Bob DiDonato,
MA:
Supervisor of Special Education
Mr. DiDonato has been Supervisor of Special Education
for the Upper Township School District since 2001. Prior to being supervisor,
he worked as a School Psychologist for the UpperTownship
and Galloway
School Districts.
Mr. DiDonato holds a Master of Arts degree in Child Development from the University
of Maryland.
He completed his School Psychologist certification credits at Rowan
University.
He completed his coursework to be a supervisor at Rutgers University.
Meghan Bridgeman, MOT, OTR/L: Occupational
Therapist
Ms. Bridgeman joined the Upper
Township
School District
in September of 2007. She is responsible for all Occupational Therapy services
in the school district. Ms. Bridgeman is a graduate of the University of the
Sciences in Philadelphia.
She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Health Science, and a Master's
degree in Occupational Therapy.
Laurie Casteen, MA: Speech/Language Specialist
Ms. Casteen is in her second year as a Speech and
Language Therapist. She took over the Speech and Language Therapist
responsibilities at the Middle School in September of the 2007 school year.
Ms. Casteen previously worked as a Speech and Language Specialist for
Monmouth-Ocean Educational Services Commission (2001-2007). Ms. Casteen holds
a Master of Arts degree in Speech-Language Pathology from Kean
University.
Jill Clark, BSW: School Social Worker
Ms. Clark is a School Social Worker for the school
district. The majority of her work is at the Primary School, though she does
assist with evaluations in all schools. Ms. Clark has worked as a School
Social Worker for the North
Wildwood
School District.
Ms. Clark has experience in the field of mental health and youth/family
services. Ms. Clark holds a Bachelor of Social Work degree from Richard
Stockton College of New Jersey.
Kathleen I. Davis, MA: Learning Consultant
Ms. Davis has worked in the Upper
Township
School District
since 1987. She began as a Speech and Language Therapist and remained in this
role for 16 years. She made the transition to Learning Consultant in 2001. Ms.
Davis works primarily with special education students in the Elementary
School. Ms. Davis holds a Master of Arts degree in both Speech Pathology and
Learning Disabilities. She is certified as a Learning Consultant, Speech and
Language Therapist, and Teacher of the Handicapped. She recently became
certified as a teacher in the Orton Gillingham method for the remediation of
dyslexia.
Maria Garrison, MA, CCC: Speech/Language Specialist
Ms. Garrison has practiced Speech and Language Therapy
for 21 years and has worked at the Upper
Township Elementary School
since 1995. She is a trained provider of Fast Forword and Prompt Therapy.
She has also had special training in oral-motor therapy and brain injury.
Maria holds a Master of Arts degree in Speech-Language Pathology from Temple
University.
Beth Leap, MA: School Psychologist
Ms. Leap is entering her second year with the school
district. She works as a part-time School Psychologist at the Primary School.
She has worked as a School Psychologist for Pleasantville
Public Schools, Tuckerton
Public
Schools,
Atlantic County Special Services and Gloucester County Special Services. Ms.
Leap has also worked in mental health settings in a clinical capacity. Ms.
Leap holds a Master of Arts degree in School Psychology from Rowan
University.
She also holds a degree as an Educational Specialist from Rowan
University.
Janet Norbury, MSW: School Social Worker
Ms. Norbury has worked in the Upper
Township
School District
as a School Social Worker since 1988. Prior to working in this district, she
worked in the same capacity at the Atlantic
County
Special Services
School District.
Ms. Norbury presently works primarily with special education students in the
Elementary School and in Out-of-District school placements. Ms. Norbury holds
a Master of Arts degree from Temple
University
in Social Work.
Patricia Reilly, MA, Learning Consultant
Ms. Reilly has been a member of
the Upper Township Child Study Team for the past seven years. She is presently
assigned to the Middle School. Ms. Reilly worked as a special education
teacher for the School
District for eight
years prior to joining the Child Study Team. Ms. Reilly worked in Dennis
Township and
Ventnor prior to being hired by Upper
Township. She
holds a Master of Arts degree in Special Education from Glassboro State
College (now Rowan
University).
She completed coursework at Georgian
Court
College
to become eligible for the Learning Disabilities Teacher/Consultant
certification.
Eileen Rush, MA: School Psychologist
Ms. Rush has been a School Psychologist in the Upper
Township School District since 2002 Prior
to joining UpperTownship,
Ms Rush worked as a School Psychologist for the Hamilton
Township
and Middle
Township
School Districts.
Ms. Rush presently works with special education students at the Middle School
level. Ms. Rush holds a Master of Arts degree in School Psychology from
Glassboro State College (Rowan
University).
Lila Whitford, MS, CCC: Speech/Language Specialist
Mrs. Witford has worked in this district since 1991.
Prior to joining the Upper
Township
School District she worked in public and
private schools in Pennsylvania
and New
Jersey.
Mrs. Whitford works at the Primary School with pre-school and K-2 students who
have speech and/or language weaknesses. She graduated from Bloomsburg
University
with Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Speech Pathology.
Gina Wertz, BS: Speech/Language Specialist
Ms. Wertz has been a Speech and Language Therapist in
the Upper
Township
School
District
since 1984. Her employment experiences prior to joining Upper
Township included working as a Speech and
Language Therapist in the West Chester, Pa and Penns
Grove, NJ
School Districts. Ms. Wertz works at the
Primary School level with pre-school and K-2 students who have speech and/or
language weaknesses. Ms. Wertz holds a Bachelor of Science degree from West
Chester University.
She earned her Speech and Language Specialist certificate through Kean
University.