SPED 551 Introductions by Caroline DiPipi-Hoy

dipipi5 — 2026-01-13 17:14:58 UTC

I was born and raised in East Stroudsburg. I am the youngest of five girls and all but one of us work in the field of education. I enjoy reading, writing, cooking and spending time with my family. I have three children and live in Bethlehem.

kkujawa411 — 2026-01-30 02:22:48 UTC

I graduated from Caldwell University in 1999 with my BA in Psychology and an Elementary Education Certificate. I moved to Pennsylvania about 21 years ago. I have 3 great kids and enjoy spending time with them. I am currently an MHW at the Colonial Academy. In my spare time, I enjoy reading, country line dancing, and going to concerts.

2026-03-07 20:27:25 UTC

Hi everyone! I'm Jennie, I'm a 5th grade teacher in a North Philadelphia public school. I'm in my second year of teaching and I love to learn and apply new methods & practices and see if they work for my group or if I should put them in the closet for another group someday. In my down time, I watch many movies and T.V. shows. Occasionally, I like to go out to trivia night dance the night away.

2026-03-11 22:44:54 UTC

Hi! My name is Megan. I was born and raised in Bucks County. I currently live in Bangor, Pa ( Washington Township) just over the mountain from East Stroudsburg. I completed my undergrad at ESU in Elementary Education. I was an associate teacher in Bucks County for 7 years and an associate teacher in the Nazareth School District for 7 year. I am currently in my 2nd year teaching at Plainfield Elementary in Pen Argyl. I am so happy I have found a district I love to work in and call home. My co-workers are amazing and we love collaborating and sharing ideas to benefit all our students. I have a husband who is Fire Chief in our Township and he runs a family owned business with his dad. I also have two children Emma (12) and Wyatt (8). We are very busy with sports and our businesses (we also own a second business cause we didn't think one was enough) but in our spare time we love camping, going to the beach and spending time going for walks. We also have a chocolate lab.

2026-03-12 14:01:31 UTC

Hi!

My name is Lori Slack and I am a Reading Specialist in the Allentown School District. I have been teaching for 30 years in many grades, but mostly 1st grade. I have my undergrad and graduate's degree from ESU. I liked it so much, I'm Back!!

I was born and raised in Allentown. I have 4 children, 2 dogs, and a wonderful husband. I like to go for walks, shop, swim, read (of course), travel and eat! I'm looking forward to learning more to enhance my career and support our students and teachers. Nice to meet you!

kmcmanus25 — 2026-03-12 20:14:07 UTC

Hi! My name is Korie McManus & I am a post-bacc secondary education student. During undergrad I majored in Biology & Global Public Health at NYU and during my first graduate program I studied Infectious Diseases and Vaccinology at UC Berkeley. I grew up in the Poconos (proud East Stroudsburg North graduate!), worked in healthcare during my first career, and decided last year to pivot to education. I am currently a LTS High School Science teacher in Stroudsburg. When I'm not teaching or in class, I am likely exploring in the middle of the woods with my partner & our 2 puppies, Nemo & Smokey!

2026-03-12 23:30:09 UTC

My name is Maria. I am a first grade teacher in the Panther Valley School District. I have been teaching for over 20 years. I also tutor virtually and have a few students in different parts of the country, so that's really interesting.

My undergraduate degree is from ESU and now I'm here working to get my master's degree in reading. Although I love my first graders, my goal is to teach at the college level. I have 2 boys. My older son is 28 and my younger son is 12. My older son will be attending King's College so there will be 2 of us in college here in this household.

2026-03-14 18:59:29 UTC

Hey y'all, my name is Michael Neale and I have returned after 5 years away from ESU to pursue my Master's Degree and transition into the education field. My BA was in History and my Associate's was in Pre-Law with a Paralegal Cert back when I thought I wanted to toil away in the mines of our legal system for the rest of my life.

I currently substitute teach for the Delaware Valley School District as I try to claw myself from the smothering clutches of Corporate America.

When I am not working or learning, you can find me "on the stage" at my local dive bar singing my heart out at karaoke or on a hike (or anything outdoors) because nature is where I belong.

2026-03-15 12:04:41 UTC

Hey there! My name is Dawn Mas and I am taking my master's to become a BCBA. I also have an undergrad in Social Work from East Carolina University. I previously took credits at NYU to become a dietitian but put that on pause years ago to start a family. I have 3 boys and just had a little girl in the beginning of March. When I have free time (if ever), I enjoy working out, working around the house, and going out to eat.

2026-03-15 13:27:19 UTC

My name is Emma Campos Jurado, I have a background in criminology and over ten years of experience teaching and leading after-school tutoring programs in churches and community libraries, during that time, I really enjoyed working closely with students and their families. I currently work as a substitute teacher with both elementary and high school students, and I’m really enjoying the experience, it’s been great getting to know other educators and connecting with people who share the same goal of helping students get the support they need to succeed and have a positive experience throughout their education.

2026-03-15 19:40:25 UTC

Hi! My name is Casey! I have been teaching third grade for four years and look forward to many more. I got my bachelors in Elementary Education at SUNY New Paltz and will be completing my masters here at ESU once I finish this class! In my free time, I enjoy working out, trying out new healthy recipes I find on pinterest, gardening, and reading. My goal each year is to read 50 books. I also love hiking and kayaking with my boyfriend once the warm weather comes. Finally, I enjoy creating teaching resources on Canva and using them in my classroom. I hope to begin selling them during the upcoming school year. Prior to teaching, I went to cosmetology school and a makeup artist academy in Manhattan. I worked as a freelance artist for years and also managed a cosmetic store before making the pivot to education.

