School of Education

Graduate Programs

Faculty and Staff

School of Education Faculty

	Kathleen A. Butler, Ph.D., Professor of Education Dean, School of Education Chair, Department of Education Specializations: Teacher leadership, secondary teacher preparation, learning and teaching styles, curriculum development Mercy Hall, Room 323 • kbutler@usj.edu Dr. Butler's Spotlight
	Regina Chatel , Ph.D., Professor of Education Specializations: Reading & Language Arts, technology Advisement: Reading & Language Arts, Elementary Education Mercy Hall, Room 326 • 860.231.5356 • rchatel@usj.edu Dr. Chatel's Spotlight
	Lydia Conca, Ph.D., Professor of Education Specializations: Urban and special education, language-based learning problems, including reading disabilities, school reform, data-based instructional decision making. Advisement: Special Education, Urban Education Mercy Hall, Room 321 • 860.231.5540 • lconca@usj.edu Dr. Conca's Spotlight
	Joanne Cunard , Ph.D., Professor of Education Specializations: Reading & Language Arts, Action Research Advisement: Reading & Language Arts; Elementary Education Mercy Hall, Room 327 • 860.231.5337 • jcunard@usj.edu Dr. Cunard's Spotlight
	Marialice B.F.X. Curran , Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Education Specializations: Middle Level Education, Creative Arts in Learning, Technology Advising Area: Technology Mercy Hall, Room 316 • 860.231.5332 • mcurran@usj.edu
	Barbara Hartigan, Ed.D. , Assistant Professor of Education Early Childhood Program Director Specialization: Educational leadership, Early Childhood and Elementary Education. Advising areas: Curriculum and Instruction and Early Childhood Mercy Hall, Room 309 • 860.231.5523 • bhartigan@usj.edu
	Barbara Henriques, Ed.D., Assistant Professor of Education Specializations: Elementary Math and Science; teacher centers; staff development; action research design; curriculum development; American Professional Partnership for Lithuanian Education. Advisement: Math & Science, Elementary Education Mercy Hall, Room 312 • 860.231.5420 • bhenriques@usj.edu
	Joan Hofmann, Ph.D., Professor of Special Education Specializations: assessment, writing, inclusionary strategies, instructional adaptations and modifications, professional consultation and collaboration. Advisement: Special Education Mercy Hall, Room 313 • 860.231.5340 • jhofmann@usj.edu Dr. Hofmann's Spotlight
	Susan Johns, Ed.D., Assistant Professor of Education Associate Dean and Director of Off Campus Programs Specializations: Multiple Intelligences theory; creative arts, school improvement, early childhood and elementary education, curriculum and instruction Advising Area: Multiple Intelligences Mercy Hall, Room 337 • 860.231.5336 • sjohns@usj.edu Dr. Johns' Spotlight
	Linda Labbadia, J.D., Assistant Professor of Education Specializations: Secondary teacher preparation, methods in teaching social studies, law Advisement: Secondary Education, R.E.A.C.H. to Teach Mercy Hall, Room 325 • 860.231.5338 • llabbadia@usj.edu
	Jane Martin, M.A., Instructor Specialization: Special Education gmartin@usj.edu
	Jule McCombes-Tolis, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Education Specialization: Identification and remediation of learning and reading disorders, including Dyslexia; program development and progress monitoring for students with learning and attention disorders; job-embedded coaching supports for literacy and intervention specialists. Mercy Hall, Room 310 • 860.231.5262 • jmccombes-tolis@usj.edu
	John Molteni, Ph.D., BCBA-D Director, Autism Spectrum Disorders Initiative Mercy Hall, Room 342 • 860.231.5699 • jmolteni@usj.edu
	Meg Monaghan, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Education Specializations: Curriculum and Instruction, teacher preparation, social studies education Advisement: Secondary Education Mercy Hall, Room 324 • 860.231.5342 • mmonaghan@usj.edu Dr. Monaghan's Spotlight
	Edmund Nocera , Ph.D., Instructor Specializations: Foundations, educational law, educational researce enocera@usj.edu
	Kim Richard, Ph.D., Assistant Professor Education Specialization: Literacy, K-6 Mercy Hall, Room 314 • 860.231.5784 • krichard@usj.edu
	Enrique Sepulveda, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Education Specializations: Diversity, culture, educational issues Advisement: Education Mercy Hall, Room 328 • 860.231.5382 • esepulveda@usj.edu
	Kathleen M. Whitbread , Ph.D. Associate Professor of Education Specializations: Curriculum and instruction for students with significant disabilities, positive behavior supports, and family-professional partnerships Advisement: Special Education Mercy Hall, Room 311 • 860.231.5362 • kwhitbread@usj.edu Dr. Whitbread's Spotlight

