Special Education Teachers
Stacy Altman
is looking forward to her second year as the Special Education Lead Teacher and her third year as a COVA teacher. She graduated from Metropolitan State College with a bachelor's degree in Psychology and a minor in Special Education, and she worked for Denver Public Schools for five years. Stacy's experience in education includes working as a paraprofessional, running a truancy project for middle school students, and teaching in a classroom for students with emotional disabilities. She graduated from the University of Colorado at Denver with a master's degree in special education with an emphasis in severe affective needs and also holds a generalist endorsement.
Stacy Armatas is originally from Seattle where she attended the University of Washington. There she earned her Master of Education degree with a special education endorsement. This is her fourth year with COVA and her tenth year teaching. Stacy has taught various elementary grades in various states—fourth grade in Washington State, second grade in Massachusetts, fifth grade in Colorado, Littleton Public Schools—and was a K-5 resource room substitute teacher in both Cherry Creek and Denver Public schools before discovering COVA. She always wanted to be a teacher and loves working as a partnership with parents and students in the virtual school model.
Jennifer Aubain graduated from Chadron State College with a Bachelor of Arts in both special and regular education. This is her tenth year in education, as she has taught both regular and special education to middle school students in Virginia and Colorado. She also has her M.Ed. with an emphasis on integrating technology into the classroom through Walden University. This will be Jennifer's fourth year with COVA.
Kara Bovenzi Bleier is originally from Rochester, New York. Kara graduated in 1994 from the University of Dayton with a degree in special education. Kara earned her master's degree in educational counseling from the University of Phoenix in 2002. She is in her sixth year as a special education teacher with COVA. Before COVA, she taught for eight years in Baltimore, New York, and Denver public schools as a special education teacher.
Hillary Douglas has seven years of experience as a Special Education teacher in Colorado, and is in her fourth year with COVA. Hillary has experience teaching both elementary and secondary special needs students. As a COVA middle school SPED teacher, she specializes in providing direct support, targeting IEP goals and objectives. She has taught study skills, remedial reading, math, and writing to special education students in both the brick and mortar schools and online. Hillary earned her Bachelor of Science from the University of Phoenix in business management. Since then she has earned her Special Education Professional Teaching Certificate and completed the coursework for a master's degree in education, special education–moderate needs, from Regis University in Denver.
Stacey Durden is beginning her third year with COVA. She earned her special education endorsement from the University of Denver, after receiving her bachelor's degree in speech language pathology. She has seven years of experience as a special education teacher in Colorado. Stacey has worked with students with emotional needs, as well as those with learning and physical disabilities.
Barbara Hendrick, Twice Exceptional (2E) Teacher and GATE Co-Coordinator for COVA, has over 10 years of special education teaching experience in grades K-12. She began her work with COVA in the spring of 2003 and has since deepened her knowledge of the IEP process, assistive software, speech language development, reading and math instruction. Barbara holds a double bachelor's degree in speech language pathology and audiology from the University of Northern Colorado and a master's degree in special education from the University of Maryland.
Laura Isakson is beginning her second year as a special education teacher with COVA. She received her bachelor’s degree from Hastings College in psychology and English. Laura went on to work with children and adolescents who have emotional disabilities and behavioral disorders in residential and day treatment programs as a mental health worker and later as a teacher. In the meantime she earned a master’s degree in special education from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. Since then she has worked in Colorado Springs school districts, mostly in a self-contained program for students with emotional disabilities at the middle school level, and as a resource teacher for special education students at the elementary level.
Patricia Lang holds a B.A. in history from Metropolitan State College in Denver and a Master of Arts degree in special education from Western States College in Gunnison. She also holds a Professional Teaching License with secondary history and special education endorsements. She has taught special education, from kindergarten to adult levels, in the public and private sector for over twenty years. She has been teaching with COVA since September of 2005.
Krista McGuyer is beginning her third year as a special education teacher with COVA. This is her seventh year teaching students with special needs. Krista received her bachelor's degree in psychology with an elementary teaching license from Fort Lewis College. She went on to get her master's degree in special education from the University of Northern Colorado. Krista is currently working on obtaining her administrator's license in special education from the University of Denver.
Meghan McManus earned a bachelor's degree at the University of North Carolina in political science and a master's degree in education from New York University. She began her career as a fifth grade teacher in New York City before moving to Denver where she has worked with both secondary and elementary special education students. She has seven years of teaching experience and now begins her first year working as a special education teacher for COVA.
Michele Smiley is excited to begin her second year with COVA as a high school special education teacher. Her experience includes eight years of teaching students in special education in public schools, mostly in Colorado Springs. She obtained her B.A. in special education and elementary education, and completed her M.A. in special education–communicative needs (PC), both from the University of Northern Colorado.
Kara Dawn Stutzman served as an elementary special educator in Harrison district. She holds a professional degree in Colorado, but obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree in Harrisonburg, Virginia where she worked with junior high students with emotional needs. Her experience includes working with students aged five to adult with needs ranging from learning and behavioral disabilities to social and daily living skills. She has been working toward getting her master's degree in English as a second language.
Lana Turnbull is in her second year working with the COVA special education team. She came to COVA with a wide array of managerial experience. As the special education administrative assistant, Lana provides special education support in various forms, including acting as the SPED enrollment coordinator, IEP processing, and related service provider reporting. Lana is the IEP records liaison for COVA in the Adams 12 Five Star School District. She is thoroughly enjoying working with a top notch team of special education teachers, managers, and staff.
