Tag: Fischler College of Education & School of Criminal Justice

Fischler College Spotlight Shines on Zelphine Smith-Dixon

Zelphine Smith-Dixon

Zelphine Smith-Dixon received her Doctor of Educational Leadership degree from the Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice in 2005. She was elected as the president of the National Association of State Directors of Special Education. She is the first person of color to serve in this capacity and assist the country nationally in an effort of meeting the needs of students with disabilities.

Smith-Dixon is also the state director for the Division for Special Education at the Georgia Department of Education. She works to ensure that each student has an opportunity to be successful. She is committed to not only representing her students but the critical partnership for student success to include families, teachers, leaders, and communities.

She received the following accolades: Tri-County Special Educator of the Year, Vance-Providence Elementary Teacher of the Year and Orangeburg Consolidated School District Three Alternate District Teacher of the Year.  In April 2018, Columbia College of S.C. presented her with the Wil Lou Gray Outstanding Educator Award. Later, she served as the Columbia College Commencement Speaker in May 2019.

Smith-Dixon serves as a thought leader and cadre advisor for the National IDEA Data Center, National Consortium on Special Education Finance, National Technical Assistance Center on Transition, and National Center for Systemic Improvement to address the intersection of race and disability.

Smith-Dixon published an article in the March 2021 Case in Point edition in the Journal of Special Education Leadership (JSEL)titled “The State of Special Education: The Shift from Available to Appropriate!”

Smith-Dixon says she believes that receiving her Doctor of Educational Leadership degree at NSU fostered many of the leading skills within her that have served well and helped make her successful in her professional career. She is described as one of the most sought-after voices in education having shared her expertise with national and international audiences.

Smith-Dixon lives in Conyers, Ga., with her husband, Marki Dixon, and children Myles, Megan, and Mason. She serves in ministry at the dReam Center Church of Atlanta in Decatur, Ga., and is a member of the Covington Area Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

 

FCE&SCJ Professor Moderates Roundtable Discussion for the Special Olympics Florida Youth Summit

Maribel Del Río-Roberts, Psy.D.

Maribel Del Río-Roberts, Psy.D., Associate Professor, Department Human Services at NSU’s Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice (FCE&SCJ) recently moderated a roundtable discussion on Coping with Stress. The roundtable was part of the Special Olympics Florida Youth Summit and included two athletes and a unified partner.

Del Rio-Roberts is the lead faculty member for the M.S. in Developmental Disabilities and Access Plus Program.  She also serves as the Clinical Director for the Strong Minds discipline of the Special Olympics Healthy Communities program. Her research interests include, autism and developmental disabilities, lifespan development, early childhood Intervention, disability services administration and adult/transition Issues.

To view the roundtable, please click here.

Fischler Shows Some Love with Alumni ‘Shark Attack’

Katie Peacock, assistant director of alumni engagement at NSU’s Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice, celebrated Teacher Appreciation Week with a “Shark Attack.”

Peacock visited, six schools, Margate Elementary, Quiet Waters Elementary, Seminole Middle School, Coconut Creek High School, Nova Blanche Forman Elementary, and Park Lakes Elementary and surprised 60 alumni with caramel apples and a NSU swag bag.

Do you have a teacher or colleague you want to surprise? Send an e-card or special educator keychain to them while supporting NSU’s Fischler Academy, clicking here.

The Fischler Academy is an experiential, project-driven, mastery-based program combining cutting-edge teaching pedagogies in a highly personalized learning environment.

Class Of 2021 Alumna Spotlight: Raquel Muniz

Raquel Muniz will graduate with a Doctorate of Education from NSU this May. As a deaf student, she has overcome many obstacles and continues to lead by example.

Raquel Muniz began pursuing her Doctorate of Education in Higher Education Leadership from the Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice (FCE&SCJ) in 2012.

As a deaf student, who also cared for her aging maternal aunt, and is a mother of four wonderful children, Raquel has faced unique challenges. However, through faith and perseverance, Raquel managed to earn her degree and will graduate Summer 2021 from Nova Southeastern University (NSU).

Being a learner with a severe hearing disability, while also balancing a busy home life, Raquel’s successful graduation is the culmination of nine years of blood, sweat, and tears.

She continues to prove that her obstacles do not define her, but rather show how strong and determined she really is. Raquel’s experiences taught her to focus on helping others overcome their own challenges and barriers.

As she continues her career path, she is keen on leadership and empathy, and shares that it’s her way of honoring those who have helped her along the way.

Raquel is very grateful to all the professors at NSU, her Chair, Dr. Packer-Muti, Professor Dr. Reeves, her Academic Advisor, Dr. Stevens, and the committee members who were instrumental in ensuring that students, like Raquel, receive the necessary help and support required to reach their academic potential.

Raquel appreciated the support that students receive through facilities such as the CART captioning system, note taking, and ASL interpreters.

Congratulations to Raquel and all NSU 2021 graduates on accomplishing this amazing milestone! You have been given the power to unlock the potential not only for yourselves, but for the people you are going to serve.

Fins Up to each of you!

Education Alum Publishes Criminal Justice Book Chapter

Monekka Munroe, Ed.D.

Monekka Munroe, Ed.D., graduate of NSU’s Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice (FCE&SCJ) authored the book chapter, The Acceptance of Rape Cultural and Sexual Violence Against Black Girls in Athletics and Entertainment, in the criminal justice textbook, The Disparate Treatment of Black Youth in the Juvenile Justice System.

Munroe brings awareness about an issue that is often overlooked, disrespected, and swept under the rug. In this chapter, she brings attention to the many atrocities that cause Black Girl Magic to be hidden behind walls of guilt, shame, self-doubt, and addiction.

