College of Education and Human Development

Achievements

Student Achievements

The College of Education and Human Development is a graduate-level professional school. CEHD enrolls future leaders and already-accomplished practioners in K-12 education; K-12 educational leadership; adult education; school psychology; and counseling. We're proud of the accomplishments and achievements of our students.

Tell us about what you're doing or share some information about a friend who is enrolled in a CEHD program by emailing cehd@usm.maine.edu

Aaron Gritter
Yvette Khoury
Kenneth Mashke
Patrick O’Donoghue
Iride Piechoki
Hillary Poussard
Mary Scamman
Erin Mary Sullivan

FALL 2007

Aaron Gritter, is a research analyst at the Center for Education Policy, Applied Research and Evaluation, and a student in the Psy.D. in School Psychology program in the College of Education and Human Development at the University of Southern Maine. Aaron recently co-authored “ Maine’s Middle School Laptop Program: Creating Better Writers.”

Aaron is a former middle school science teacher from Grand Rapids, Michigan where he received his Bachelor of Science in Biology and a secondary education certification. His work with the Maine Education Policy Research Institute at CEPARE has primarily been focused on the new essential programs and services school funding model components, higher performing schools identification, and technology integration research.

Yvette Khoury receives a prestigious Robert Noyce Scholarship. Yvette earned her bachelor’s degree in computer science from the University of Montreal and is preparing for secondary mathematics certification through USM’s Extended Teacher Education Program (ETEP). Born in Egypt and raised in Quebec, one recommender states that Yvette “brings her multilingualism and world perspective to the classroom to enrich the education of all students.” Yvette believes that the more we open up our world to let in the sights and sounds of the mathematical language and culture, the more curious and engaged students will become. The Robert Noyce Scholarship program is funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF). The program seeks to encourage talented science, technology, engineering, and mathematics majors and professionals to become K-12 mathematics and science teachers.

Kenneth Mashke receives a prestigious Robert Noyce Scholarship. Kenneth is majoring in Natural and Applied Sciences at USM’s Lewiston Auburn College (LAC) while earning K-8 certification through the Collaborative Learning and School Success (CLASS) program. After 22 years of honorable service in the U.S. Navy, including six years as a Navy instructor, Kenneth was inspired by his volunteer work with the Boys and Girls Club to become a teacher. Among other focus areas, he believes in incorporating technology into all aspects of the classroom in order to prepare children for future employment and active community participation. The Robert Noyce Scholarship program is funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF). The program seeks to encourage talented science, technology, engineering, and mathematics majors and professionals to become K-12 mathematics and science teachers.

Patrick O’Donoghue receives a prestigious Robert Noyce Scholarship. Patrick has a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science from St. Joseph’s College and is pursuing dual life- and physical-sciences certification through USM’s Extended Teacher Education Program (ETEP). His work experience includes wetland delineations, hazardous materials management, and working with kids in the Chewonki Foundation’s summer programs. He counts his own children’s love of science, nature, and learning as an accomplishment, and is glad he has finally taken their advice to enter the teaching profession. The Robert Noyce Scholarship program is funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF). The program seeks to encourage talented science, technology, engineering, and mathematics majors and professionals to become K-12 mathematics and science teachers.

Iride Piechoki, is a student in the Psy.D. in School Psychology program in the College of Education and Human Development at the University of Southern Maine. She is participating in Achieve! is a strengths-based comprehensive program for high-risk children provided by the Merrymeeting Center for Child Development.

She was accepted to present at the poster session of the National Association of School Psychologists ( NASP). Her poster highlights research conducted with Associate Professor Rachel Brown-Chidsey. Together, they identified that self-reports are as effective as observer-reports of treatment integrity. According to Ms. Piechocki, these findings are “good news” for because they mean that interventions monitored by a teacher can be as effective as those monitored and observed by a school psychologist.

Hillary Poussard receives a prestigious Robert Noyce Scholarship. Hillary is pursuing K-8 certification through USM’s Teachers for Elementary and Middle Schools (TEAMS) program along with a major in General Science with an Earth Science concentration. Hillary looks forward to implementing the hands-on activities she has experienced in her college science courses in her own middle level classroom. She will complete the TEAMS program in December 2007 and plans to continue her master’s in Teaching and Learning (MTL) soon thereafter. The Robert Noyce Scholarship program is funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) . The program seeks to encourage talented science, technology, engineering, and mathematics majors and professionals to become K-12 mathematics and science teachers.

Mary Scamman, a student in the Psy.D. program, is highlighted in the Maine Association of School Psychology newsletter, MASP Matters.

Mary has diverse professional background. She has a B.S. in Nursing, a M.S. in Special Education, and a M.S. in School Psychology. Mary is the school psychological service provider in MSAD 6 (Hollis), where she is currently assigned to work in an elementary school and in middle school self-contained classes. As part of her Psy.D. experience, Mary is a teaching assistant and is currently teaching "Orientation to School Psychology," a graduate level course. She will be teaching "Child Psychopathology" in the spring.

She involved in several community organizations including Southern Maine Parent Awareness (SOMPA) as President, the Scarborough Special Education PTO, and The Autism Society of Maine as a member of the Board of Directors.

Erin Mary Sullivan, a student in the Psy.D. program, is accepted to present a paper at the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) Convention.

Ms. Sullivan is working with Dr. Mark Steege to document findings of an intervention he developed. Together, they realized that these findings have important implications for students with disabilities as well as the field of Applied Behavior Analysis. They will be presenting this work at the NASP Convention.

In Ms. Sullivan’s words, “the intervention is based on analysis of precursor behaviors. The identification of precursor behaviors, through functional analysis procedures, makes it possible to infer the environmental determinants of problem-behaviors.” Analysts place experimental analysis contingencies on behaviors that are observed to occur prior to the onset of problem behaviors. She and Dr. Steege believe “this is a promising way to decrease risk to youth and their caregivers by creating windows for addressing behaviors before they occur.”