Curriculum Vitae for Dr. Isabelina Rodriguez

Isabelina Rodriguez, Ed.D.

PERSONAL EXPERIENCE

EXPERIENCES AND ACHIEVEMENTS

• Twenty Four years public school educational experience
• Seventeen years experience in educational administration
• Twenty four years experience serving the needs of culturally and linguistically diverse students within regular education and special education programs
• Possess Massachusetts's certification as Superintendent of schools
• Possess Massachusetts's certification as Administrator of Special Education
• Doctorate of Education in Educational Leadership
• Excellent knowledge of State and Federal regulations
• Extremely high personal standards
• Member of the Governor's Readiness Committee Sub-Committee on Teacher Retention and Recruitment
• Extensive involvement with the Massachusetts Department of Education
• Demonstrated history of consensus building
• Experience in organizational and fiscal management
• Experience in curriculum and staff development
• Bilingual/Bicultural

LEADERSHIP

• Massachusetts' Superintendent's representative on the Governor's Readiness Task Force Teacher Recruitment and Retention Sub-Committee.
• Pioneer Valley's Superintendent's representative to the Massachusetts' Associations' School Superintendent's Executive Board.
• Planned and implemented annual joint School Committee/Administrator retreats to discuss district goals and priorities.
• Planned and aligned district-wide professional development with district goals.
• Interpreted, supported and executed the intent of all School Committee policy through written District procedures and participation in School Committee Sub­committees.
• Encouraged and supported school based professional development, with a focus on differentiated instruction, closing the achievement gap and how to use data to inform instruction.
• Oversaw the selection and implementation of a district-wide English Language Arts Curriculum, Math. Science and Social Studies Curriculum.
• Developed and oversaw the implementation of a mentor/teacher program.
• Planned and implemented an integrated alternative high school program for students with and without identified disabilities.
• Planned and implemented a K-8 district-wide After-school Remediation/Enrichment program.
• Implemented an Computerized Elementary Standards Based Progress Report

EDUCATION

EdD, Educational Leadership, 2003
NOVA Southeastern University, Ft. Lauderdale, FI Massachusetts Certification in Superintendent of Schools

M.Ed., Administration, 1988
Westfield State College, Westfield MA
Massachusetts Certification in Administration of Special Education With Distinction

Bachelor of Science, Education, 1985
Westfield State College, Westfield MA
Cum Laude
 

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

EMPLOYMENT HISTORY

Northampton Public Schools, Northampton MA
Superintendent of Schools, June 2004 - present
Areas of direct responsibility include:

• Fiscal and organizational management
• Supervision/Evaluation of Principals and Central office administrators
• Assist/Advise in negotiations of all employees
• Develop, coordinate and implement district improvement, strategic planning, staff development, and curriculum development and instruction
• Build and maintain collaborative relationships with community and professional colleagues
• Develop, implement, coordinate and evaluate systems, which ensure the effective application of all federal, state and local educational mandates
• Negotiate Principal and other central office staff contracts
• Recruitment of quality staff members
• Establish high quality instruction to ensure student achievement
• Prepare the proposed annual school budget, and assist each school principal with preparation of his/her school-site budget
• Analyze student assessment data (MCAS, IOWA), disseminate data to principals, and use data as one source to drive instruction and curriculum
   

Northampton Public Schools, Northampton MA
Director of Pupil Services, 1994 - June 2004
Areas of direct responsibility include:

• Acting Superintendent in the Superintendent's absence, and representing the Superintendent of Schools at meetings and other school related functions
• Supervision/evaluation of special education, TBE/ESL, early childhood, title 1 and guidance staff (Pupil Services).
• Assisted in the preparation, coordination and evaluation process as the Northampton Public Schools went through one of the first district's Department of Education's Educators' Quality Audits
• Collaborated with School Committee members in a professional manner, seeking ­and accepting opinions.
• Assisted in the negotiations of all employees resulting in employees accepting a zero in the first round of contract years and in changes to health insurance coverage in the second round.
   

ADMINISTRATION
 

• Administered all Massachusetts Department of Education mandated reports, including the end of the year report, October 1 and December 1 reports and staff reports
• Advised City Human Resources of personnel procedures and practices for the Northampton Public Schools
• Ensured all hires meet the requirements necessary for Highly Qualified status
• Approved all personnel hires, terminations or transfers
• Presented recommendations to the School Committee on items requiring School Committee action, based on thorough research and analysis
• Maintained open communication link with State and Federal Legislatures and the Department of Education.
• Investigated options, recommended and implemented a District Security system.
• Completed all evaluations on administrators.
   

FISCAL MANAGEMENT

Responsible for:

• The development of the budgeting system within the district
• The management of a $24 million budget
• Oversight of all fiscal activities within the school district
• Management of federal and state entitlement grants
• Gathering community support and input for the creation of the budget
• Meeting with the public at the public forums to discuss budget and answer any questions or concerns raised.
   

