizona. October 2011.

Mental health preparedness of school leaders. 16

th

Annual Conference on Advancing

School Mental Health, Columbia, South Carolina. September 2011

The role of principals in school mental health. Mental Health Education Integration

Consortium, Charleston, South Carolina. May 2011.

Encouraging self-advocacy for children with learning and behavior problems. STAR

Center Conference and Institute, King of Prussia, Pennsylvania. March 2011

Functional behavior assessment: Everything you ever wanted to know but were afraid

to ask. American Music Therapy Association National Conference, Cleveland, Ohio.

November 2010

What children are asking for and how you can help: Evidence-based classroom

interventions and strategies. Pennsylvania Council for Exceptional Children, State

College, PA. November 2010.

Providing purpose for graduate student assignments. Teacher Educators for Children

with Behavioral Disorders, Tempe, Arizona. October 2010.

Challenging spaces for children with EBD: Music and art. Teacher Educators for

Children with Behavioral Disorders, T

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