Antoinette J. Napoli-Pugh, M.A., M.S.
PERSONAL SUMMARY
A Special Education Teacher oriented and highly motivated individual who can provide a high level of expertise as a consultant or witness. I am a proactive educator and administrator who’s always determined to make sure that my clients are treated in a professional manner at all times and student’s rights are enforced in accordance to both State and Federal laws. As an expert in Special Educational Laws and having over 30 years’ experience in the classroom with all types of students including, but not limited to: Autism, Deaf-blindness, Down Syndrome, Hearing Impaired, Emotional Disturbance, Mental Retardation, Orthopedic Impairment, Specific Learning disability, Speech or language impairment, Traumatic Brain Injury, and Behavioral challenges.
PROFESSIONAL OVERVIEW
My professional and teaching experiences have been within the special needs population, the Juvenile Justice system and the abandoned/abused children and students for over 27+ years in California. During my time working with infants, children, teens and adults, my experiences have been with Emotional and Behavioral Disturbances (EBD), Learning Disabilities (LD), Visually Impaired (VI), ADHD and ADD, Tourette syndrome, Orthopedic impairment, Mental Disorders, Autism (AUT) and Other Health Impaired (OHI), Down’s syndrome, Developmental delay, Deaf, Deaf-blindness, Commutative Disabilities (CD), Hearing impairment, Traumatic brain injury and Intellectual Disability (ID) in Nonpublic Schools, Nonpublic Agencies, Day Treatment Centers, Atypical Schools and Typical Schools, in self-contained settings and inclusion settings.
Equally important is educating parents/guardians on the rights of a person with a disability and on communication strategies to allow for a positive and open relationship with the IEP team, school & district.
I am dedicated to helping children with special needs achieve their full potential. I believe that schools play an essential role in providing these children with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed and parents should be an integral part of the decision-making process when it comes to their child's education. When the school and parents work together in a child-centered approach to solving issues, the child receives the supports and services that they need.
I know how the system functions from multiple perspectives. After having written and/or collaborated at over 2,000 IEPs, assessed as many students and educated parents about the basics of special education and special education laws, I felt it was time to make a bigger difference in the education of this special group of children, by becoming an education and special education advocate.
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ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS
M.A., Education Administration, University of Long Beach
M.S., Special Education, University of Long Beach
B.A., Speech and Communications, University of Long Beach
Multiple Subjects Teaching Credential K-12
Learning Disabilities Teaching Credential
Severe Handicapped Teaching Credential
Communicative Disabilities Teaching Credential
Resource Teaching Certificate (RSP Teacher)
ProAct Certificate
ABA Certificate
CLAD Certificate
Positive Behavior Inventions
Additional work and experience:
I teach small group instructional sessions educating parents in the basics of special education, special education law, and how to navigate the special education maze of paperwork and documentation required by the school district.
The Maze of Documents: Assessments, Plans, Diplomas and more...
- Individualized Education Plans (IEP)
- 504 Plans
- Due Process Complaint Notice
- Response to Intervention (RTI)
- Alternate Assessments
- Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA)
- Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP)
- Individual Transitional Plans
- Workability
- Certificate of Completion/Diploma
- Transitional Programs for students 18-22
- Documents and Assessments from School Districts
Advocate and Support Member for Student or Legal Representatives
• Providing support to the company through both administrative and clerical duties.
• Review of Student records
• Creating recommendations to modify or add to current services rendered
• Providing a high standard of service to student, parents and legal representatives
• Reviewing IEP’s
• Scheduling IEP’s
• Communicating with School Administrators, Counselors and Teachers
• Classroom Observations
• Observation and recommendations for Behavior Intervention Plan
• Assist in writing letters for services
• Assist with Due Process Compliant Notices
• Formulating and Evaluating valuate 504 Plans
*I am passionate about empowering youth and their families to learn how to advocate for themselves and create positive relationships with their educational team using the IEP process always with a child d-centered approach.
Equally important is educating parents/guardians on the rights of a person with a disability and on communication strategies to allow for a positive and open relationship with the IEP team, school & district.
The dictionary definition of an advocate is someone who supports or defends a cause or someone who pleads on another person’s behalf; a lawyer. It should be noted that most special education advocates are very well versed in the laws, regulations of a school district as well as the Federal and State education laws and have exceptional experience that goes beyond the ordinary classroom setting.
My students have come in all shapes, sizes and disabilities. Listed below are a few of the areas I have been certified, certificated and instructed on behalf of my "special need children."
Autism
Deafness
Deaf-blindness
Developmental delay
Emotional disturbance
Hearing impairment
Mental retardation
Multiple disabilities
Orthopedic impairment
Other health impairment
Specific learning disability
Speech or language impairment
Traumatic brain injury
Visual impairment, including blindness.