Chelsea Simpson
Brunswick,MD
Summary
Distinguished youth and adult educator with over 9 years of experience in workforce development and K-12 education services. Skilled in leading cross-sector transition programs for students with disabilities, with a proven ability to develop and implement individualized education plans tailored to diverse learning needs. Utilizes effective behavior management techniques to create a positive and inclusive classroom environment that fosters student growth. Demonstrates successful collaboration with multidisciplinary teams, working together to support student success and development.
Overview
13
13
years of professional experience
Work History
Special Education Teacher, Project SEARCH Hilton Capital Area Region
District of Columbia Public Schools
07.2016 - Current
- Lead a workforce transition program classroom with 8 to 12 interns yearly ages 18-21; provide classroom instruction and business-oriented coaching, resulting in an average hire rate of approximately 75% for students at graduation
- In 2015, helped pilot this program at early stages and scale it over several years; designed processes and procedures for programming in partnership with the Department of Disability Services (DDS), Hilton and SEEC (nonprofit partner)
- Manage cross-sector collaboration to provide services for interns and families with a focus on educational, independent living, social and vocational goals
- Implement Customized Employment practices by identifying productive and meaningful work site opportunities and securing mentors and supervisors for student experiences
- Analyze and document interns' job performance; identify and develop supports and accommodations as needed; create and administer a variety of transition assessments to learn about the strengths, needs, and preferences of each individual student
- Lead external presentations to funders, partners and employers; create marketing materials using Microsoft Word, Microsoft PowerPoint, and Adobe Acrobat
- Build and establish relationships with local businesses to create career pathways for students in hospitality and retail
- Provide daily classroom instruction with focus on employment practices, life skills, and independent living
- Organize and coordinate a variety of events for students and families including graduation, family meetings, mock interview events, job fairs and other co-led events with funders
- Provide ongoing disability awareness training and materials to support managers and mentors
- Create and implement meaningful goals for students and update all areas of their Individualized Education Program (IEP) while keeping families informed about student progress
- Collect, monitor, analyze, and report data on student performance
- Transition the program to a virtual format during the coronavirus pandemic; deliver effective virtual instruction, collaborate with related service providers and a variety of stakeholders to master the use of virtual platforms such as ONEder Academy, Virtual Job Shadow, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Suite, Cognitopia, EdPuzzle and Canvas
- Edit items in student portfolios (such as resumes, cover letters, transition plans and profiles) to ensure that each of them has sufficient resources and documentation to support their transition from high-school
- Complete the administrative work required to onboard students into the program, transition them to the appropriate service providers, and support them with applying for a variety of services including Developmental Disability Administration, Social Security Administration, Rehabilitation Services Administration, and S.E.E.C
- Implement behavior interventions when students are in crisis and follow steps as a mandated reporter in necessary situations
- Coordinate a variety of services for youth through outreach in the community and collaboration with Department of Disability services, Rehabilitation Services Administration, and DCPS related service providers (i.e
- Therapy services, transportation services, housing opportunities, job-placement etc.)
- Interview families and prospective candidates and lead the selection process with partners to determine which candidates should be admitted into the program
- Supervise and train new team members
- Closely monitor attendance of candidates and approve submitted timesheets to ensure interns are paid in a timely manner and edit or make corrections on denied timesheets
Contractor
SEEC (Seeking Equality, Empowerment, and Community)
04.2014 - 06.2015
- Aided with personal care, medical, behavioral, and safety needs of adults with autism
- Mentored and taught individual independent living skills through community integration
- Planned agendas and activities to embed skills that promote a more independent and meaningful lifestyle
- Completed training in the basic course curriculum including: Driving safety, Responding to the Health Care Needs of Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, Assisting People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities in Choice Making, Basic Communication and Conflict Management Skills, Client/Patient Transfers, Fire Safety, Infection Prevention, Intellectual Disabilities, Building Relationships and Community Membership, Person Centered Planning for Individuals with Developmental Disabilities, Principles and Practices of Effective Direct Supports, Supporting Everyday Lives for People with Disabilities, Supporting Quality of Life for a Person with Developmental Disabilities
