STAC Participates in NYS Federation of Chapters of the Council for Exceptional Children Annual Conference

(SPARKILL, NY--December 3, 2015)-- St. Thomas Aquinas College School of Education students and faculty participated in the Annual Conference of the New York State Federation of Chapters of the Council for Exceptional Children (NYS CEC), in Saratoga Springs, NY, in November, announced Dr. Elizabeth Finnegan, assistant professor of education and director of graduate education programs at the College.

The Council for Exceptional Children is a national organization which works to improve the educational success of children and youth with disabilities and/or gifts and talents. The state conference attracts educators and students from across the state.

Two St. Thomas Aquinas College students, Ileah Pratt (Nanuet, NY) and Morghan Sonzogni (Dumont, NJ), presented a session on using SMARTboards to improve accessibility. During the session, participants learned how to use a SMARTboard to create interactive learning activities for their students. Pratt and Sonzogni, juniors at the College, are studying childhood and special education and also serve as representatives for the Southern region on the NYSCEC student board.

Dr. Amanda Mazin, assistant professor of education, commented, “The ability to network and engage in academic conversations at a state conference such as NYS CEC is valuable experience for our students. Presenting at the conference is a testament to their hard work and commitment to the field, even at a pre-service level. We are very proud of their accomplishment.”

Dr. Finnegan, Dr. Mazin and Dr. Athena McAlenney, assistant professor of teacher education, also presented at the conference on a range of topics including assessing student writing, teaching strategies to improve students’ writing, reading comprehension in students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and teacher preparation. The findings of their research are embedded into special education courses offered by the School of Education.

The School of Education continues to provide opportunities for students to participate in professional conferences. These opportunities enable students to develop research skills and also widen their professional contacts.

For more information about our programs in teacher education, contact the School of Education at 845-398-4150/4158 or schoolofeducation@stac.edu.

St. Thomas Aquinas College is an independent liberal arts college located on 60 acres in Rockland County, NY which provides education at the undergraduate and graduate levels. The College’s 2,800 full and part time students can choose from more than 100 different majors, minors, specializations, and dual degree programs across three Schools: Arts & Sciences, Business, and Education. The College is recognized by U.S. News & World Report in the Top-Tier for Regional Universities, by Colleges of Distinction in both its New York and Catholic editions, by Affordable Colleges Online as a top College in New York for Return on Investment, and is included as a Military Friendly School®. St. Thomas Aquinas College is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools; its School of Education is accredited by National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education(NCATE); and its School of Business is accredited by the International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education (IACBE). For more information, visit www.stac.edu.