CVU

Jessica Hoskins, Director of Special Services

Jess is the Director of Special Services at CVU. She has worked at CVU since 2009, first as a paraeducator and then as a special educator starting in 2014. She graduated from St. Michael's College in 2009 with a degree in history and education, and earned her Master's degree in Special Education from St. Michael's in 2017. She lives in Jericho with her husband, daughter and son.

Lauren Courcelle, Special Services Admin Assistant

Hello there! I’m Lauren Courcelle. I started at CVU in 2012 as a paraeducator and, a decade later, felt that it was time to take on a different role in our department, so I became an Administrative Assistant. Before coming to CVU, I earned a B.S. in Elementary Education with a concentration in Theatre at UVM and taught first grade for four years. First graders and high school students are more alike than it would seem - both need trusted adults who they can count on, no matter what. And that - along with my passion projects: writing novels, making beaded jewelry, and spending as much free time as possible with my family - is who I am.

Meghan Tatro, Special Services Admin Assistant

Hello, my name is Meghan and I began working at CVU High School in 2010 as a non-intensive para. Each year after, I've taken on additional responsibilities within the Special Services Department as an intensive para, program assistant, and now a full-time administrative assistant.  I completed my undergraduate work at Saint Michael's College with a Bachelor's in Psychology and graduate work at Johnson State College with a Master's in School Counseling. My husband, toddler son, and I live in Huntington with our dog, where we've built our home and family business.

Rachel Billings

Hi there! My name is Rachel and I’m one of the 9th grade Special Educators this year! I started my career as an Interventionist, then began working as a Special Educator in 2020. I’m a life-long Vermonter, growing up in Colchester. I attended Champlain College for my undergraduate degree in Education, then The University of Vermont for my Masters degree in  Special  Education. When I’m not at work, you can find me exploring with my dog Scout, or enjoying a cup of coffee with a book. I love working with high school students, and am excited to be a part of the CVU community! 

Alex Caforia

Hello! My name is Alex Caforia. I grew up in Connecticut and attended Saint Michael's College, where I received my Bachelor's Degrees in Secondary Education and Mathematics and a Master's Degree in Special Education. In my free time, I enjoy spending time with family, hiking, skiing, and sitting on the beach. 

Cari Causey

Hello, my name is Cari Causey and I am the special educator for the students who attend the tech programs and the transition coordinator for CVU.  I spend my mornings at the Center for Technology in Essex working with the CVU students there and my afternoons working on transition skills with students.  I received a Bachelor's degree in Special Education, Psychology, and Elementary Education from Gordon College and a Master's in Special Education from George Mason University.  I spent 5 years teaching students with mild cognitive impairments in Virginia and moved back to New England in 2006 and have been teaching at Champlain Valley Union High School ever since.  I spend most of my free time running, hiking, and cross-country skiing.  

Greg Conk

Greg Conk is a high school educator who has been at CVU on the Fairbanks Team since 2014.  He is a special education teacher and has been teaching for  over 16 years in middle school and high school settings.   Additionally, Greg is the JV-B Girls Lacrosse Coach, an advisor, and a part of many school committees. 

Tom Daily

I have been a special educator for over 13 years and began working at CVU in 2017.  I live in South Burlington with my wife and two children.  I enjoy time with my family and friends, mountain biking, snowboarding, and being outside. 

Marie DiBenedetto

Hello there! My name is Marie and I'm honored to be the 9th Grade Special Educator on the Snelling Core team. I started at CVU in 2020 after spending 5 years at the Centerpoint School, a therapeutic placement in Winooski. Before my journey in Special Ed began I worked as an Environmental Educator for over 10 years, connecting students to the natural world. In 2018, after becoming a licensed science teacher, I decided to pursue my Special Ed license with the VT Higher Education Collaborative. My goal as a teacher is to help students harness their own strengths and share their gifts with our community. Teenagers have so much to offer and I am delighted to spend my days helping all students find success at school.  In my free time I enjoy cooking delicious food, hiking, skiing, knitting and nerding out about the flora and fauna of VT. 

Emily Doyle

Hi! My name is Emily Doyle, and I am excited to join the CVU Team as a Special Educator! Before I started my journey into Special Education, I earned my undergraduate degree from SUNY Cortland in Recreation Therapy, and worked in adaptive recreation for Smugglers' Notch Resort. I then worked at two alternative schools where I found a love of academics. In 2022 I graduated with a Masters in Education in Special Education from UVM. When I am not working you can find me in the winter skiing and riding at Smuggs, or in the summer kayaking and camping!  