COMMUNITY RELATIONS

• Trustee of the Smith Vocational Agricultural High School Board of Trustees.
• Regular broadcasts with local radio show to publicize activities within the Northampton Public Schools.
• Regular 'Superintendent Chats' at schools and in the community.
  Regularly meet with various school site based councils to discuss goals and concerns.
• Panelist for the Casa Latina Panel to discuss concerns of the Latino community.
• Established a collaboration with Smith College School and UMASS to arrange various partnerships with reciprocal professional development and support for NPS staff members.
• Arranged for tutoring to occur at the housing developments for at-risk students.
• Hired a Bilingual/Itinerant Social Worker/Attendance Officer K-12
• Investigated grant opportunities to promote and support diverse and respectful learning environments.
• Ensured principals evaluation goals and SIPs reflected activities that would help promote and maintain positive and welcoming school climates
• Coordinated and oversaw three Department of Education Coordinated Reviews for Special Education, TBE and MOA and two Coordinated reviews for Title 1
• Developed, implemented, coordinated and evaluated systems which insured the effective application of all federal, state and local mandates related to special education, TBE/ESl, early childhood, 504/ADA and Title 1.
• Assisted with the development of a common district-wide vision, core beliefs, and guiding procedures related to the department of Pupil Services
• Established standards and guidelines for the internal evaluation of all pupil services programs, implementing such internal evaluations and reports on findings of such evaluations
• Represented the Northampton Schools in negotiations with the Paraprofessional's union.
• Collected, maintained, analyzed, reported and submitted all required data and DOE plans related to Pupil Services to DOE
• Identified, wrote and/or supervised all grants and implementation plans related to special education, TBE/ESl, early childhood.
• Prepared the proposed annual Pupil Services budget, and assisted each school principal with preparation of his/her school-site budget
• Assisted the Superintendent, Associate Superintendent, and school principals with the identification, development, implementation and evaluation of professional development programs for professional and paraprofessional staff

 

Springfield Public Schools, Springfield MA
Supervisor of Special Education. 1992 - 1994
 

Elms College, Chicopee MA
Adjunct Faculty, 1996 - 2000
Taught
o Models of Inclusion
o Introduction to Special Education
 

Westfield State College, Westfield MA
Adjunct Facultv. 1988 -1993
• Taught
Introduction to Special Education
Career Transition and Education for Individuals with Significant Needs
 

Westfield State College, Graduate and Continuing Ed Dept Education Dept. Westfield, MA
College Advisor. 1988 - 1991
 

Springfield Public Schools, Springfield MA
Special Education Department 1991 - 1992

• Evaluation Team leader
   

Springfield Public Schools, Springfield MA
Special Education Teacher 1985-1991

• Special Education Crisis Support Teacher
• Special Education Bilingual Teacher

   

PROFESSIONAL PRESENTATIONS

• Massachusetts' Association of School Committee/Massachusetts' Association of School Superintendents (MASS) joint Conference: November 2008, "School Scheduling and Start Times"
• Peace & Justice Committee: First Churches of Northampton: October 2008, Community Forum on "Closing the Achievement Gap"
• Superintendents' Technology Leadership Conference: October 2008, "Technology Essentials for Today's Superintendent"
• Superintendent State Representative at the OSEP National Conference:
  Response To Intervention (RTI) Summit, Washington D.C. December 2007.
• Women's Educational Leadership Network Conference; Sponsored by MASS and MDOE; October 2007, " Interpersonal Relationships, Politics and Leadership in Education"
• Westfield State COllege: Teacher Preparation and Recruitment Panelist, Fall and Spring; 2007,2006 and 2005.
• Pioneer Valley Plan for Progress Educational Summit: January 2006, "Summit on Educational Equity and Excellence"
• Massachusetts' Association of Bilingual Educators Conference: March 2005, "SPED, ELL? and NCLB requirements"
• Massachusetts' Department of Education Conference: June 2004, "Supporting The Education of Homeless Children and Youth", "Special Education- An Overview"
• Massachusetts' Association of Bilingual Educators Conference: March 2004, "SPED, ELL? How can I tell the difference?"
• Elms College/Massachusetts' Department of Education Institute:
  Summer1995, "Language Proficiency and Development for Limited English Proficient Student", "Assessing limited English proficient students with disabilities"
• Massachusetts' Department of Education Trainings: "Understanding the New IEP", 1995-96 school year, various trainings throughout Western Massachusetts
• Massachusetts' Teachers' Association Leadership Conference: August 1992, "Understanding the New Guidelines for Special Education"
• Association of New York Special Educators for the Emotionally Disturbed Annual Conference: Buffalo, NY, 1987, "Special Education and the Bilingual Child"

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

• Governor's Readiness Committee: Member of the Teacher Recruitment and Retention Sub Committee, November 2007-March 2008.
• Collaborative Educational Alliance at Brown University:
   Executive Board Member 2008- present
   Invited Participating member 2006- present
• Massachusetts' Association of School Superintendents:
   Pioneer Valley and Berkshire Valley State M.A.S.5. Executive Board Member 2007- present
   Connecticut Valley Roundtable Executive Board Member 2005-present  Charter School Task Force Member 2005-2007
• Massachusetts' Department of Education Advisory Member: a Personnel Advisory Committee 2002-04
    Special Education Advisory Committee 1994-2000
• Massachusetts' Department of Education Task Force: a Bias Review Committee MTEL Spring 2008
    Bias Review Committee MTEL 2001-02
    Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Learners 1996-97 a Creating the New IEP and forms 1995
    Eligibility Guidelines in Special Education 1992
• Trustee: Smith Vocational Agricultural High School Board of Trustee 2004-present

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS

• MASS: Massachusetts School Superintendents
• AASA: American Association of School Administrators
• NEASS: New England Association of School Superintendents
• ASCD: Association of Supervision and Curriculum and Design
• ASE: Administrators of Special Educator
• CEC: Council for Exceptional Children