Early Childhood Special Education

Apryl R. Lowe

*********@*****.***

**** **** ****

Elgin, IL 60124

Cell: 630-***-****

Education:

Master’s Degree – Education Administration

Northern Illinois University- DeKalb, Illinois

December 2009

Master’s Degree – Early Childhood Leadership and Advocacy

National Louis University – Wheaton, Illinois

May 2003

Bachelor’s Degree – Early Childhood and Special Education

University of Wisconsin Milwaukee - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

May 1998

Work Experience:

School District U-46, Illinois Park School: Principal of Illinois Park Center for Early Learning

August 2011- Current

Design and conduct all staff meetings throughout the year

Meet with each teacher to discuss professional development goals and follow the TAP guidelines

Hire new staff and help train them to understand curriculum and core assessment

Provide a safe and nurturing environment for all Preschool and Kindergarten students

Encourage and help families to attend parent education nights to ensure they are fully equipped to

support their child’s learning at home

Partner with (Director of Early Learners) to coordinate the filling of Full Day Kindergarten

Intervention spots throughout the school year

Continuously create a new parent group due to students typically only attending Illinois Park for one

year

Develop a core team of teacher leaders to help oversee the needs of the school

Work on Transformation Task Force from December 2012- Current

Served on the first group of Equity and Excellence for the district

Oversee budget at Illinois Park School

Plan and conduct professional development with the SIP team and EC leadership team

Created manual for new teachers for Early Childhood department

Created and implemented problem-solving meetings

Partner with the community to recruit volunteers to work in our school from: United Way, Larkin High

School and Westminster Christian outreach students

Geneva District 304, Friendship Station: Preschool Coordinator

August 2008-June 2011

Designed and conducted all staff meetings throughout the year

Oversaw the daily function of the building, providing professional development on a daily level

Hired new staff and help train and develop new and veteran staff members

Worked with early intervention in handling transition meetings

Created a brochure to help with the facilitation of transitioning students from early intervention to

Geneva 304 school district

Scheduled all of assessment team evaluations and the follow up meetings for the Early Childhood

Program

Served on the RTI oversight committee developing and implementing the guidelines for a RTI

(response to intervention) program

Served on the district’s Technology committee

Handled budgeting and daily administration for the Preschool staff

Promoted the education of with IEP’s in a blended preschool classroom

Used Scott Foresman Curriculum, Reading Street, to guide instruction in the 4 year old classroom

Produced a parent handout that corresponded with Scott Foresman Curriculum and the letter of the

week that was sent out weekly to help encourage the connection between home and school

Implemented Illinois Early Learning Standards into instruction and goal writing

Changed the curriculum to a research based curriculum with the facilitation of the park district

teachers to Creative Curriculum

Provided ongoing professional development for Creative Curriculum and summer curriculum writing

Worked with district personnel for spending, curriculum and hiring

Evaluated staff at Friendship Station

Oversaw and implemented all state special education guidelines related to early childhood and sent

to state level on a weekly basis

School District U-46, Illinois Park/ Independence: Preschool Teacher/ Early Reading First (ERF) Coach

August 1999-June 2008

Kindergarten Transition Facilitator where I transitioned children from preschool into kindergarten

Instructed children with special education and at - risk characteristics in the preschool environment

Developed IEP’s and implemented goals in the classroom setting with support from the team

(speech therapist, occupational therapist, physical therapist, and social worker)

Integrated early learning standards into daily lesson plans

Used High Scope curriculum to guide instruction

Applied Early Reading First strategies in classroom

Exercised differentiated instruction to meet needs of all students in the classroom

Created portfolios and used work sampling for each child for assessment purposes

Wrote a weekly newsletter to keep parents informed on classroom instruction, specials, learning

standards and the curriculum that will be focused on the following week and parent education ideas

Ran monthly family activity to encourage parent participation in the classroom

Integrated technology by using photo story, United Streaming, Kid Pix, and educational websites

aligned with learning standards, and instructional palm pilot (work sampling Illinois). Facilitated ERF

scientifically-based reading research strategies into 7 different classrooms and implemented oral

language, scaffolded writing, phonological awareness, integrated play themes, and targeted key

vocabulary

Created lesson plans with teachers helping them to implement these techniques into their

classroom.

Supervised professional growth duties within early childhood

Co – wrote federal grant and was part of the Early Childhood Leadership Team where program

decision making, allocation of funds, class lists for 2006-2007 was conducted

Certifications:

Type 75 – State of Illinois

Teacher Certification – Type 04/ Special Education Approval (Illinois)

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