2026-03-17 01:23:14 UTC

Hi everyone! My name is Jamirah Davis, and I really love and enjoy working with children. I have had this passion since I watched my grandmother run her class and lead after-school programs. I was born and raised in the city of Philadelphia, PA. I am the fourth child of my parents and have nine other siblings. My favorite color is pink.

2026-03-17 02:53:40 UTC

Hey everyone, my name is Denise! I am currently in my second semester pursuing my Master's in Special Education with a concentration in ABA. This is my first year back at school after taking a few years off after receiving my undergraduate degree (also from ESU). I recently have found a position at an ABA clinic in Shawnee, PA and have found a passion in working with children, so after about 2 years in the field I decided to return to school. I am hoping to pursue my BCBA sometime in the future.

I am from the Poconos and have been living around here for the majority of my life. As I mentioned before, I attended ESU for my undergrad, majoring in Psychology. When I am not working or schooling, I like to read, bake, and hang out with my cats. I've been really into trying new recipes and getting more into cake decorating.. sort of. I also like to explore new hiking spots and restaurants with my boyfriend. I'm looking forward to working and learning with everyone soon!

2026-03-17 17:54:22 UTC

Hi everyone! I'm Gabby. I graduated from Marywood University in 2024 with a Bachelor’s degree in Health Sciences, along with a minor in Counseling and Development.

I currently run my own small business as a health insurance agent, which has been such a rewarding experience helping others navigate their healthcare needs. In addition to that, I’ve been a volleyball coach for the past four years (taking my most recent club team to Nationals in Orlando,FL)! I absolutely love working with athletes and being part of their growth both on and off the court.

Right now, I’m pursuing my post-baccalaureate degree in Elementary Education, and I’m excited to continue working toward a career in teaching. I’ve always been passionate about helping others, and I’m looking forward to bringing that into the classroom.

In my free time, I enjoy reading, playing the piano, and going for runs. I also love staying active through volleyball and spending time with friends and family. I’m excited to connect with everyone and learn together this semester!

2026-03-18 19:25:58 UTC

Hi everyone,

My name is Mary Ellen. I currently work at the IU20 as a mental health worker. I work on a two person team and we have some of the difficult students at the Colonial Academy, so to say I am stressed is understatement. However I am happy to be working with all of you, and expanding my knowledge on inclusive practices. I am really looking forward to summer break, and some down time.

2026-03-18 19:43:24 UTC

Hello everyone! My name is Elizabeth Ventura. I started many years ago with a degree in Hotel, Restaurant Management and decided it was not a family oriented career so here I am! I graduated with my bachelors in Early Childhood Education in May of 2025 at ESU and hoping to finish the post-Bach/master's program this coming December 2026. I currently teach pre-k for Head Start in Allentown and love every minute of it, from the children, to spending time getting to know their families. I am very excited to see where continuing my education will take me and what opportunities will present themselves in the future.

I have one son who is sixteen and learning to drive. We are going on our first college visits this coming week (I am not ready). My goal was to finish my schooling before he starts! Fingers crossed! We love anything outdoors, camping, hiking, paddleboarding, the beach and I have recently started running again, life is always an adventure!

2026-03-18 20:49:22 UTC

Hi everyone! My name is Austin Sullivan. I am originally from Orange County, NY. I am a huge football and basketball fan! I also love the gym and fitness. I started at Penn State University in 2019 where I played football and studied History. After my freshman year I transferred to the University of Minnesota where I played football and studied Political Science from 2020 - 2023. I am now a substitute teacher at Delaware Valley School District in Milford, PA. I also coach football and boys lacrosse. I am currently working towards obtaining my PA teaching certification for 7-12th grade Social Studies and my Master's in Secondary Education. I am super excited to continue my teaching journey through this class. The picture I attached is from 2022 when we beat the Wisconsin Badgers for Paul Bunyon's Axe!!

phyllisalizio — 2026-03-18 20:53:01 UTC

Hello my name is Phyllis Alizio and this is my first year at ESU. I have a Bachelor’s degree in Birth-Kindergarten and am working on my post-baccalaureate and masters degree to get my level 1 certification in PA. It’s been a long time since I was in college so bear with me trying to get back into being a student :) I have been teaching Prekindergarten for 25 years. I currently work in a PreK Counts classroom in Allentown and have been there for 3 years and I live in Macungie.

I am originally from North Carolina and lived there all my life until moving to PA in 2022 with my husband and two dogs Gemma and Copper. Since living here, we have been blessed with having a baby. My son Colton is 2 years old and he keeps us on our toes!

I look forward to working with everyone in class!

2026-03-18 21:26:52 UTC

Hi! My name is Brooke Scheetz. I graduated with my bachelors in elementary education and special education from ESU in 2022. I am currently an autistic support teacher at Stroudsburg. I am now pursuing my masters in special education!

2026-03-18 22:49:10 UTC

Hi! My name is Austin Sullivan. I graduated with my Bachelor's in Political Science from the University of Minnesota where I also played football. The image above is from 2022 when we beat the Wisconsin Badgers and won Paul Bunyon's Axe!! I am currently a substitute teacher and work at a gym as a fitness professional. I am at ESU to obtain my PA teaching certification in 7-12th grade Social Studies. I am also working towards my Masters in Secondary Education. I am super excited to interact with you all throughout this class! Thanks :)

2026-03-20 18:03:47 UTC

Hi my name is Charley Silfee! I graduated this past December with my bachelors in horticulture (plant science) from Delaware Valley University. I am currently in the masters degree program for secondary education. I started in January working at my old high school as a teachers assisent to potentially move up to being a full time science teacher. Right now I am helping with science courses like life science and biology. I am also helping with elective classes and extracirrcular clubs for kids. I also have my own farm where I raise chickens and grow produce in the summers. I like to do anything outside like skiing, biking, and hiking!