Diantha Francis

Hello! My name is Diantha Francis.  I am a Special Educator/Case Manager at Champlain Valley Union High School and I specialize in literacy and science. I have found that there is nothing more rewarding then helping youth gain the skills they need to attain their goals.   I reside in Hinesburg on a small farm with my teacher husband and three children.  On our farm we breed Kiko Goats, grow vegetables, and raise pigs, donkeys, and guinea fowl. The proximity of our farm to CVU has afforded opportunities to students for community-based sustainability experiences.

Jaime Fries

Jaime Fries has worked as a special educator with the Champlain Valley School District since 2005. Currently, she case manages and teaches students in the 10th - 12th grades at Champlain Valley Union High School. Her role at CVU includes providing 1:1 and small group instruction across content areas, collaboratively teaching sections of Algebra 1 and 10th grade Humanities, conducting student assessments/evaluations, and consulting with classroom teachers. When she is not at school, Jaime enjoys spending time with her family, reading, sewing, playing the ukulele, and having fun outside.

Bret Gardner

Bret Gardner grew up in New York and graduated from Bucknell University with his Bachelor's in Education in 2004. He then moved to California and taught special education at the elementary and high school levels in Silicon Valley for several years while completing his Master's in Special Education at California State University, Monterey Bay. He moved to Vermont in 2012 and worked providing consultation with many districts in Chittenden County on behavior management and autism. Bret was very fortunate and grateful to join the intensive needs team at CVU in December 2021. When he isn't at work Bret enjoys skiing, hiking, seeing live music, traveling and spending time with his two sons.

Trish Healy

Hello, my name is Trish Healy.  I have enjoyed supporting students within the field of education for the duration of my professional career.  I was initially a career and educational advisor for high school students, then taught elementary through middle school.  While teaching, I obtained a graduate degree in Special Education and am currently case managing 10th -12th grade students.  In my current position, I provide 1:1 and small group instruction across the content areas, collaborate with teachers within an Algebra and Humanities class and support students with their post secondary goals and interests.  On a personal level, I enjoy spending time with my family, gardening, biking, swimming and skiing.

Katie Jankowski

Katie has worked with teenagers with intensive needs for 14 years, first on Long Island and then here in Vermont. She is excited to start her new position and join the team at CVU!  She loves helping students develop self-advocacy skills so they can participate in whatever brings them joy in life. She enjoys traveling with her husband, sci-fi, musical theater, and spending time with her grumpy but cute cat Randall.

Jessica Johnson

Hello, my name is Jessica Johnson and I am the Off-Campus/Out-of-District Special Educator for CVU.  I received a Bachelor's degree with a focus in English and a minor in Sociology from West Texas A&M and a Master's in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Southern New Hampshire University.  I taught students with intensive behavioral needs for 4 years in the Panhandle of Texas prior to moving to Vermont in 2018. I am joining CVU from a Special Education position with the Howard Center. When I am not at work I enjoy reading, blackwork, crochet, and spending time with my family. 

Lena Kirillova

Lena is a licensed special educator and now a 504 Coordinator working with 10th-12th graders at CVU. She attended the University of Vermont and received a Bachelor's degree in Secondary Education Social Studies, and a Master's degree in Special Education. Lena started at CVU as a paraeducator in 2020, and loved it so much she just had to come back after receiving her special education license. Lena lives in South Burlington with her partner and 2 kittens, and enjoys hiking, camping, traveling, and skiing in her free time.

Lizz Lach

My undergrad education at University of Vermont brought me to Vermont. I fell in love with exploring the outdoors and the welcoming community feel of Chittenden County. After working in the Part 2 Afterschool program and a couple other elementary school jobs, I thought I'd give High School a try. I pursued my masters in Education through Northern Vermont University and am currently continuing my graduate work in Special Education through St. Michael's College. When I'm not at CVU, I enjoy hiking and running in the woods with my dogs and family. 

Jackie Louthis

Jacqueline Louthis, licensed special educator and now 504 coordinator, is a lifelong learner who continues to refine her craft by attending classes at various Vermont colleges and universities. She has been teaching at CVUHS since 2007. 

Daniel Lyons

Daniel is a Special Educator in the Community Skills program. He has worked in the special education and social work fields for over 20 years.  Daniel enjoys helping students find success in the academic community and exploring areas of interest. Outside of school, he loves to be active, to be outside, to learn, and to be with his wife and children.  

Hannah Morrison

Hannah joined CVU as a 10th-12th grade special educator in 2021. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Elementary and Special Education, and a Master's degree in Special Education. Hannah began teaching in 2012 and has worked with students in Kindergarten through grade 12 during this time. Currently, she provides individual and small group instruction in addition to collaborating and consulting with general education teachers. Outside of school, Hannah loves to run, ski, and spend time with her dog, Bacon. 

