the Authors
Dr. Roberta Strosnider,
Professor Emerita in Special Education, Towson University, Towson, Maryland, currently works as an educational consultant in the areas of learning disabilities, executive functioning, and teacher preparation. Roberta graduated from Fairmont State University (FSU) with a major in Secondary Education and in 2017 she was a recipient of an Alumna of Achievement Award from that institution. She earned her master’s degree in Special Education from West Virginia University and her doctorate in Special Education from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. She taught both general and special education classes in P-12 schools. She also taught at several institutions of higher education and holds faculty emerita status from Hood College, Fredrick, Maryland, and Towson University, Towson, Maryland.
Roberta received a fellowship to study HIV Prevention Education for Students with Disabilities and served as a national trainer for the Co-Teaching HIV Prevention Program. While at Towson University, she directed an off-campus teacher preparation program and received the Nasim Dil Award for her service to Small Special Education Programs. She has further served her profession as a reviewer and auditor of special education teacher education program reports for the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC). In addition, she has made contributions to the field through publications, presentations, and grants. She also served as a consultant to the Maryland State Department of Education preparing materials and online resources to provide professional development.
During her career, Roberta has been and continues to be active in advocacy efforts for students with disabilities having served as a board member and advocate for several organizations. Her work with the Frederick County, Maryland, Arc Board was recognized with the STAR Award from the Arc. The Council for Learning Disabilities (CLD) awarded her the Floyd G. Hudson Award for her contributions to the field of learning disabilities. She serves as a representative for CLD to other public policy groups such as the National Joint Committee on Learning Disabilities.
Valerie Saxton Sharpe
currently works as an educational consultant in the areas of cognitive disabilities, executive functioning, and teacher preparation. Val’s career path started as a special education teacher for a large Maryland school system teaching students with learning disabilities and cognitive impairments. As an administrator, she chaired the Special Education department in a comprehensive high school setting. Lastly, as an instructional specialist, she supervised and provided teacher training.
Following her career in teaching and supervision, Val prepared teachers at both Hood College and Towson University. While at Hood College, she played an integral role in the development of an assessment system to measure teacher candidate performance used for program review, reform and for accreditation purposes. As program coordinator for Towson University Elementary Education/Special Education at the Universities at Shady Grove she was known for her innovative methodology used in the preparation of teacher candidates to teach ALL students. Val was instrumental in providing teacher candidates opportunities to gain knowledge and skills in universal design, differentiated instruction, and executive function skills. She developed new Professional Development Schools (PDS) partnerships with the local school system, secured grant funding for the design and implementation of unique teacher preparation projects, wrote manuals addressing co-teaching and mentoring, and presented at PDS conferences.
For her outstanding work at Towson University, Val was awarded the Gloria E. Neubert Excellence in Teaching Award, and the Universities at Shady Grove Campus Program Director of the Year Award. She was appointed by the governor of Maryland to serve on the Maryland Professional Standards Teacher Education Board. Val also served as an invited member of the Educational Testing Service (ETS) Elementary Education Praxis II test development team.
An advocate for students with disabilities, Val has served as a national and state officer for the Council for Exceptional Children and its Division on Autism and Developmental Disabilities (DADD). For her work with DADD, she received the Special Recognition Award. Additionally, she has served on the Board of Trustees for Service Coordination of Frederick County that assists individuals with developmental disabilities to obtain services. As a member of this Board, Val supported the implementation of transition and employment services for individuals with disabilities in Maryland.
Roberta Strosnider and Valerie Sharpe cofounded Project Boost, where they wrote and taught a curriculum that provides executive-function skill training for students K–12 by building skills through the 7-Step Model explored in this book. This curriculum has been used throughout the contiguous United States and Hawaii for the professional development of teachers and administrators. The authors currently teach online courses on executive functioning and classroom management at Frostburg State University, Frostburg, Maryland.
List of Contributors
Andi Anglin-Alonso,
Special Educator
Grade: Elementary
Montgomery County Public Schools, Maryland
Laura Beck,
LMSW
High School: Executive Function Skills Program Designed for Students At-Risk
Oxford Schools, Michigan
Nadya Chacon,
General Educator
Grade: 1
Montgomery County Public Schools, Maryland
Jessica Gray,
Special Educator
Grades: K–2
Montgomery County Public Schools, Maryland
Kimberly Hale,
General Educator
Grade: 3
Wake County Public Schools, North Carolina
Elisabeth Halici,
General Educator
Grades: Elementary and Middle
Montgomery County Public Schools, Maryland
Meredith Julius,
MA
High School: Executive Function Skills Program Designed for Students At-Risk
Berkley Schools, Michigan; Formerly Oxford Schools, Michigan
Mychael Moe,
Special Educator
Grade: Ka’u High and Pahala Elementary School (KHPES), Ka’u High, and Pahala Elementary Hilo, Hawaii
Student B.
Grade: 8
Student J.
Grade: 6
Student K.
Grade: 9
Student S.
Grade: 10
Shannon Sullivan,
Special Educator
Grades: Middle School Montgomery County Public Schools, Maryland
Batya Toso,
Special Educator
Grades: K, 4, 5
Montgomery County Public Schools, Maryland
Jennifer Cossette Ventura,
General Educator
Grade: 1
Montgomery County Public Schools, Maryland