A. Harry Moore School
Discovering Children's Abilities Since 1921
The First School In the United States Built Solely to Educate and Provide Therapeutic Services to Children with Multiple Disabilities
Get to Know Us
Sheila Balasa, M.A.,
CCC-SLP
Role: Speech-Language Pathologist with 18 years of experience working in school settings; assessing, diagnosing and treating a myriad of communication disorders.
Expertise: Using a multi-modal approach to help each student communicate to the best of his/her ability, and creating individualized treatment plans to address the needs of each student.
.jpg)
Lori Bierig, M.Ed.,
Role: Adapted Physical Education teacher with 33 years experience in the gymnasium adapting games and sports for students with Multiple Disabilities. A Special Olympic Coach, Dance program coordinator in conjunction with the Nai Ni Dance Company and Swim program coordinator.
Expertise: Adapting PE equipment for students to successfully participate in-class activities. Providing students alternatives to the norm for their success.
Darlene Britt, Ed.D., LDTC
Administration & Supervision
Role: Dedicated teacher for over 40 years in the Early Childhood field.
Expertise: Embracing a curriculum that includes learning experiences and teaching strategies that are specifically designed for a diverse population of students, which include students who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing, as well as the Blind and Partially Sighted. Providing a warm, positive trusting relationship with each student by protecting, observing, and assessing each student’s abilities, skills, knowledge, physical health, and the safety of each child.
Janelle Brown, RN, BSN, CSN
Role: Registered Nurse with 17 years of acute hospital care experience
Expertise: Specializing in the treatment and care of various neurological and medical needs.
Physical Education & Health/Special Education
Erika Buitrago, M.A., LDTC
Role: Multi-faceted educator/advocate for nearly a quarter of a century serving children, young adults, and post 21 year old populations with emotional, social, behavioral, linguistic, cognitive and motoric challenges. Specialization in pre-vocational training, transitions development, and differentiated instruction for high school age students. Passionate crusader for children, youth, and adults with disabilities and their unique family mosaics.
Expertise: Special Olympics LTP Coordinator & Coach, Key Club Co-Advisor, Rotary International Club Interact Invitee, CEC Advisor/Tenure Member, Prom Advisor, NJCU Teacher in Residence/COE, Adjunct Professor.
Marie Caniglia-Robiolio, Ed.D.
Fine Arts, Music. Media Arts/ Administration &
Supervision/ Early Childhood
Role: Special Education Teacher/Fine Arts Specialist with 37 years experience educating, advocating for, creating with, and learning from students with Multiple Disabilities, aged 3-21. Choir Director, Musical Performance Coordinator, Director of High Hopes Intergenerational Music Program in conjunction with Peace Care St. Anns.
Expertise: Utilization of Art and Music to expand a child’s ability to interact with the world around them and to assist developing skills for self-expression and communication based upon the child’s individual needs, abilities and learning styles.
Alyssa Casazza,
Role: 20 years of experience in providing both group and individualized music therapy to students.
Expertise: Music Therapy is the clinical and evidence-based use of music interventions to accomplish individualized goals it can help to:
Promote Wellness
Manage Stress
Alleviate Pain
Express Feelings
Enhance Memory
Improve CommunicationPromte Physical Rehabilitation
Improve Social Skills
Reinforce Academics
Maria Castano
Role: Dedicated Bilingual Special Education Teacher
Expertise:
I love to work at this school and enjoys being around our children.
I see their abilities, not their disabilities, because there is a potential in every student to get to be as independent as possible and be able to learn to help themselves. I am always willing to share my knowledge with my peers.
Educational Leadership/Administration & Supervision
.jpg)
Jannika Hantho, MS, ORT/L
Patricia Holzman, Ed.D.
Educational Technology Leadership
Audrey Kaplonski, PT, DPT
Role: Physical Therapist with 31 years experience working with children with multiple disabilities and their families both at home and in school.
