Ursula Pendziwater

Background

About Ursula Pendziwater

I am currently working at Wilbur Cross HighSchool as the Transition Coordinator and PPT Chairperson. I previously worked as a special education teacher for grades 9-12 in the alternative high school program located in the North Branford High School. My credentials include a BA in Sociology and Special Education Certification from Southern Connecticut State University and a Master’s degree in Education from the University of New England. I have also been trained to teach Multi-Sensory Reading Instruction from the Learning House in Guilford. I am PMT certified. I had served as the Transition Coordinator for the past 9 years. As a teacher in the alternative high school program, I needed to help identify at risk students and identify academic interventions and strategies to be used in the general education classrooms, special education classrooms or as a last resort, the alternative program. I met on a regular basis with support staff and the faculty to assess how the implemented interventions and strategies were working. The student population of the program that I worked with included emotionally disturbed, specific learning disability, autism, ADD and mental health issues. As the Transition Coordinator, I had the responsibility of attending workshops and information sessions regarding the evolving changes in transition of students with IEP’s and 504 Plans. I was responsible for ensuring that the North Branford staff received, understood and implemented these changes. I was responsible for planning the annual North Branford High School College/Career Fair and the bi-annual North Branford Transition Fair. I served as the liaison with agencies such as BRS, DMR, DMHAS, DCF, Ability beyond Disability, and Southeastern Employment Agency as well as local colleges and postsecondary training schools.