About Me!

Welcome to Miss Rachael’s room!

         

Background

            I attended Lock Haven University for my Bachelor’s Degree in Special Education. I previously taught at the Partial Hospitalization Program located in Bellefonte. I am currently working on my Master’s Degree to become a Reading Specialist. I started at NHS in January of 2014 and have loved working here. I love to teach all subjects and have a lot of exciting things planned for this year. My husband and I live about an hour away from the school. We have a dog, Roo, and a micropig, Ethel, whom we spoil like crazy. In my free time I enjoy reading a good book, doing something outdoors, or visiting my family. I have 4 nieces and 4 nephews that I try to see on a pretty regular basis. 

Academics

            This year we will be utilizing the Every Day Mathematics for the younger students and UCSMP Transition Math for the older ones if appropriate. Every Day Mathematics and the Transition Math are a research based curriculum which includes academic, effective classroom practice, field testing, and learner verification research. This curriculum can and will be modified to suit your child’s learning needs.

            We will be doing novel based curriculum for reading and writing this year. The first novel we will be doing this year will be “The Giver” by Lois Lowry.

Each student will have their own set of vocabulary words to study since we have a variety of grade levels. Elementary students will be wrapping up sight words and will also utilize the Words Their Way program. Older students will be utilizing the Glencoe Vocabulary Workbook.

            For World History this year we will be using the FOCUS curriculum which was funded by the U.S. Department for Education, Office of Innovation and Improvement. This curriculum combines both Social Studies & Economics for students to make multiple connections through out a lesson.

            For Science, we will be utilizing a variety of resources to make this a very hands on unit.

Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools

We have been and will continue utilizing the CBITS program. The Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS) program is a school-based, group and individual intervention.  It is designed to reduce symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and behavioral problems, and to improve functioning, grades and attendance, peer and parent support, and coping skills.

Vocational Skills

            Being in Middle School, many students are approaching the age of 14 or are 14. This means we need to focus in on what sort of job skills they are capable/desire to perform and in what setting they would work best. We also need to acknowledge that college may be the route they would like to take in which we will focus on continuing education as well. We will be incorporating vocational skills into our daily routine so each student can attempt a variety of skills and decide where they feel most successful. One of our jobs is cleaning the down stairs of the school!