She currently serves as a criminal justice department chair in Richmond, Virginia. The focus of her current research is childhood trauma’s impact on the left cerebral hemispheric brain development. Munroe created two new criminal justice courses to add to the curriculum in Virginia. The first course, Childhood Trauma and Adult Criminality was developed to discuss various types of traumatic experiences and how those experiences can lead to criminal behavior and ultimately, incarceration. The second course is Epigenetics and Criminal Behavior, the study of how an individual’s behavior and environment cause DNA modifications.

Munroe earned Doctor of Education with FCE&SCJ in 2016.

Criminal Justice Alum Leads Research at the Delores Barr Weaver Policy Center

Vanessa Patino Lydia, Ph.D.

Vanessa Patino Lydia, Ph.D., graduate of NSU’s Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice (FCE&SCJ) is the Vice President of Research and Planning at the Delores Barr Weaver Policy Center in Jacksonville.

She is the Principal Investigator on the latest research, Sounding the Alarm: Criminalization of Black Girls in Florida released on March 11, 2021. The research highlights the inequitable treatment of over 3,000 Black girls entering the juvenile justice system. Black girls account for 21% of the general population but represent HALF of the girls in the juvenile justice system. They are overrepresented in rates of suspension, arrest, and incarceration. The deeper analyses illustrates how schools are a major entry point in arrest trends and provides evidence that adultification bias and harsh punishment of Black girls exists.  This report highlights the Policy Center’s recommendations for immediate action including: Banning suspension for PK-3 students, setting limits on arrest for youth under the age of 12, Increasing funding for girl-centered and trauma-informed school mental health services, and Increasing the use of alternatives to arrest at school and in the community.

Vanessa has over 15 years’ experience in public policy research with a special focus on the impact of the juvenile justice system on girls’ trajectories and wellbeing. She has directed research initiatives on gender specific programming, girls/women pathways into the justice system, data trends, community needs assessments, and strategic planning. She earned her Ph.D. in criminal justice from FCE&SCJ in 2020.

The report on the criminalization of Black girls in Florida is issued by the Delores Barr Weaver Policy Center- nonprofit that provides advocacy, research, training/technical assistance, and direct services to bring about unprecedented systemic reform for girls and young women in or at risk of entering the juvenile justice system.

To access the link to the full research report please visit https://www.seethegirl.org/sounding-the-alarm/

Education Alumna Accepts Jobs with Opportunity Schools an Equity initiative through Chicago Public Schools

Chloe Behar

Chloe Behar, graduate of NSU’s Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice accepted a job via Opportunity Schools at Chicago Public Schools. The program, which began in 2016, targets early-career teachers for recruitment to work in high-needs schools, primarily on the west and south side of Chicago. Opportunity Schools will provide Chloe a mentor and instructional coach her first year teaching. She will begin her classroom experience with Chicago Public Schools in Fall 2021.

Chloe was born and raised in South Florida. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from NSU in 2019 and will be graduating in May with her Master of Education in Learning, Diversity, and Urban Studies from Vanderbilt University. She has been an academic tutor, piano instructor, and vocal coach for six years, and works as an editorial Assistant for the academic journal Urban Education.

To learn more about Opportunity Schools, please visit the Opportunity Schools website.

 

 

Education Alumna Named South Tippah School District Administrator of the Year

Ruby Bennett, Ed.S.

Ruby Bennett, Ed.S., graduate of NSU’s Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice (FCE&SCJ) has been named the 2020-2021 Administrator of the Year by the South Tippah School District in Ripley, Mississippi.

Since 2012, Bennett has served as the principal of Ripley Elementary School, a K-4 elementary school, overseeing 578 students and 89 faculty members.  With her leadership and guidance, Ripley Elementary School has earned an “A” rating from the Mississippi Department of Education’s accountability model for their performance on statewide assessments over the past few years.

Bennett is a member of Mississippi Professional Educators. Other awards for her involvement and leadership include: The Red Rose Award presented by the Alpha Psi Chapter of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society International, Blue Mountain College’s Outstanding Administrator presented by Mississippi Association of College for Teacher Education, Milton Colom Community Service Award, South Tippah Teacher of the Year, and the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Lifetime Achievement Award.

Bennett earned her educational specialist degree with FCE&SCJ in 2009.

Education Alumnus Named Superintendent of Bethel Park School District

James Walsh, Ed.D.

James Walsh, Ed.D., graduate of NSU’s Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Education (FCE&SCJ) has been named Superintendent of Bethel Park School District in the suburbs of Pittsburgh.

Since 2015, Dr. Walsh has been the Superintendent of the Burgettstown Area School District. Prior to his superintendent roles, he served as principal, district-wide curriculum supervisor in the Mt. Lebanon School District; the director of curriculum and student achievement in the Aliquippa School District, as well as teaching English, theater, and television production.

Additionally, Dr. Walsh serves as an adjunct faculty member at Point Park University’s School of Education. He earned is Doctor of Education with FCE&SCJ in 2003.

Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice Professor Interviewed by NPR on Haitian Independence Day

Charlene Desir, Ed.D.

Charlene Desir, Ed.D., Professor, Department of Education, at NSU’s Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice, was interviewed last month by WLRN NPR on Haitian Independence Day, which is celebrated on January 1st. The day celebrates the only victory in history of enslaved Africans gaining independence from their captures/colonizers – defeating Napoleon’s army.

Desir was invited by WLRN since South Florida has the largest Haitian community within the United States.  While the celebration is an intergenerational celebration of liberation, she explained that for the 2nd and 3rd generations, the Haitian Independence is an honoring of a PanAfrican Movement in the United States.

You can hear the interview here. Dr. Desir’s section starts around the 20 min mark.

For more information on Dr. Desir and her research interests please visit:  https://education.nova.edu/faculty/desir-charlene.html

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