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Meet Our Alpha Staff
The ALPHA Facult and Staff:
Wayne Theriault, Coordinator of Alternative Services and building administrator of ALPHA
A brief summary of my career: After graduating from Stratford High in 1966, I attended Central Connecticut State College where I graduated in 1970 with a teaching certificate in Mathematics. My teaching career began at Whittier School in Bridgeport. During the past 35 years, I have earned my Masters Degree in Special Education and my 6th year degree in School Administration. I began working at the Alternative High School in 1989, when the program was called SAFE. In 1992, I became the program administrator. The program has undergone many changes since then, moving to the Birdseye Complex in 2001 and changing our name to ALPHA.
Judith Keliar, School Social Worker for the ALPHA Program
I have been a professional social worker for twenty-five years with experience in individual, group and family practice. In addition to state educational certification, I hold a sixth year Masters degree in Social Work from The University of Connecticut and a Clinical License with the State Department of Health. For the past twelve years, I have been employed by the Stratford School System, providing service to elementary and secondary schools. As a member of the ALPHA team, it is my role to collaborate with staff as well as assist students in developing and maintaining behaviors conducive to the educational process. I also support families in obtaining community resources, which will enhance students’ social and independent skills.
Michelle Murray, Special Education Teacher
I have been teaching approximately nineteen years. I received my Bachelor’s Degree from Southern Connecticut State University, my Master’s Degree from Fairfield University, also in Special Education, and my sixth year at Southern Connecticut State University. The largest part of my experience has been at the secondary level, although I have taught middle school special education students, and even pre-school autistic children. I have taught in Milford, Trumbull, and Stratford. I have been at ALPHA for ten years.
"Unless a man believes in himself and makes a total commitment to his career and puts everything he has into it – his mind, his body, his heart – what’s life worth to him?" Vince Lombardi
Mary Smithberg, Teacher
I have a B.S. Degree in Education and a M.S. Degree in Science Education from Southern Connecticut State University. I am currently completing a second M.S. Degree in History. I began my teaching career after a career in corporate accounting. After teaching for 4 years at Flood Middle School, I transferred to the ALPHA program in 2000. "If you want to understand today, you have to search yesterday, " said Pearl Buck. I believe that those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it. Those who do, proceed into the future with great hope.
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