Administration
CLAUDIA PORTER ~ Founder, Head of School, Speech/Language Pathologist (e-mail)
Education/Licensure: M.A. in Speech/Language Pathology; Certified Speech/Language Therapist since 1971, GA license in Speech-Language Pathology; CA Life Teaching Certificate
Experience: Developed L.D. program at High Meadows School; Program Director of North Fulton Child Development Center in Roswell; Speech Language Therapist & teacher/coordinator for the Georgia Challenge Grant Program; Kindergarten teacher in L.A. public schools. Founded The Porter School with Muriel Lange in 2000.
Associations: Member of ASHA, GSHA, PEO, International Dyslexia Association (IDA)
Awards: Presenter at the Annual GISA Conference, 2007-2011; Hand-in-Hand Award 2008 presented by The Leita Lift Foundation; Who's Who in the South and Southwest; ACE award presented by ASHA for outstanding accomplishments in Continuing Education; Fellowship for Master's degree at Occidental College; Certificate of Excellence by Occidental College Speech and Reading Clinics
BARBARA RAMER - Assistant Director - Testing and Curriculum (e-mail)
M.S. in Education; 57 years experience in the field of education including teaching (K-8), counseling (K-12), supervision, and administration; Member of National Board of Certified Counselors (NCC); Licensed Professional Counselor in GA and VA (LPC); Postgraduate license for elementary, middle and secondary counseling; Designed community-wide promotions for guidance services in local VA schools; Director of Special Education School; served as Advisory Committee Chairman for the school superintendent to coordinate curriculum for the Virginia school system; Former Vice President of Middle/Junior High School Division American School Counselors Association; Former President of Virginia School Counselors Association; Former Executive Board Member of Virginia Personnel and Guidance Association; Former Executive Board Member of Guidance Department Virginia Education Association; Former Officer of Delta Kappa Gamma; Former President of Beta Sigma Phi; Member of Lychnos Society at University of Virginia; Developed Career Education Program for the school system in Fredericksburg Virginia; Presented with a Career Service Award from the Virginia Counselor’s Association; Joined Porter Academy in 2003.
PAM HIGGINBOTHAM - Business/Operations Manager (email)
B.S. in Corporate Finance and Accounting; Seventeen years experience working with all aspects of accounting from large corporations to small businesses. Joined Porter Academy in 2008.
Liana Valentin-Scott - Academic/Administrative Assistant (e-mail)
A.S. in Early Childhood Education; Certified in M.I.L.E. math instructor; Skilled in Advanced American Sign Language; experience as classroom Teacher and Assistant Teacher; Over 20 years experience in Office Administration. Joined Porter Academy in 2004.
Lead Teachers
MAUREEN KENNEDY - Team Leader (e-mail)
M.S. in Educational Counseling; B.S. in Elementary Education; Licensed Professional Counselor (Ohio); Nationally Certified Counselor; Certified Wilson Reading System instructor; Over 20 years experience with special needs children; Nineteen years experience in Pediatric Rehabilitation; Presenter at GISA Annual Conferences 2007 ("The Whole Child"), 2008 ("The Whole Child"), and 2009 ("Breaking Through Barriers"); Attended continuing education courses including Handwriting Without Tears, varous Sensory Processing courses, Integrated Listening Systems, Visual Processing, Executive Functioning, and Autism; Joined Porter Academy in 2006.
Amanda Olson (email)
MSW in Social Work from University of South Carolina and a B.A. in Psychology from Columbia College Columbia South Carolina. She has been a teacher for fourteen years for preschool, kindergarten, and first grade students. She has also provided social work coverage to the Rehabilitation Unit at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta. Joined Porter Academy in Spring 2011.
BARBARA RICHARD - Team Leader (e-mail)
M.A. in Educational Administration; B.A. in Elementary Education; 20 years experience teaching Kindergarten-grade 4; 2 years as Vice Principal in Florida; FL and MA teaching certification; Training in Orton-Gillingham, Handwriting Without Tears, Sensory Integration Disorders, Math Their Way, and Differentiated Instruction; Joined Porter Academy in 2003.
