Amy Sands
Cornelius
Summary
Special Education Teacher
Education professional with solid background in fostering supportive and engaging learning environment. Experienced as a teacher for mild to moderate intellectual disabilities, autism spectrum disorder, interrelated resource and co-teaching. Consistently uses a wide variety of instructional techniques and promotes individualized instruction.
Overview
10
10
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Language Arts Resource and Co-Teacher
Bailey Middle School, Charlotte-Mecklenburg County Schools
Cornelius, North Carolina
08.2025 - Current
- I work as the language arts resource and co-teacher for 6th grade. I work with other teachers, particularly my co-teacher, to plan lessons so they fulfill state standards and create materials.
- When in the co-teaching classroom I work with my co-teacher to provide multifaceted lessons on a wide variety of standards which can instruct the students on grade level curriculum. I work with my co-teacher to meet the needs of all of the students, such as one-on-one or small groups, providing additional lessons to meet student needs, or scaffolding to promote student understanding of the topics, or giving further background knowledge or vocabulary instruction.
- When in my resource classroom I plan out all of the lessons and materials, either adapting or creating new curricula based on student needs and differentiation. I research teaching strategies and concepts to use in my lessons, as well as methods to help students improve in a wide variety of areas in reading and writing. I spend time one on one or in small groups with the students on individual goals to help them understand where they are in their goals and overall comprehension. I work to improve their overall comprehension, inferencing, fluency, decoding, and other reading skills like understanding sequencing and main idea, as well as media literacy. I work with the students to improve their writing skills so they can craft grammatically correct sentences and coherent, on topic paragraphs and papers.
- For all of my students I progress monitor their goals, work on their IEPs, and determine which strategies are most effective with different students in addition to working on other caseload material, such as going over new students’ needs and help to determine eligibility.
- Supervisor: Deshay Everett, deshay.everett@cms.k12.nc.us (704) 578-1903
Self-Contained Special Education Teacher
MI/MCA Vickery Creek Middle School, Forsyth County Schools
Cumming, GA
06.2023 - 05.2025
- I worked with MI and MCA students in all academic content areas. Students presented at a wide variety of academic levels from around first grade to approaching grade level. Due to this I created a variety of fluid lessons which could accommodate these students with differentiation to provide relevant content combining state standards with full implementation of individualized education plans.
- I used research based instructional strategies and content to write lesson plans and create curricula for math, reading, writing, science, and social studies. I used a variety of programs including PCI, Vmath, Mobymax, Unique learning, Readtopia and Mystery Science.
- I used many different types of tools with the students including assistive technology, graphic organizers and charts to gather diagnostic data, both formative and summative which I used to inform instruction, such as pacing and level of academic support.
- I worked to create lessons that would be engaging and on target for individual students, with many levels of functioning and supports.
- I made sure to establish clear communication, feedback, and expectations so students felt supported and engaged in a student centered environment. I used a variety of positive behavioral strategies to promote a positive learning environment and student behavior.
- I also worked with students in community based instruction and social skills to increase their capability with real world skills such as ordering food and paying at a restaurant, asking for help at a store, and finding items. I worked with students on real world skills such as telling time and cooking, preparing for jobs, and learning how to look up information and find things they needed.
- I worked with students on social skills like turn taking, initiating conversations, recognizing other’s point of view and zones of regulation.
- Facilitator: Jenifer Diboye jdipboye@forsyth.k12.ga.us (678) 459-8513
ACA Language Arts and Social Studies Special Education Teacher
Lakeside Middle School, Forsyth County Schools
06.2022 - 06.2023
- I worked with students who approach or are at grade level academically yet require more accommodations for special needs allowing them to reach their full potential.
- Developed and implemented engaging lesson plans aligned with curriculum standards.
- Monitored and assessed student progress, adjusting strategies as needed.
- Fostered positive relationships with students, families, and community partners to support education goals.
- Designed individualized education plans to meet diverse student needs.
- Language arts instruction conforms to the grade level standards including how to write essays, reading comprehension strategies, parts of speech, main idea, and novel studies.
- Taught social studies for both 6th and 7th grades focusing on grade level standards covering geography, government, economics, environment, history, how to read maps, how to read social studies sources and write in response to social studies prompts, including citing sources.
- Promoted a positive learning environment through the use of differentiated instruction and individualized support for diverse learners.
