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Special Education Department

Resources for Families
TEA Special Education Updates, 2019-20
 
 
 

Special Education Coordinator: 

MIS Teachers
 
Shared MIS/HPMS Teachers
 
Speech Language Pathologist: 
  • Mary Margaret Kyle
 
Licensed Specialist in School Psychology:  
  • Matthew Taylor
 
Educational Diagnostician (5-8)
  • Lauren Smith
 
ParaProfessionals (Instructional Assistants):
  • Amanda Badgett
  • Martha Carter
  • Victoria Castillo
  • Kendra Davis
  • Deijanee Handy
  • Anthony Kemp
  • Kjelson Logan
  • Angie Martinez
  • Allen Phillips
  • Allison Ritter
  • Brittany Ruiz
  • Melinda Steward
  • Jennifer Taylor
 
District Staff who serve MIS/HPMS:
  • Assistive Technology: Amanda Rutherford
  • Occupational Therapist: Amee Patel
  • Physical Therapist: Lydia Boudreaux
  • Adapted Physical Education: Andrea Crane
  • Music Therapy: Judith "Darlene" Canales
  • Teacher of the Visually Impaired and Home-bound teacher: Jordan Bell
 
Contracting with HPISD to Provide Services:
  • Teacher for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing: David Fahnle
  • Certified Orientation & Mobility Specialist:  Alexa Poynor

Department Goals:
The MIS/HPMS Special Education Department are committed to being life-long learners.  We are dedicated to forming positive partnerships with parents and students.
 
Who's Who:
 
Monitoring Teachers:                  
Every student who receives special education services has a monitoring teacher, who is one of the parent’s primary points of contact for questions or concerns about your child’s IEP or special education services. Your child’s monitoring teacher is very familiar with his or her accommodations and IEP.  The monitoring teacher is responsible for tracking your child’s progress and updating IEP goals and objectives each grading period.  Your monitoring teacher communicates with general and special education staff to stay informed about progress and what’s going on in the classroom at the times when he or she is not there. Your child’s monitoring teacher will be the person who attends your child’s annual ARD meetings and any revisions throughout the year.  Additionally, any IEP amendments will be completed by your child's monitor teacher.
 
In-Class Support Teachers/Providers:
In-Class Support (ICS) teachers/providers support students in the general education classroom.  They  help monitor and deliver accommodations and modifications to the general education curriculum in the general education setting.  They may provide direct support with study and/or organizational skills, provide small group instruction or reteach when necessary.
 
Fundamentals Teacher:

The teacher in a Fundamentals classroom provides specialized instruction in a special education classroom. The focus is on training and instruction in functional and academic skills to help students become as independent as possible. 

 

Structure Teacher:

The teacher in a Structure classroom provides specialized instruction in a special education classroom. The focus is on highly structured and routinized activities, strongly predictable routines, visual supports and communication.

 

Resource Teacher:

The teacher in a resource classroom provides specialized instruction for students who access general education curriculum through the use of significant accommodations, modifications, supplementary aids and/or related services.

 
Positive Behavior Support Teachers/Providers:

Positive Behavior Support (PBS) teachers/providers support students behaviorally, academically and socially. They may provide instruction in or support with social skills, study skills and/or organizational skills.  Students may access the PBS teacher/providers for assistance when they are having difficulty in the general education classroom. 

 

Instructional Assistants:

Instructional Assistants support students and teachers through various means and in both general and special education settings. These settings may include in-class support, fundamentals, structure, resource or a positive behavior support (PBS) setting. Additionally, support is often provided during specials, electives and with transitions between classes.

 

Other Instructional/Related Service Providers:

Your child may receive support or instruction from the following (based on evaluation and ARD committee recommendations): *a speech-language pathologist (SLP), *occupational therapist (OT), *physical therapist (PT), *adapted physical education teacher (APE), *music therapist, *teacher of the deaf and hard of hearing, *teacher of the visually impaired or *licensed specialist in school psychology (LSSP). 

 
Special Education Campus Coordinators:

Special education campus coordinators are responsible for coordinating campus special education services for students determined eligible for services through special education. They are in ARD (Admission/Review/Dismissal) meetings, collaborate with school staff and parents regarding instructional support and services in the area of special education.