BARBARA SELKIRK (e-mail)
M.Ed. in teaching reading and writing from Mercer University; Extensive training in Orton Gillingham and Lidamood Bell techniques; BS in psychology with honors from Georgia State University; 3 years on the faculty of Mercer College for Kids teaching creative writing; Academic Assistant in a private school setting for 7 years; 7 years in corporate training as VP of Bank of America; received the Mortar Board Honor Society’s Outstanding Student award from Georgia State University; Level 5 certification in the state of Georgia; Joined Porter Academy in 2006.
LAURA CORN (e-mail)
M.A. in Special Education; Additional coursework in Autism; Georgia certification in level 4; 5 years experience with special needs children, specializing in Autism; trained in Orton Gillingham; sign language skills; Joined Porter Academy in 2006.
MARCIE SCHULTZ (e-mail)
B.S. in Computer Technology; Certified Wilson Reading System Tutor; 6 years experience tutoring children with dyslexia in reading and spelling; Joined Porter Academy in 2004.
JACKIE SHALLCROSS – Team Leader (e-mail)
B.A. in Education; 20 years experience teaching children with special needs and behavioral disorders in CT and GA; Currently teaching middle school at Porter Academy. Taught at Mill Springs Academy; Theater teacher at The Howard School; Joined Porter Academy in 2002.
Assistant Teachers
TERESA BOWEN (e-mail)
A.S. in Early Childhood Education; Skilled in Intermediate American Sign Language; Trained in Handwriting Without Tears; Joined Porter Academy in 2003.
MARY RETCHKO (email)
B.A. in Philosophy and A.A. in pyschology. Currently working towards Masters in Special Education. Will receive G.A.C.E. certification for special education this Fall.
Hannah Cha (email)
Finalizing Early Childhood Education @Kennesaw State University, Georgia Perimeter College, violin teacher, Joined Porter Academy in 2003.
VICKI MILLER (e-mail)
Vicki is certified as a special education para-professional. Trained in Handwriting Without Tears; Special education assistant - Brunswick Ohio; Special education assistant & Personal Care Assistant - Erie, Pennsylvania; Joined Porter Academy in 2008.
Specialists
JODY KERSHNER - Music Therapist (e-mail)
B.A. in Music Therapy; 30 years of music therapy experience in education and mental health settings; Member of American Association for Music Therapy; Trained with Dr. Gary Mesibov and Dr. Stanley Greenspan; ORFF music education; Collaborates with teachers to incorporate music into the classroom; Joined Porter Academy in 2003.
JENNY TOWNSEND – Art Teacher (e-mail)
Master of Fine Arts - Georgia State, B.F.A. Washington U in Art; 21 years experience teaching art in private schools and community centers; Oversees the art curriculum for Porter Academy and develops projects appropriate to targeted age groups; Teaches a variety of art and media and collaborates with classroom teachers to integrate art curriculum with classroom topics. Joined Porter Academy in 2008.
NANCY KNIGHT – Occupational Therapist (e-mail)
B.S. in Occupational Therapy; Over 30 years experience as OT/PT; Certified and licensed occupational therapist; Worked in Fulton County School systems since 1987, full time as Lead OT from 2000–2007; Continues to work part time at Fulton County Schools. Presented inservices on various topics including fine motor development, handwriting, and sensory processing to staff and parents. Joined Porter Academy in 2007. Has attended workshops on assistive technology, sensory processing, rehabilitation of neurological conditions, and therapeutic listening.
LYNN SCHOENECK – Assistant Director - Occupational Therapy and Information Technology
(e-mail)
M.S. in Occupational Therapy; B.A. in Psychology with honors; Certified and licensed occupational therapist; Attended continuing education courses in the areas of handwriting (Handwriting Without Tears and Solving the Handwriting Puzzle), Auditory training (Integrated Listening Systems, Therapeutic Listening), Visual processing, sensory processing, and information regarding specific learning differences; Joined Porter Academy in 2004. Presented to parents, staff, and at the annual GISA conference (2010, 2011) on sensory processing, auditory training, effect of exercise and movement on brain development, and the overall developmental approach to teaching.
James Cress - Physical Education (e-mail)
Bachelor of Science in Physical Education (All Grades). Licensed in Physical Education K-12 and Adapted Physical Education. Professional Experience includes Physical Education teacher in private school 4th through 7th. Interrelated Resource Teacher, Fulton County School. Joined Porter Academy, in 2010.
