Undoubtedly,
Lionheart’s greatest asset is its staff. The school’s concentration and
caliber of teachers and licensed therapy professionals is unmatched by any
other Special Ed program in the Southeast.
| Lionheart Professionals
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Elizabeth Dulin, M.Ed. is the Director of Education and Admissions at Lionheart.
Elizabeth is a Master level teacher, certified to teach pre-K to 12th grade. She received
her degree in Special Education from Vanderbilt University. Elizabeth has worked over 20,
years with children in various settings, that included both private and public school, and
private practice with families. She has a blend of sound teaching practices and specialized
training to work with children. During the past two summers, Elizabeth has attended the DIR
Institute in Washington, D.C. and is a certified DIR faculty-in-training specialist. Elizabeth
has also attended the Schools Attuned Mel Levine training and works closely with the staff to
implement strategies for the individual students. She has
a remarkable understanding of children, and uses the relationship-based approach to foster the
growth and progress of each child. Elizabeth supervises the implementation of DIR principles
into the curriculum. She also works with children in small groups utilizing floor-time.
Elizabeth is a licensed professional special educator in the state of Georgia. |
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Victoria A. McBride, M.A., CCC-SLP is a certified and licensed Speech and Language Pathologist
and Director of Special Services at the Lionheart School. Victoria is one of the original professionals
that started with Lionheart in the Fall of 2000. She has a wealth of experience working with children
in both private practice and school based settings. At Lionheart, Victoria works with children on their
pragmatic language skills, articulation and oral-motor difficulties, as well as other language based
challenges. Victoria is also a DIR certified specialist, embedding DIR principles in her intervention
strategies while working with the students and supervising curriculum objectives. In the Summer of
2005, Victoria attended the training level for Mel Levine’s Schools Attuned progam and utilizes the
strategies from that to identify and meet the individual profiles of the students. |
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Michele Starnes, B.S., is a certified teacher in Special Education with an emphasis
on Interrelated Special Education Preschool - 12. Michele was awarded the Teacher of the Year for
2003-2004 school year at Fulton County’s New Prospect Elementary in Alpharetta, Georgia. She served
as the Special Education Grade Level Chair and was a Leadership Team Member and Language Arts Trainer.
Michele has been at Lionheart since the Fall of 2004 and works with students on their reading and math
curriculums. |
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Carol Spadafora, M.Ed., Dir-Specialist and educator has an education degree with a
Specialization in Early Childhood Education. Carol works with children on their social and
emotional challenges utilizing floor-time as the primary mode of intervention. As a parent of two
children, Carol uses her professional and personal experience to help families learn to interact
and engage with their children. She co-teaches parent training courses with Dr. Barbara Dunbar, a
professional consultant for Lionheart. Carol has attended the DIR-Institute in 2005 and will attend
again for certification in the Summer of 2006. |
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Heidi Schaffner, B.A., joined Lionheart during the 2002-2003 school year and works as
a Teacher assistant in one of the classrooms. Heidi has a Psychology and Studio Art degree from the
University of Vermont. She blends her different talents to work with the students at Lionheart.
Heidi uses her art talent to enhance self-expression and visualization skills. Her past experience
as a book project coordinator and after school literacy program coordinator lends itself as a bridge
to helping with reading and meeting curriculum goals. Heidi's resourcefulness and flexibility is
utilized across the many different settings at Lionheart. She has training in Yoga for special
populations and has used Yoga with children at Lionheart. Heidi is also ropes-course certified
and works with the students on their recreation therapy goals. |
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Gail Nearing, B.S., has worked with Lionheart since Fall of 2004 as a teacher assistant. Prior
to that Gail worked four years in the preschool program at the Alpharetta Presbyterian Church Dayschool.
Since July 2003 she worked with a special needs child utilizing floor-time. She works within the DIR
framework helping meet academic goals for the students in her classroom. In the Spring of 2005,
Gail attended the Infancy and Early Childhood Training Course in Washington, D.C. to gain a better
understanding of DIR principles and supplement her training and education. |
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Jody Kershner, M.T. - B.C. is a board certified music therapist. Jody works with all
students at Lionheart on individual and group music. Jody started working with the Lionheart School
in 2002-2003, employing her music experience to enhance self expression and social interactions.
Jody has a background in both school and private settings. |
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Ann Leverette, M.S. directs the assistive technology component for the students at
Lionheart. Ann has been teaching children in some capacity for 30 years. With an undergraduate degree
in Environmental studies, she spent many years involved with outdoor and experiential education.
Drawn to helping the few children with disabilities who came with their class to outdoor experiences
overcome the obstacles of camping, climbing, paddling, and ropes courses, she found her niche: guiding
children with disabilities to achieve their fullest potential. With a masters degree in Therapeutic
Recreation, Ann went on to co-develop a program at The Shepherd Center in Atlanta, Georgia that taught
children with Spina Bifida to be independent in their communities and families by learning social,
recreational, self care, and problem solving skills. After 7- 1/2 years, at Shepherd, Ann went to The
Marcus Institute in Atlanta to develop and run the child-life and Lekotek programs. Computer play
became a vital part of the program as many children no matter what the disability could manipulate
technology to help control their environments and engage in play activities. After five years with
The Marcus Institute, the love of academics and learning sent Ann to the public school system. Here
she was able to incorporate her experiential teaching background, her experience with learning difference
and styles through work with the LD summer school, and the use of assistive technology to increase
students’ capacities to learn and be successful in the classroom. Anxious to spend more time one on
one with students and impact their learning she started ATL3, Inc in the summer of 2001. At Lionheart,
Ann incorporates her experience in helping identify available technology tools for each student. |
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Bryon Bartholomew, B.A. joins Lionheart as a Support Teacher for the new adolescent
program. Bryon received his Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the Southern University at New Orleans.
