Get To Know North Side's Special Educators!

Holly Conklin

Under Construction!!

Caryn Farber is a Special Education Teacher.  She is trained in Orton-Gillingham reading method and has completed the Level 1 training in the Wilson System of Reading. She joined North Side School in 1994 after taking time off to raise her family.  Prior to joining North Side School, Mrs. Farber taught in the Great Neck School District as a Special Education teacher in the middle and high school. Mrs. Farber graduated from Boston University and received her MS in Special Education from Adelphi University.  At North Side, Mrs. Farber has taught a K-2 self-contained class, the 3^rd - 4^th grade resource room, and is currently teaching a K-1 self-contained class. 

Mary Jane Creighton is a Reading Specialist at North Side.  After graduating from Hunter College in 1969, she taught 3^rd and 4^th grade in Williamsburg.  Mrs. Creighton received her Masters in Education from Queens College, and her PD in Reading with a specialty in education evaluation from St. John's University.  In addition, she is certified by the State of New York in the field of Special Education.  She has taught graduate reading courses at Adelphi University.

  Mrs. Creighton has been at North Side for the past eight years.  As a reading specialist, she assists students in developing reading and writing strategies that enhance comprehension and fluency in Grades 3 and 4.  She works with classes on ELA strategies and conducts writing workshops.  In addition, she works with the First Grade in an early intervention program.  Please visit Mrs. Creighton's web page at ewsdonline.org.

Kathleen Cunningham is a Reading Specialist at North Side School. She received her B.A. in Elementary Education from Cortland College in Elementary Education, her M.A. in Reading from Queens College, and also obtained a dual master's in Curriculum and Teaching/Supervision and Administration from Teachers College at Columbia University. Ms. Cunningham has been at North Side for ten years, and has been and educator for twenty years.  As a Reading Specialist she works with children in a small group setting to assess and strengthen their reading skills, so that the students with reading difficulties achieve maximum growth and confidence as readers.  She also works with students to enrich reading and writing strategies to enhance their comprehension and overall fluency.

Susan Cohn is a pediatric occupational therapist with All Island Kids, Therapy, LLC. She has been working as an occupational therapist for twenty-two years.  Mrs. Cohn graduated from Tufts University, with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Occupational Therapy.  She became a Board Certified Pediatric Therapist in Pediatrics in 1992.  As an occupational therapist working in the school system, Mrs. Cohn works with students who have learning disabilities, developmental delays, attention deficit disorders (ADD), autism spectrum disorders, cerebral palsy, and other disorders, which may impact on motor performance and sensory integration.  Mrs. Cohn also works with her students' families.  Occupational therapy in the school addresses improving fine motor skills, visual-perceptual skills, graphomotor skills, ADL/self-care skills, organizational skills, and sensory integration in order to enhance each child's classroom performance.

Lori Garone is a licensed physical therapist and has been practicing for over fifteen years.  At the East Williston School District, Ms. Garone treats pediatrically and incorporates a variety of neurodevelopmental techniques in her practice: motor learning, sensory-motor, cranio-sacral, myofascid release and hippotherapy.  She is on the Board of Directors of the American Hippotherapy Association Inc., (AHA) and is the committee co-chair for the AHA's Practice, Standards and Education Committee. Ms. Garone holds national workshops for the AHA to train physical therapists and occupations therapists to incorporate hippotherapy as a treatment strategy.

She can be reached by e-mail at: lgarone@americanhippotherapyassociation.org

Denny Chopin-Napper is a special education teacher in the new resource room at North Side for grade 3 and 4. Mrs Napper received her Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education from Antioch College and received her Masters in Special Education from Temple University. Her teaching career has spanned twenty-eight years. She has taught in several venues, from the large public school system of Philadelphia, to the small private setting at the Variety Child Learning Center in Syosset. Mrs. Napper has worked with special education students ranging from the very young three year olds to the eighteen year old young adults.  However, the majority of her work has been with Kindergarten and Primary level students. Mrs. Napper has very strong skills in the areas of planning and implementing prescriptive teaching strategies for individuals and small groups, adapting curriculum, and, developing behavior management programs that promote a positive self-image.  She also strives to be a true advocate for her students.

Peggy Kelly is an ESL teacher's assistant.  She received her B.A. in education from Herbert Lehman College and began teaching in 1973.  She has taught K-8 in the Bronx, Manhattan and Long Island.  In 1988, Mrs. Kelly came to North Side School as a teacher's assistant in the ESL program. Currently, Mrs. Kelly is assisting the ESL students of all grades in computer and enrichment classes.  She also does academic support in a group and one-on-one.

Jill Mooney is a Special Education Teaching Assistant.  She graduated from St. John's University and has been at North Side since 1999.  Mrs. Mooney has worked with 2^nd through 4^th grade students in the inclusion setting.  She is currently assisting in the 2-4 grade self-contained class.  Her duties involve language arts instruction, strengthening organizational skills, implementing behavior modification plans as well as preparing students to succeed in the mainstream classroom.