Expertise: Knowledge of developmental skills and movement patterns, and willingness to make movement fun to make the most gains. Have coordinated with Adapted PE teacher to integrate therapy skills into dance programs
and aquatic programs. Knowledgeable in wheelchair and adaptive seating, DME for
home and school use, as well as use of orthotics.
Kim Mazyck,
Role: Dedicated educator with over 20 years experience.
Expertise: Provide students with opportunities for academic and social-emotional growth. Helping students find their place in the world through transition planning and community-based instruction is the goal.
Role: (Classroom teacher, Science & Technology Program, Technology Coordinator) Educator with 35 years of experience teaching and advocating for the students of AHM.
Expertise: Researching and implementing
the use of instructional technology. Implementing assistive technology considerations to help our students gain independence. Providing technology training to educators and therapists.
Role: Pediatric Occupational Therapist with 12 years of experience providing school-based occupational therapy services and evaluations to students with Multiple Disabilities and autism.
Expertise: Finding the “just right challenge” to help students achieve functional outcomes. Providing multi-sensory treatment activities and strategies that promote student engagement. Helping students attain optimal seating and positioning through the use of wheelchairs, splints and other devices
Tracy Nimon, M.Ed.
Special Education
Role: Classroom teacher with 27 years of experience teaching, learning, and advocating for students with multiple disabilities ages 3-21.
Expertise: Having the patience and love to enable my students to learn functional and academic skills in order to become an independent learner and contributing citizen to the world around them.
JaneRita
Role: Physical Therapist working with children with disabilities, including genetic, neurological, and orthopedic disorders, to improve mobility, motor development, strength, range of motion, endurance, balance, coordination, gait, and delayed motor development.
Expertise: Coordinating students’ access to their educational environment with the use of durable medical equipment for school and home use. Knowledge of gross motor development and providing appropriate interventions to promote and improve function, mobility, and access.
Dana Orbe, MA
Role: Classroom teacher with 15 years of experience educating, advocating, and learning from students with moderate to severe physical and cognitive disabilities.
Expertise: Differentiating instruction in a multi-sensory environment to promote and support student achievement in a multitude of ways.
Harriet Phillip, MA
Role: Dynamic and dedicated classroom teacher for 25 years who allows her students to grow and have a fair opportunity in life.
Expertise: Provide a multi-sensory approach to learning, structured hands-on activities and create a classroom environment where play can be learned, love can be felt, fun can be enjoyed and work can be accomplished.
.jpg)
Katrine Pinkpank, MA
Special Education
Role: Classroom teacher with six years of experience teaching, advocating, and providing enrichment opportunities for students with moderate to the most significant disabilities.
Expertise: Establishing group and individual opportunities for inclusive interactions for students in and out of the school setting. Designing learning activities that support the inclusion of technology, service, and cultural awareness to enhance students goals of obtaining independence and self-reliance through self-advocacy.
Sheron Raghunandan, MA
Role: Teaching, Planning and Assessing Special Needs students for the past 17 years by setting challenging but realistic expectations that allow them to strive for their best and allowing them to reach their full potential.
Expertise: Works well in teams to meet the needs of students while at the same time work closely with families to achieve the best educational outcome for them. Provide students with opportunities to learn, play and develop alongside their peers within their school community. To allow students to find happiness in their everyday achievements and to let them know that they are loved and appreciated.
Special Education
Pamela Russell, PT/DPT
Role: Physical Therapist with 31 years experience working with children with multiple disabilities and their families both at home and in school.
Expertise: Knowledge of developmental skills and movement patterns, and willingness to make movement fun to make the most gains. Have coordinated with Adapted PE teacher to integrate therapy skills into dance programs
and aquatic programs. Knowledgeable in wheelchair and adaptive seating, DME for
home and school use, as well as use of orthotics.
Wendy Thompson, Ed.D.
Role: Classroom teacher with 31 years of experience teaching, advocating, and learning from students with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Multiple Disabilities.
Expertise: Integration of instructional technology to promote and support student learning.
Administration & Supervision