Janelle Moynihan

Janelle is a Speech-Language Pathologist at CVU. She earned her bachelor's degree from Boston University and a Master's Degree from Cal State East Bay. She was fortunate to work and learn for nine years at a remarkable school for children with complex communication needs in the San Francisco Bay Area. She has clinical expertise in Augmentative and Alternative Communication, Assistive Technology, and emerging communicators. Janelle is happy to be raising her family back in New England, and thrilled to have found an enthusiastic and supportive community of faculty and administration, where she can work creatively to help students develop as effective communicators with authentic stories to tell.   

Anne Muessel

Anne is a special educator for students with intensive needs at CVU.  She earned her undergraduate degree in Earth Science Secondary Education from the University of Vermont.  Shortly after, Anne began working as an intensive needs paraeducator at CVU.  While earning her graduate degree in Special Education from Saint Michaels University, she worked as a special educator for intensive needs students at Missisquoi Valley Union High School in Swanton Vermont.  In the fall of 2018, Anne returned to CVU in her current role.  When not in school Anne enjoys swimming (sometimes teaching it), skiing, reading, and walking her dog.

Kari Roberts

Hello! My name is Kari Roberts-Sanchez; at school I go by Kari. I  grew up in Syracuse NY and attended Marist College in Poughkeepsie.   After graduating from Marist, I moved to Caracas, Venezuela where I taught at an international school for 5 years.  It is in Venezuela where I met my husband, Oscar.  We moved to Vermont in 2004, and I began working at CVU as a special educator.  Currently, I am just returning to CVU after 2 years of teaching at the American School of Rabat in Morocco.  I am very excited to be back at CVU, and back in Vermont, and I am looking forward to being part of the Fairbanks Core.  (This will be the third core I have worked on–first Chittenden, then Nichols, and now Fairbanks!).  I live in South Burlington with my husband, my two children, Marcelo and Gabriela, and my dog Luna.   In my free time, I enjoy exercising, hiking, reading, and of course traveling.

Karen Rodgers

Karen Rodgers, M.A., CCC/SLP, graduated from Temple University in 2004 with a Certificate of Distinction in Communication Sciences for completion of quality research projects focusing on Childhood Development and Communication Skills. She has  over 14 years of experience working in a variety of settings including schools, professional learning, outpatient services and private practice. She resides in Shelburne with her husband, twin boys and Border Collie. As a family they enjoy being in and taking care of nature, experimenting new recipes and anything Harry Potter.

Mary Stearns

Mary Stearns has been a special educator at CVU for 20 years.  She earned her Bachelor's from Trinity College and her Master's in Intensive Needs Special Education at the University of Vermont. Mary enjoys helping students see their potential and advocate for themselves. When not working, Mary enjoys travel, being outdoors, and spending time with family.  

Jenn Stevens

Hello, my name is Jenn and I have been an educator for over 20 years and have been at CVU for 7 of those years. I grew up in upstate New York and attended college in Keene, NH.  I spent several years after college leading backpacking trips in the White Mountains and once lived in a tent for 11 months!  After attending grad school at Antioch University, I taught middle school math and science for 5 years.  After my son was born in 2008, I worked for a few years doing direct instruction at the Stern Center.  Since being at CVU I have been a case manager and a classroom teacher. I have taught a variety of flexibly designed courses to help all students grow academically. When I am not teaching, I enjoy spending time outdoors with my son and dog. We love to hike, ski, mountain bike, paddle board, and travel.  

Miriam Stoll

Hello, my name is Miriam Stoll and I am a licensed clinical and school psychologist.  At CVU  I work with educational support teams to evaluate student needs and recommend accommodations and supports to help students succeed  and meet their academic and personal goals.  When I am not working I enjoy skiing, yoga,  reading and spending time with my  children who are now young adults.

Claire Thibeault

Hi! My name is Claire and I am the Special Educator for the Chittenden Core team. I am originally from Massachusetts, but made my way up to Vermont for my undergraduate degree at UVM and have stuck around since! I received a degree in Secondary Education with a concentration in Social Studies along with a dual endorsement in Special Education which led me to CVU. I feel so lucky to join a group of passionate educators and look forward to helping each and every student find their own success in school and beyond. In my free time, I like to be on the water or in the mountains, read, and cook (or at least attempt to).

Katie Willard

Hello! My name is Katie Willard and I've been a Speech Language Pathologist since 2000. I have lived in Vermont my entire life, currently residing in Lincoln. I earned both my bachelor's in education and my master's in speech-language at the University of Vermont. When not working, I spend most of my time either mountain biking, hiking, skiing, listening to podcasts, or reading.