Colleen Agard has been a school psychologist for 19 years in all aspects of the field, and holds an Ed.S. degree in school psychology. She attended the University of Sevilla in Spain and is moderately fluent in Spanish. Colleen is also a therapeutic foster and adoptive parent.
Stacy Armatas is originally from Seattle where she attended the University of Washington. There she earned her Master of Education degree with a special education endorsement. This is her fourth year with COVA and her tenth year teaching. Stacy has taught various elementary grades in various states—fourth grade in Washington State, second grade in Massachusetts, fifth grade in Colorado, Littleton Public Schools—and was a K-5 resource room substitute teacher in both Cherry Creek and Denver Public schools before discovering COVA. She always wanted to be a teacher and loves working as a partnership with parents and students in the virtual school model.
Jennifer Aubain graduated from Chadron State College with a Bachelor of Arts in both special and regular education. This is her tenth year in education, as she has taught both regular and special education to middle school students in Virginia and Colorado. She also has her M.Ed. with an emphasis on integrating technology into the classroom through Walden University. This will be Jennifer's fourth year with COVA.
Kara Bovenzi Bleier is originally from Rochester, New York. Kara graduated in 1994 from the University of Dayton with a degree in special education. Kara earned her master's degree in educational counseling from the University of Phoenix in 2002. She is in her sixth year as a special education teacher with COVA. Before COVA, she taught for eight years in Baltimore, New York, and Denver public schools as a special education teacher.
Hillary Douglas has seven years of experience as a Special Education teacher in Colorado, and is in her fourth year with COVA. Hillary has experience teaching both elementary and secondary special needs students. As a COVA middle school SPED teacher, she specializes in providing direct support, targeting IEP goals and objectives. She has taught study skills, remedial reading, math, and writing to special education students in both the brick and mortar schools and online. Hillary earned her Bachelor of Science from the University of Phoenix in business management. Since then she has earned her Special Education Professional Teaching Certificate and completed the coursework for a master's degree in education, special education–moderate needs, from Regis University in Denver.
Stacey Durden is beginning her third year with COVA. She earned her special education endorsement from the University of Denver, after receiving her bachelor's degree in speech language pathology. She has seven years of experience as a special education teacher in Colorado. Stacey has worked with students with emotional needs, as well as those with learning and physical disabilities.
Barbara Hendrick, Twice Exceptional (2E) Teacher and GATE Co-Coordinator for COVA, has over 10 years of special education teaching experience in grades K-12. She began her work with COVA in the spring of 2003 and has since deepened her knowledge of the IEP process, assistive software, speech language development, reading and math instruction. Barbara holds a double bachelor's degree in speech language pathology and audiology from the University of Northern Colorado and a master's degree in special education from the University of Maryland.
Laura Isakson is beginning her second year as a special education teacher with COVA. She received her bachelor’s degree from Hastings College in psychology and English. Laura went on to work with children and adolescents who have emotional disabilities and behavioral disorders in residential and day treatment programs as a mental health worker and later as a teacher. In the meantime she earned a master’s degree in special education from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. Since then she has worked in Colorado Springs school districts, mostly in a self-contained program for students with emotional disabilities at the middle school level, and as a resource teacher for special education students at the elementary level.
Patricia Lang holds a B.A. in history from Metropolitan State College in Denver and a Master of Arts degree in special education from Western States College in Gunnison. She also holds a Professional Teaching License with secondary history and special education endorsements. She has taught special education, from kindergarten to adult levels, in the public and private sector for over twenty years. She has been teaching with COVA since September of 2005.
Krista McGuyer is beginning her third year as a special education teacher with COVA. This is her seventh year teaching students with special needs. Krista received her bachelor's degree in psychology with an elementary teaching license from Fort Lewis College. She went on to get her master's degree in special education from the University of Northern Colorado. Krista is currently working on obtaining her administrator's license in special education from the University of Denver.
Meghan McManus earned a bachelor's degree at the University of North Carolina in political science and a master's degree in education from New York University. She began her career as a fifth grade teacher in New York City before moving to Denver where she has worked with both secondary and elementary special education students. She has seven years of teaching experience and now begins her first year working as a special education teacher for COVA.
Michele Smiley is excited to begin her second year with COVA as a high school special education teacher. Her experience includes eight years of teaching students in special education in public schools, mostly in Colorado Springs. She obtained her B.A. in special education and elementary education, and completed her M.A. in special education–communicative needs (PC), both from the University of Northern Colorado.
Kara Dawn Stutzman served as an elementary special educator in Harrison district. She holds a professional degree in Colorado, but obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree in Harrisonburg, Virginia where she worked with junior high students with emotional needs. Her experience includes working with students aged five to adult with needs ranging from learning and behavioral disabilities to social and daily living skills. She has been working toward getting her master's degree in English as a second language.
Lana Turnbull is in her second year working with the COVA special education team. She came to COVA with a wide array of managerial experience. As the special education administrative assistant, Lana provides special education support in various forms, including acting as the SPED enrollment coordinator, IEP processing, and related service provider reporting. Lana is the IEP records liaison for COVA in the Adams 12 Five Star School District. She is thoroughly enjoying working with a top notch team of special education teachers, managers, and staff.
Colleen Agard has been a school psychologist for 19 years in all aspects of the field, and holds an Ed.S. degree in school psychology. She attended the University of Sevilla in Spain and is moderately fluent in Spanish. Colleen is also a therapeutic foster and adoptive parent.