Head Teacher (Post-High School Program)
Ivymount School
01.2014 - 06.2015
- Created meaningful and innovative lesson plans and develop student goals for content related to students' independent employment, technology, and literacy goals
- Created Individualized Education Programs (IEP), progress reports, data collection sheets and goal setting with students; hosted annual IEP meetings with families and students
- Collaborated with staff members, related service providers and parents to improve student programming
Assistant Teacher (Post-High School Program)
Ivymount School
06.2013 - 01.2014
- Provided administrative support to the head teacher by creating materials and worksheets, leading lesson plans, supporting students with tasks using behavior analysis and teaching techniques, goal-setting, progress reporting and updating behavior plans
- Tracked student attendance, monitored students during class and in the community
ABA Instructor/Case Manager (Autism Program)
Ivymount School
10.2011 - 06.2013
- Supported adults (15-21) with autism at school, in the community, and at job-sites while embedding life skills and goals from their IEP (Individualized Education Program)
- Collected, graphed, monitored, and analyzed students' skill acquisition programs and behaviors daily; presented regular status reports on student growth and the success of the programs to the Program Support specialist and head teacher, while maintaining accuracy of documentation and student confidentiality
- Created data collection sheets, update and create target sheets, problem solved deficits of programming, and prepared functional materials to ensure student success
- Collaborated with staff members to improve the quality of education for students, including working with the vocational specialist to identify students' strengths, interests, and capabilities to complete jobs successfully
- Trained staff members to effectively work with students and evaluate their implementation of behavior plans
- Used professional crisis management and crisis intervention strategies and documented antecedents of behaviors, the behaviors themselves, and consequences of the behaviors
Education
Master of Arts - Education and Human Development, Interdisciplinary Secondary Transition Services
The George Washington University
01.2021
D.C. Standard Special Education Teacher License (3-year) -
D.C. Public Schools
01.2022
Professional Development for Teachers, Counselors and School Administrators -
Trinity Washington University's Office of Continuing Education
01.2016
Maryland Educator Certificate - Special Education 6-Adult
Saint Mary's College of Southern Maryland
Saint Mary's City, MD01.2014
Bachelor of Arts - Human Studies with focus on Early Childhood Education
Saint Mary's College of Maryland
01.2011
Skills
- Adult Transition Services and Education
- Special Education
- Professional Training and Coaching
- Interagency Collaboration
- Task Analysis and Documentation
- Program Development & Marketing
- Consulting & Job Development
- MS Office (PowerPoint, Excel, Word, Outlook, Publisher, Teams, sharepoint)
- Applied Behavior Analysis
- Workforce Development
- Counseling
- Service Coordination
- Individualized instruction
- Behavior management
- Curriculum development
- Lesson planning
- Student assessment
- Special needs advocacy
- Classroom management
- Educational technology
- Differentiated instruction
- IEP implementation
- Communication skills
- Collaboration skills
- Teaching strategies
- Parental communication
- Resource management
- Student engagement
- Crisis intervention
- Educational support
- Adaptability
- Emotional intelligence
- Conflict resolution
- Positive reinforcement
- Cultural awareness
- Problem solving
- Inclusive education
- Language development
- Data analysis
- Professional development
- Student motivation
- Team collaboration
- Learning disabilities
- Progress monitoring
- Peer mentoring
- Instructional design
- IEP meetings
- Goal setting
- Creative teaching
- Adaptive technology
Professional Development
- Behavioral Principles and Strategies Certificate, Ivymount School, 04/01/15
- Safety & Crisis Management (SCM) Training, Ivymount School, 08/01/14
- Author & Illustrator, 'Milton's Buttons', a Children's Book about Social Inclusion, 12/01/13
Timeline
Special Education Teacher, Project SEARCH Hilton Capital Area Region
District of Columbia Public Schools
07.2016 - Current
Contractor
SEEC (Seeking Equality, Empowerment, and Community)
04.2014 - 06.2015
Head Teacher (Post-High School Program)
Ivymount School
01.2014 - 06.2015
Assistant Teacher (Post-High School Program)
Ivymount School
06.2013 - 01.2014
ABA Instructor/Case Manager (Autism Program)
Ivymount School
10.2011 - 06.2013
Professional Development for Teachers, Counselors and School Administrators -
Trinity Washington University's Office of Continuing Education
Bachelor of Arts - Human Studies with focus on Early Childhood Education
Saint Mary's College of Maryland
Master of Arts - Education and Human Development, Interdisciplinary Secondary Transition Services
The George Washington University
D.C. Standard Special Education Teacher License (3-year) -
D.C. Public Schools
Maryland Educator Certificate - Special Education 6-Adult
Saint Mary's College of Southern Maryland
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