School of Education Professional Staff

	Jill Mack, M.A. Licensure Officer Specializations: Internship program for licensed teachers; educator standards, portfolio development, professional development, integrating the arts into the curriculum and AIMI (Arts Integrated Multiple Intelligences) Project at University of Saint Joseph Advisement: Teacher Licensure Mercy Hall, Room 329 • 860.231.5335 • jmack@usj.edu
	Suzanne Shippee, M.A. Director of Student Teaching and Clinical Experiences Specializations: Undergraduate and Graduate Student Teaching and Clinical Experiences, Internship program for Graduate Students seeking licensure or Master's Degree Mercy Hall, Room 320 • 860.231.5327 • sshippee@usj.edu

School of Education Office Staff

	Lisa Sandstrom Executive Assistant to the Dean of Education Mercy Hall, Room 315 • 860.231.5331 • lsandstrom@usj.edu
	Dana Amendola Office Manager Mercy Hall, Room 322 • 860.231.5584 • damendola@usj.edu
	Dana LaFond Licensure Office Administrative Assistant Mercy Hall, Room 331 • 860.231.5330 • dlafond@usj.edu
	Nanette Flores Student Teaching Administrative Assistant Mercy Hall, Room 318 • 860.231.5431 • nflores@usj.edu

Faculty Grants
Faculty members in the Department of Education have received numerous competitive grants based on their expertise in teacher preparation and in special education.

U.S. Department of Education
2005-2008 U.S. Department of Education Model Arts and Dissemination Grant
Integrating Multiple • Intelligences and Arts Strategies, Partnership with Wilson Middle School, University of Saint Joseph and Oddfellows Playhouse, $750,000, Dr. Susan Johns.

Connecticut Department of Higher Education
Each is a partnership with the University of Saint Joseph Liberal Arts & Sciences faculty, the faculty from the Department of Education, and a high need school district.
2007 • The Art Museum: Gateway to History, Journey to Expression, Part II. $60,000, Dr. Kathleen Butler
2006 • The Art Museum: Gateway to History, Journey to Expression, Part I. $65,000, Dr. Kathleen Butler
2005 • Voices for Freedom: The Amistad Message in 21st Century America $65,000, Dr. Kathleen Butler
2004 • Using Science to Improve Literacy in an Elementary School, $88,000, Dr. Susan Johns and Dr. Lydia Conca

Connecticut State Department of Education
2001-2005 Bureau of Special Education and Pupil Services, Unification of Teacher Preparatory Programs to Meet the Diverse Learning Needs of Students, $180,000, Dr. Lydia Conca, Dr. Kathleen Butler.

2000 • Goals 2000 Professional Development Grant in collaboration with the Middlesex Consortium of Schools. ($25,000), Dr. Regina Chatel.

Special Education
Dr. Kathleen Whitbread
Student Technical Assistance Response (STAR) Teams (2005-2008). Funded by the Connecticut State Department of Education, Bureau of Special Education: $200,000. per year for three years. Provided training and technical assistance to schools and families to increase access to the general education curriculum for students with significant disabilities.

Instructional Coaches Academy. Funded by the Connecticut State Department of Education, Bureau of Special Education (2005-2008): $230,000. per year for three years. Provided training to teachers and administrators in educating students with significant disabilities in general education classrooms.

Forty-Day Coaches Principal Training Project. (2005-2006). $138,000. per year for one year. Funded by Stamford Public Schools. Provided training and technical assistance to principals/assistant principals in twelve urban elementary schools to increase compliance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004.

Families as Partners: School-Family Collaboration in the Education of Students with Disabilities (2004-2006). $100,000. per year for two years. State Improvement Grant funded by the Connecticut State Department of Education, Bureau of Special Education. Provided training to family members and school district personnel to develop effective partnerships in the Individual Education Program (IEP) planning process.

Understanding Special Education; Parent/professional training (2001-2005). Funded by the Connecticut Council on Developmental Disabilities. ($80,000. per year for two years). Provided training to family members and school district personnel to develop effective partnerships in the Individual Education Program (IEP) planning process. Measured outcomes for students whose family members participated in training.

Special Services Study; Bristol Public Schools (2001-2003).$50,000. Funded by Bristol Public Schools. Conducted a study of parent satisfaction with special education services provided by Bristol Public Schools.

Technology
Dr. Regina Chatel
2008 • usj Summer Mini Grant TEACH project
2004 • usj Summer Mini Grant. Socrates Comenus Project. ($1,300)
2003 • Technology: Connections that Enhance Children's Literacy Acquisition and Reading Achievement. IERI Research Grant from the National Science Foundation.
2001 • Connecticut Distance Learning Consortium. ($2,500)
2000 • Faculty Educational Technology Grant. ($5,500)

June 17, 2013