He has received his Child Development Associate (CDA) credentials from Georgia State University. Bryon
brings to Lionheart experience working with older students in after school programs in Georgia and at
St. Leo the Great Catholic School in New Orleans. He has worked as a teacher in a Georgia certified
Pre-K program. He has experience preparing and implementing weekly lesson plans for different age groups
as well as organizing field trips relevant to recreational and academic activities for the students.
He has served as a summer camp coordinator and mentor for students, providing counseling and helping
with reading, writing and computer skills. Bryon joins the teacher in the classroom for the adolescent
program and is involved with recreational goals and objectives for all the Lionheart students. |
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Nancie Murray, M.Ed., Ed.S. has a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Special Education,
a Masters of Education in Special Education and Learning Disabilities. In addition, Nancie is
certified as an Education specialist in Special Education and in general Early Education. She is
the lead teacher for our Middle School students. Nancie has a number of years of experience in the
public school setting with both middle and elementary school-aged children. Nancie has attended and
completed the Mel Levine training for educators. She will complete the introductory DIR training course.
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Tamara B. Spafford, MBA, serves as the Executive Director for Lionheart. Tamara has a
concentration in computer information systems and small business administration, working in various
areas both as an employee, business owner and consultant. For the past five years she has attended
continuing education seminars in learning disabilities and special education areas. Tamara attends
to the managerial aspects of Lionheart, maintaining financial records, hiring professionals, negotiating
contracts, taking care of payroll, overseeing professional development, and facilitating admissions.
Tamara is one of the founding parents with a child at Lionheart. |
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Sarah Provow, B.A., serves as the Administrative Director for Lionheart. Sarah has a
degree in Education and has been involved in education for 20 years. Sarah manages office related
items at Lionheart, serves as the liason between Lionheart and the Alpharetta Presbyterian Church
and other community programs. Sarah provides support to the staff and parents, maintains Lionheart
family, professional and staff databases, and is the vital link for daily operations at Lionheart. |
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Paul Durr, B.S. has a Political Science degree from the University of Tennessee at
Martin. Since 2003 Paul has worked as an Educational Consultant with the Lindamood Bell Learning
Center. His responsibilities included planning, and implementing individualized curriculums for
students with various learning disabilities as well as administrating, scoring and assessing diagnostic
evaluations of potential students. Paul brings with him the experience to work with children one on
one and in small groups on areas of ‘Visualizing and Verbalizing’, Symbol Imagery, Phonemic Awareness,
and math curriculums. Paul has been an active member of his church and Hands on Atlanta, AmeriCorps. |
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Jill Snell, M.Ed., has a Masters in Early Childhood Education for the Handicapped (N-3)
and a Masters in Mental Retardation (N-12). In addition Jill has a B.S. in Physical Education.
Jill comes to Lionheart with a wealth of teaching experience. She has evaluated children that have
been referred to the school where she was teaching, she written IEP’s and has implemented educational
plans. Jill will be the lead teacher for the youngest children at Lionheart. |
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Melissa Anne Belch, B.S. in special education from the Franciscan University in
Steubenville, Ohio. Melissa will be joining Lionheart as a co-teacher in one of the classrooms.
Prior to coming to Lionheart Melissa has worked as a Kindergarten and Pre-school teacher, a tutor
and a nanny. She has also done extensive community service. |
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Christina S. Monahan, B.S. in Psychology from James Madison
University. She is currently working on her Masters Degree in Special
Education from Georgia State University. Chrissie joined Lionheart in
2006 and is currently a lead teacher in a classroom. Chrissie comes to
Lionheart with an unbelievable passion for our special population of
children. She works within the DIR framework to enable the children in
her classroom to meet and surpass all of their academic goals. Chrissie
has attended the DIR Conference in Washington DC and other workshops
that have allowed her to continue to grow educationally.
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Craig Martin Canedy has been teaching both yoga and music in the Atlanta area since
1999. Craig has a bachelor’s degree in both Music Composition and Psychology. Craig is an
internationally certified Kundalini Yoga Instructor. Craig is the owner and director of Muse for
Life music, dance, & yoga studio in Sandy Springs, where inspiring inclusionary programs are offered
for all ages. Currently, Craig is finishing his course-work for a master’s degree in music therapy at
Georgia College & State University, and he is specializing in whole-body, multidimensional educational
and therapeutic methods that incorporate music, art, and movement into standard academic curriculums.
At Lionheart, Craig teaches yoga, music, and music learning. Craig believes that the whole body and
senses should be involved within the learning process, and he incorporates this belief within the
programs and activities he offers and develops for Lionheart. |
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Kati Keyes serves as the Development Assistant for Lionheart. Kati has
bachelor's degrees in Classical Culture and Latin from the University of
Georgia. She will be aiding in Lionheart's fundraising and media
relations efforts, maintaining foundation correspondence, and
representing the school at awards functions and benefits. Kati's prior
experience includes interning for The Atlantan Magazine and serving as
the office manager for an Atlanta-based marketing firm. |
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Lise Coston, M.A., OTR/L joins Lionheart as our licensed and
registered Occupational Therapist. Lise earned a master’s degree in
Occupational Therapy from New York University and a bachelor’s degree in
psychology from the University of Miami. She previously worked as a
provider of OT services in private practice, home and school-based
settings for children ages 1 month through 16 years in Atlanta and New
York. Additionally she has received DIR® and sensory integration
training, and has years of experience working with children who have
learning, sensory and motor challenges. We are thrilled to have Lise
join our team at Lionheart. |
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