Special Education
Great Hearts offers a Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) to students with disabilities who are currently eligible or are determined eligible to receive special education services and related services.
Providing access to a classical education to students with disabilities is central to Great Hearts’ philosophy of education, which seeks to enrich the lives of all of our children. We believe that the unnecessary removal or compartmentalizing of any student because of special needs would result in an impoverished experience for the entire class.
As such, our practice is to include our students with disabilities to the maximum extent possible in the general classroom while supporting their development of strategies and skills through specialized instruction. This practice is guided by the mission of the special education program at Great Hearts which is dedicated to fostering our students’ perseverance through courage and introspection.
In pursuit of these virtues, our Special Education teams develop a program for each eligible student that maximizes access to the liberal arts curriculum through small-group or one-on-one instruction, both inside and outside of the regular classroom during the school day. Our teams comply with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and include instruction in skills and strategies in areas of deficit and may incorporate related services including, but not limited to:
- Speech and Language services
- Occupational therapy
- Physical therapy
- School-based counseling
- Consultation with a hearing teacher
If you believe your student is a child with a disability and requires specialized instruction, or for more information about special education services please contact the special services personnel at your local academy.
If you are interested in becoming a Special Education teacher, you can apply by clicking here.
South Texas Campus Coordinators
Forest Heights Lower School: Haley Deaver-Taylor | Haley.Deaver@GreatHeartsTxSchools.org
Forest Heights Upper School: Elizabeth McCurry | Elizabeth.McCurry@GreatHeartsTXSchools.org
Invictus: April Starr | April.Starr@greatheartstxschools.org
Live Oak Lower School: Tara Lowry | Tara.Lowry@GreatHeartsTXSchools.org
Live Oak Upper School: Sabrena May | Sabrena.May@GreatHeartsTXSchools.org
Monte Vista North School: Charlene “Cheri” Dotts | charlene.dotts@greatheartstxschools.org
Monte Vista South- Miosha Evans | miosha.evans@greatheartstxschools.org
Northern Oaks Lower School: Mary Boggess| Mary.Boggess@GreatHeartsTXSchools.org
Northern Oaks Upper School: Cristyn Jagge | cristyn.jagge@greatheartstxschools.org
Western Hills Lower School: Vivian Caldera | vivian.caldera@greatheartstxschools.org
Western Hills Upper School: Christa Dillard | christa.dillard@greatheartstxschools.org
San Antonio SSS Regional Coordinator: Jessica.Stoll@greatheartstxschools.org
San Antonio SSS Regional Coordinator: Cicely.Lott@greatheartstxschools.org
San Antonio SSS Regional Coordinator: Yolanda.Flores@greatheartstxschools.org
North Texas & Online Coordinators
Arlington Lower: Brandon Turner | Brandon.Turner@greatheartstxschools.org
Arlington Upper: Talitha Moore | Talitha.Moore@greatheartstxschools.org
Irving Lower School: Maggie Mitchell | margaret.mitchell@greatheartstxschools.org
Irving Middle & Upper School: Bethany Schaffer | Bethany.Schaffer@greatheartstxschools.org
Lakeside Lower School: Jana Godkin | Jana.Godkin@greatheartstxschools.org
Lakeside Upper School: Stacy Cobb | stacie.cobb@greatheartstxschools.org
Prairie View – Sierra Work | sierra.work@greatheartstxschools.org
Online Lower School: Felicite Gomez | felicite.gomez@greatheartsonline.org
Online Upper School: Ashley Anderson | ashley.anderson@greatheartsonline.org
Online SSS Coordinator Lead: Julie Thorton | julie.thorton@greatheartsonline.org
North Texas SSS Regional Coordinator: Margaret.Mitchell@greatheartstxschools.org
North Texas SSS Regional Coordinator: Dahlia.Berwise@greatheartstxschools.org
ESL Texas Coordinator: Kathryn.Adelmann@greatheartstxschools.org
Please review the Great Hearts Texas Special Education Policies and Procedures:
The Special Education Rules and Regulations for the State of Texas can be found at the Texas Education Agency website.
The Texas Transition and Employment guide can be located here. The transition and employment guide developed and published by the Texas Education Agency for students enrolled in special education programs and their parents.
Senate Bill 139 Notice to Families: English | Español
SpedTex, the Special Education Information Center, can be located here.
If your questions or concerns are not successfully addressed by the special education coordinator, please contact the Headmaster.
If you are still not satisfied with how your questions and concerns have been addressed, make an appointment with the Exceptional Student Services Director at the Great Hearts network office.
Should your concerns remain unresolved, please contact your Great Hearts local Governing School Board.
Monet Lessner | Executive Director of Special Student Services
Great Hearts Texas | 12500 San Pedro Ave., STE 500 | San Antonio, TX 78216
P: 210-888-9475 | Monet.Lessner@greatheartstxschools.org
Diane Jones | Senior Director of Special Student Services
Great Hearts Texas | 1212 Corporate Drive., STE 200 | Irving, TX 75038
P: 469-759-3030 | Diane.Jones@greatheartstxschools.org
- North Texas SSS Regional Coordinator: Carmen.Castillo@greatheartstxschools.org
- North Texas SSS Regional Coordinator: Dahlia.Berwise@greatheartstxschools.org
- San Antonio SSS Regional Coordinator: Jessica.Stoll@greatheartstxschools.org
- San Antonio SSS Regional Coordinator: –
- ESL Texas Coordinator: Kathryn.Adelmann@greatheartstxschools.org
The 2021 Dyslexia handbook: https://tea.texas.gov/sites/default/files/texas-dyslexia-handbook-2021.pdf