Special Ed Classrooms   Matthew Schoen, MilD 3-5 Charlene Weir, MiID K-2
Speech  Candice Noyes, Speech/Language Debra Siegel, Speech/Language   FOCUS Carolann Brown, FOCUS Janie Doroff, FOCUS Debbie Jackson, FOCUS Molly Stanton, FOCUS     Focus Page	Inclusion/Resource Trina Asadele Ruth-Ann Butler Emmett Dupree Rita McCormack Heather Parnell Candy Steventon Pati Turpin Asa Valente Anne VanGalder Trisha Watson Mardrey Worthy

Bear Bits about our teachers:

• Matthew Schoen has been in the Special Education Field for over 9 years, working with varying disabilities. I began my teaching career as a para professional for special education in Miami, Florida.

  After graduating from Barry University with honors, I began my professional career at Booker T. Washington Sr. High. When my first child was born we decided to move to Gwinnett to raise my family. I have taught At Camp Creek Elementary and Berkeley Lake Elementary here in Gwinnett County. I enjoy working with my students and watching the growth they make.

  
  
  

• Pati Turpin, 4-5, teacher of students with learning disabilities in grades four and five, grew up in New Orleans, Louisiana. She received her Bachelor's Degree in Classical Studies from Loyola University of the South and began teaching Latin at Brandon Hall School in Dunwoody, Georgia. Following receipt of her Master's Degree from Georgia State University, Ms. Turpin returned to her teaching career in 1997 with Gwinnett County Public Schools. During the 2006-2007 school year, Ms. Turpin also completed a Specialist Degree in Curriculum and Administration in conjunction with Lincoln Memorial University in Tennessee. Although Ms. Turpin has extensive experience in retail sales and management, her first love has always been teaching, and she plans to enjoy her career as long as possible.
   

• Charlene Weir K-3 (1/2) was born in Chicago, Illinois. She moved to Georgia in 1981 and attended Summerour Middle School and is a graduate of Norcross High School. She went on to attend the University of Georgia--Go Dawgs!--and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Education. She later earned a Master's Degree in Education from Mercer University. Mrs. Weir began teaching in Rockdale County. She came to Gwinnett County Public Schools in 1999, and joined the staff of BLES in 2006. Mrs. Weir is married and has two children.

• Candice Noyes, Speech/Language, has been a resident of Georgia since 1987. Her professional credentials include licensure from the state of Georgia in Speech-Language Pathology and the Certificate of Clinical Competence from the national American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Ms. Noyes received her Masters degree from the University of Georgia. In 2002 she completed a Specialist's Degree in Elementary Education from the University of Georgia.

• Debra Siegel, Speech/Language, was raised in Atlanta. She earned a BA in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of Florida in 1996. Debra earned a Master’s degree from the State University of West Georgia.  In 2002 she completed a Specialist's Degree in Elementary Education from the University of Georgia. She has been working with students who have speech and/or language disorders at Berkeley Lake since 1996. Debra enjoys the everyday challenges education brings. 
  
  

• Trina Ashadele, Resource, is a graduate of Florida State University and is currently working on her Masters in Special Education with an emphasis on Behavior Learning Disorders. She is married with two children. Her son attends BLES and her daughter was born summer of 2011. Trina has taught students at all levels of elementary and enjoys her job. Her goal is to ensure that all children are given the same opportunity to have a excellent education on their level.
  
  

• Ruth-Ann Butler, Resource
  
  

• Emmett Dupree, Resource
  
  

• Rita McCormack, Resource
  
  

• Heather Parnell, Resource
  
  

• Candy Steventon, Resource, a native Floridian, moved to Georgia in 1987. She began her teaching career in 1973 and has taught students with disabilities at the elementary, middle, and high school levels, and college students seeking certification to teach students with disabilities at Georgia State University.  She received her B.A. degree from University of South Florida,  M.A. degree from University of Central Florida, Ed.S. degree in Leadership from NOVA University, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida and PhD from Georgia State University.  She enjoys being with family and her dogs (also family) cooking, flower arranging, reading books, taking walks, and finishing her career right here at Berkeley Lake Elementary.
  