- Supervisor: Kelley Baker kbaker@forsyth.k12.ga.us (404) 663-9978
Student Teacher/Paraprofessional
McCleskey Middle School, Cobb County Schools
07.2021 - 05.2022
- I worked with the students on whole, small, and individual academic lessons, as well as individual student IEP goals.
- I assisted the classroom teacher in a wide variety of ways.
- I prepared and taught all aspects of 2-5 lessons a day beginning with lesson plans, how they connected to goals, materials, differentiation, and potential behavioral management elements.
- I taught targeted skills as well as took data on their strengths and weaknesses to promote a better understanding of their current and changing needs.
- I worked with the students in general education inclusion,
- Aiding the students in developing social skills.
- I also assisted with a student who has a physical disability using a Hoyer lift.
- Supervisor: Anita Shah, anita.shah@cobbk12.org (404) 725-0118
Paraprofessional
iFocus Intervention Center, Forsyth County Schools
07.2018 - 07.2020
- Supported students with diverse learning needs through individualized instructional strategies.
- Collaborated with educators to implement effective behavioral management techniques.
- Assisted in developing and adapting curriculum materials for varied learning abilities.
- Monitored student progress, providing feedback to teachers and parents regularly.
- Facilitated small group activities to enhance academic engagement and peer interaction.
- Trained new staff on intervention techniques and classroom management practices.
- Fostered a positive learning environment by establishing strong rapport with students, parents, and faculty members.
- Enhanced student support by delivering one-on-one and small group assistance in various subjects.
- Delivered personalized educational, behavioral, and emotional support to individual students to enable positive learning outcomes.
- Supervisor: Cheryl Daniel cdaniel@forsyth.k12.ga.us (404) 304-4097
SLC Paraprofessional, Self-Contained classroom
Vaughn Elementary School
08.2016 - 05.2018
- As an elementary paraprofessional I assisted the teacher in a variety of ways such as with direct instruction of both academic content and individual goals, taking data, helping with inclusion activities such as electives and some academic time, aiding the students to respond appropriately to teachers and peers, develop social skills.
- I was in charge of a writing activity or fine motor activity every day, both in preparation and implementation.
- I helped to prepare materials for lessons.
- I worked with the children to promote learning in all areas, to develop an appreciation for learning and a happy environment where they can grow positively in all areas: academic and social.
- Supervisor: Lori Guelker guelkerl@friscoisd.org (325) 665-5797
Education
Master of Arts - Special Education
Kennesaw State University
Kennesaw, GA05-2022
Bachelor of Arts - Speech-Language Pathology
University of North Texas
Denton, TXBachelor of Arts - History
University of North Texas
Denton, TXSkills
- Experience in special education
- Direct feedback
- Collaborative communication with parents
- Cooperative teaching methods
- Behavior management
- Student-centered learning
- Alternative learning methods
- Classroom management
- Motivating students
- Literacy development
Accomplishments
- Curriculum Design - Designed, developed and implemented daily lessons for students across several levels of development and with individualized needs. Used high differentiation to provide high quality instruction to a wide array of students at different levels in different environments.
- Data Organization - Organized data for many students at various levels of instruction and in different environments for use in individualized education plans.
- Targeted Development - Met with parents and guardians to discuss children's progress and to determine priorities and resource needs.
Certification
- Special Education General Curriculum I Passed at professional level, first attempt, 299/300 scaled score
- Special Education General Curriculum II Passed at professional level, first attempt, 288/300 scaled score
- Middle Grades Language Arts Passed at professional level, first attempt, 291/300 scaled score
- Special Education Reading ELA and Social Studies Passed at professional level, first attempt, 287/300 scaled score
Timeline
Language Arts Resource and Co-Teacher
Bailey Middle School, Charlotte-Mecklenburg County Schools
08.2025 - Current
Self-Contained Special Education Teacher
MI/MCA Vickery Creek Middle School, Forsyth County Schools
06.2023 - 05.2025
ACA Language Arts and Social Studies Special Education Teacher
Lakeside Middle School, Forsyth County Schools
06.2022 - 06.2023
Student Teacher/Paraprofessional
McCleskey Middle School, Cobb County Schools
07.2021 - 05.2022
Paraprofessional
iFocus Intervention Center, Forsyth County Schools
07.2018 - 07.2020
SLC Paraprofessional, Self-Contained classroom
Vaughn Elementary School
08.2016 - 05.2018
Master of Arts - Special Education
Kennesaw State University
Bachelor of Arts - Speech-Language Pathology
University of North Texas
Bachelor of Arts - History
University of North Texas