BIO
Monica Kallini earned her Bachelors Degree in Psychology from Fairleigh Dickinson University in 1998. She continued her education at Seton Hall University and received her Master’s in Education (Concentration in Psychological Studies) in 2000. In 2005, Ms. Kallini graduated from Queens College, CUNY with The Advanced Certificate in Applied Behavior Analysis. Ms. Kallini also holds her Standard School Social Worker Certificate.
 
Over the last 20 years, Ms. Kallini has worked in the field of applied behavior analysis servicing children with autism. Her training began at a dissemination site of the Princeton Child Development Institute. She has individually selected and facilitated instructional and treatment goals for children with autism, collected and analyzed data and has monitored the implementation of programs within school systems across classroom settings. Currently, along with overseeing the Franklin Lakes CAPS program, Ms. Kallini successfully coordinates home programs for children with autism across different school districts in New Jersey. 
 
Ms. Kallini has also made presentations at the local and state level on such topics such as integrating therapies into applied behavior analysis, using activity schedules to teach skills and structure time at home for children with autism, and promoting independence for children with autism via reduced ratio sessions.
 
Ms. Kallini is a member of NJ ABA, Autism NJ (formally known as COSAC) and Autism Speaks.



Teaching Philosophy

Philosophy of the Special Education Program in the Franklin Lakes School District

"If he cannot learn the way we teach, we had better teach the way he can learn."

- Robert Buck

The special Education teachers of Franklin Lakes Public Schools believe in success for all children. We are dedicated to providing a safe and nurturing environment in which each child has the opportunity to reach his or her fullest potential. Learning is an individual process in which each child will have the optimum opportunity to develop academically, socially, and emotionally. We strive to foster individual strengths while developing areas in need of more support. We support students through a variety of specialized instructional strategies, techniques and materials.

The teachers in the Franklin Lakes Special Education Program focus on student achievement through the implementation of scientifically research-based curriculum that reflects best practices in special education. Comprehensive assessments are also used in order to establish data-driven goals and objectives to guide individual student success. The IEP is the cornerstone of the student’s program. We implement the IEP to meet the specific needs of each student in our programs. We are consistently mindful of the specific accommodations and modifications that will help our students reach success in both special and general education programs.

As a group, we philosophically believe in the movement to give special needs students’ greater access to general education classes. Our goal is to strengthen our relationship with our general education colleagues through the in-class support model. The establishment of this partnership, while maintaining our identity as special educators, will create greater opportunities for student success now and in the future. We are committed to excellence and making a significant difference in the lives of students challenged by the classroom setting.