Hello! My name is Melissa Valtierra and I would like to introduce myself, as I am the new High Ability Aide at Bailly Elementary School this year. For the last 2 years, I provided HA services at Jackson Elementary School but am very excited to be at Bailly Elementary School this school year!
I moved to Valparaiso 2 years ago from Pennsylvania but lived most of my life in Illinois. It has been wonderful to be back in this area and nearer my family. As for my educational background, I graduated from Eastern Illinois University with a Specialist degree in School Psychology and worked as a School Psychologist for 13 years until I moved to Pennsylvania. There, I took a part-time position as a Title I Literacy Aide to allow me to be more available for my children. In regard to my family, my husband and I have been married for 25 years and have 2 children, who are now in high school and attend Chesterton High School. They keep me busy with their activities, which involve Lacrosse, Tennis and Speech & Debate. We have 2 cats, Jazz and Finnegan. I enjoy reading, scrapbooking, walking, running, and being in nature.
This is the spot where you will find information regarding High Ability (HA) classroom happenings, upcoming events and links to resources as needed throughout the school year. Each Friday, you will be able to access the newest update of this blog. I will send out an email notifying you that I have posted the new blog information. You will be able to access the blog from the link at the bottom of my email or through Bailly Elementary's homepage under classrooms.
In regard to Bailly's HA class schedule for this school year, Mondays and Tuesdays will be Language Arts days with Wednesdays and Thursdays being Math days. On Fridays, I will be at Liberty Elementary School for HA Team planning and curriculum development and preparation. This year, we will continue to use the HA Language Arts Curriculum Project, which was implemented last school year and contains language arts curriculum developed by the Indiana Department of Education. I am excited about continuing to utilize this curriculum with the HA students.
HA students fluctuate from year to year. Students are placed in the HA program based on data from tests the students take during the school year. All of Bailly Elementary's students, who are continuing in or moving in or out of the HA program, were sent letters at the end of last school year. If you have questions about your child's eligibility for HA, please feel free to contact me. I look forward to getting to know all of you and invite you to stop by and introduce yourself to me when you are in the building. AGAIN...
High Ability Aide
Bailly Elementary School