  

• Asa Valente, Resource
  
  
  Anne VanGalder, Resource, was born and raised in New York and received her Bachelor's degree from Elmira College in Elmira, NY. and a Master's degree in Special Education from Long Island University in New York. Before settling into the Peachtree Corners area in 1985, Anne taught in the New York city area. Since moving to Georgia, she has taught in private preschool and done educational programming in the private sector. Anne has been serving in the Special Education department at Berkeley Lake since 2004.
  
  

• Trisha Watson, Resource, is delighted to be a part of BLES.  She has a master's degree from Georgia State and has taught in DeKalb, Barrow and Gwinnett counties. Trisha has two sons, two dogs and a grumpy tuxedo cat!
   

• Mardrey Worthy, Resource 5^th Inclusion, was born and raised in Philadelphia, PA.  She earned a B.S. in Exercise Physiology (1989) and M.Ed. in Special Education (1995) from Temple University.  After completing her M.Ed. degree, she moved to Gwinnett County with her husband in 1996. She began teaching special education students at Berkeley Lake in 1997, and in 2009 she also became certified to teach regular education.  Mrs. Worthy is the mother of two daughters who are competitive softball players.  Her youngest daughter attends Duluth Middle School, and her oldest daughter graduated from Duluth High School and now attends the University in South Carolina.  In her free time, Mrs. Worthy loves to read, watch softball and golf, and spend time with her family.  She believes that teaching students with special needs is her calling in life. 
  
  

• Carolann Brown, FOCUS, is looking forward to her fourth year at BLES. Since coming to BLES, she has taught 4th grade in 2008 and then 3rd grade in 2009.  She is gifted certified and has taught FOCUS Math and Language Arts.  This year she is working part-time and teaching 3rd grade FOCUS Language Arts and Language Arts support. She began her career in Gwinnett, in August, 1988. She taught kindergarten at Hopkins and Camp Creek Elementary. She has also taught 3rd grade and Reading Recovery and Early Intervention classes at Camp Creek. Mrs. Brown says she has truly enjoyed her work and family life in Georgia. She has seen, participated and benefited from the great PTA and parent involvement for moms and dads.  Mrs. Brown has seen her three children grow and enjoy the cultural arts of chorus through Harmony, an international chorus, GSA soccer program and GCPS's physical education of wrestling, soccer and track.
  
  Mrs. Brown loves teaching.  She has been blessed to get excellent training in elementary education at Wayne State University (Detroit, MI) an MA in early childhood development at Michigan State University in Lansing, MI and ED.S in curriculum at Lincoln Memorial University (Harragate, TN).  She has also received Reading Recovery certification from Georgia State University.

• Janie Doroff, FOCUS, grew up on St. Simons Island, GA and moved to Atlanta in 1986. She is a graduate of the University of Georgia, where she earned a Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education and Master's degree in Reading Instruction with certification in Gifted Instruction. In 2004, she completed her Ed.S degree in Administrative Leadership. Mrs. Doroff began teaching at Centerville Elementary in 1986 and has been teaching at Berkeley Lake Elementary in the gifted program since 1994. Mrs. Doroff lives in the Peachtree Corners area with her husband, son and daughter. Mrs. Doroff was chosen by her colleagues at Berkeley Lake ES as Teacher of the Year in 2003. She enjoys challenging students at all grade levels, so the students' achievements meet their potential.
    
  

• Debbie Jackson, FOCUS, math and math specialist, has been teaching at BLES since 1984. During that time, she has taught Kindergarten, FOCUS and served as math specialist. Her family has lived in Gwinnett County for 35 years and the Peachtree Corners community for 27 of those years. Both of her children attended Berkeley Lake, Duluth middle and graduated from Duluth High School. Her daughter currently teaches 8th grade at Radloff Middle and her son is finishing Georgia State University this year and occasionally substitutes at BLES.
  
  

• Molly Stanton, FOCUS,  completed her Bachelor of Science degree in Early Childhood Education at the University of Georgia. She loves to read and wants to inspire her students to enjoy reading as well. She loves to challenge her students in all curriculum areas. Mrs. Stanton enjoys spending time with her husband and dog at the park.