Notre Dame College is partnering with the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland to help teachers better serve students with learning differences.
The College’s Division of Professional Education is providing multiple professional development seminars for teachers in Catholic schools in support of the Diocese Better Together initiative to improve instruction for primary and secondary students with diverse learning needs. More than 100 Catholic school educators have attended the first two Notre Dame sessions on the Response to Intervention (RTI) model to create Individualized Education Plans (IEP) for special needs students.
Both seminars were conducted in October. One took place at the College, while the other was at Immaculate Conception Church in Willoughby, Ohio. Notre Dame is planning a third seminar as part of the Better Together program for spring 2020.
The Experts
The sessions are led by Notre Dame faculty members Kelli Tibbitts, M.Ed., an Advanced Certified Autism Specialist, who is an assistant professor of education, and Sarah M. West, J.D., Ph.D., assistant professor and director of schools and community partnerships in professional education at the College, who has a background in urban education as well as disability law.
“We are thrilled to be able to connect with this talented group of enthusiastic teachers and work with them as they master new methodology and add to their teaching toolkits for exceptional learners,” West said.
The Method
The RTI is a research-based, multi-tiered process that integrates high-quality instruction and universal screening of all children in general education classrooms. Students with learning and behavior needs then are provided targeted interventions and evaluations to accelerate their rates of learning.
The method is taught as part of the curricula in Notre Dame’s undergraduate and graduate degree programs for education majors. The College also provides a dyslexia certificate as part of its education graduate degree reading endorsement and offers an online autism certificate through its Office of Professional Development.
The Partnership
Launched in 2018, the Better Together initiative aims to develop principals, teachers and intervention specialists to better engage special needs and gifted children cohesively in Catholic school classrooms. More than 2,200 students identify with exceptional learning needs are enrolled in Catholic schools within the Diocese.
In addition to its education degree programs, Notre is home to the nationally recognized Academic Support Center for Students with Learning Differences (ASC). The College educates a diverse population in the liberal arts, Catholic tradition of the Sisters of Notre Dame.
October 2019
About Notre Dame College
For almost a century, Notre Dame College has educated a diverse population in the liberal arts for personal, professional and global responsibility. Founded by the Sisters of Notre Dame in 1922, the College has grown strategically to keep pace with the rapidly changing needs of students and the dramatic changes in higher education. But it has never lost sight of its emphasis on teaching students not only how to make a good living but also how to live a good life.
Today, the College offers bachelor’s degrees in 30 disciplines plus a variety of master’s degrees, certification programs and continuing and professional development programs for adult learners on campus and online. Notre Dame College offers NCAA Division II intercollegiate athletic programs for men and women and is located in a picturesque residential neighborhood just 25 minutes from the heart of Cleveland. Hallmarks of the Notre Dame experience include stimulating academics, personalized attention of dedicated faculty and staff, and small class sizes.
Notre Dame College is located at 4545 College Road in South Euclid. For further information contact Brian Johnston, chief communications officer, at 216.373.5252 or bjohnston@ndc.edu.