With Poncho, the Gentle Giant.
Meet Our Founder
Erin De Assis, M.Ed.
My roles as special education teacher, team leader, athletic coach, parent, and, most recently, elementary school therapy dog handler, have all profoundly shaped who I am today.
At the intersection of those opportunities is my belief that people are good inside. With tools of agency and creative problem solving, in partnership with others, that goodness is provided a space to grow.
My greatest commitment as an educator and educational consultant is that others experience the joy, excellence, and affirmation I bring to my work every day, so they feel trusted and trustworthy in my efforts to bring people together to accomplish collaborative goals.
There is no greater work than the effort we invest in one another.
My Approach
I believe in starting from a place of strength and what is working, to build a strong foundation to support challenges. I am committed to collaborating with students, parents, adults, and community organizations to design intuitive processes that build skills, capacity, and encourage creative problem-solving.
Education
I hold a Master of Education Degree in Curriculum, Instruction, & Assessment from Regis University in 2017, and a Bachelor of Art Degree in Psychology from Hofstra University in New York. My initial K-12 Special Education Licensure program was awarded by Fayetteville State University in North Carolina.
Experience
My career experience includes working as a K-12 special ed teacher, in intensive special needs programs and inclusion/co-teaching settings in general education classrooms, and leadership roles for student support and coaching for new teachers, in 5 states across the country. I have developed school-wide practices to help teams work together with synergy, direction, accuracy, and efficiency. I am also an experienced and passionate presenter, speaking on a variety of special education, MTSS, and school culture topics, to schools and broader community audiences.
Training
I hold an active K-12 Special Education Teaching License (expires 2033), a teaching endorsement for middle school math, as well as certification in Orton Gillingham Literacy Instruction, and Culturally Responsive Teaching Practices. I am also a Certified EMT, and 200-Hour Certified Yoga Instructor. I incorporate both of these skill-sets into my consulting work as poignant background knowledge relating to the nervous system and essential regulation practices.