Megan attended Rosemont College and received her Bachelor of Science in Management. She has previously worked as the Director of Financial Aid at Pennsylvania School of Business and Student Account Representative at Lehigh Valley College. Megan ended up leaving the post-secondary education field to stay home with her children. As they got older, she had the opportunity to come to BHA. It was one of the greatest decisions she has made. The staff at ISST has become her second family, and they all share a common goal… their students’ success.
“One of the most rewarding aspects of working in ISST is seeing the students meet other ISST students that they can identify with and feel accepted by while being their true selves. Many of our students have had negative experiences such as being bullied or ostracized by peers, not fully understanding social cues, and feelings of loneliness and isolation. It is so gratifying to see our students finally relax, become less anxious, and become more willing to be open, to share, to learn, and to become the best version of themselves. It is even more gratifying when these students come back to visit us after they move on from ISST to greater horizons, such as college, work, or back to their home school. Many of our former students keep in touch and visit us as they still consider us family.”
Megan began working for BHA ISST in January of 2017 as a dedicated staff person for a student on the autism spectrum. Before coming to ISST, Megan had worked in post-secondary education in an administrative role. So, this was her first foray into an educational setting for younger students. This position allowed Megan to work as part of a team and afforded her the opportunity to see that she could (and did!) make a difference in a student’s life. She loved it! While working closely with the one designated student brought Megan so much joy in seeing his progress, the thought of being able to facilitate changes in many students was her ultimate goal. So, when the opportunity arose for a more permanent full-time position in ISST, she immediately applied.
In August of 2018, Megan became the Student Service Coordinator for ISST. This position allowed her the flexibility to still be in the classroom and interact with the students and see for herself which interventions and types of interactions were most beneficial for the students. She also began to work more closely with the ISST program director. They share the same philosophy and worked to create and maintain an open, safe, student-centered, family-like environment necessary for the students to feel comfortable in practicing the requisite social skills to be successful. ISST’s students learn how to build relationships with staff, and most importantly, with their peers. This position also allowed Megan to work more closely with school districts and the families of the students, which she found highly informative and helped her appreciate the teamwork that goes into helping a student reach their greatest potential. When the former program director changed roles in the company, it seemed a natural and organic move for Megan to step into that role and continue the work ISST has done for the last 10 years.
Being a part of ISST means being a part of a larger family consisting of ISST staff, the students, and their families. As the Program Director, Megan oversees the daily operations of the program, which may include new enrollments, class schedules, and progress meetings with student’s home districts. She continues to work closely with staff to foster the relationships that they have created with each other, the students, their families, and the LEAs. One of Megan’s goals for the ISST program is to continue to provide a safe and supportive environment to help the student achieve their goals.
Megan began working for BHA ISST in January of 2017 as a dedicated staff person for a student on the autism spectrum. Before coming to ISST, Megan had worked in post-secondary education in an administrative role. So, this was her first foray into an educational setting for younger students. This position allowed Megan to work as part of a team and afforded her the opportunity to see that she could (and did!) make a difference in a student’s life. She loved it! While working closely with the one designated student brought Megan so much joy in seeing his progress, the thought of being able to facilitate changes in many students was her ultimate goal. So, when the opportunity arose for a more permanent full-time position in ISST, she immediately applied.
Being a part of ISST means being a part of a larger family consisting of ISST staff, the students, and their families. As the Program Director, Megan oversees the daily operations of the program, which may include new enrollments, class schedules, and progress meetings with student’s home districts. She continues to work closely with staff to foster the relationships that they have created with each other, the students, their families, and the LEAs. One of Megan’s goals for the ISST program is to continue to provide a safe and supportive environment to help the student achieve their goals.
Megan attended Rosemont College and received her Bachelor of Science in Management. She has previously worked as the Director of Financial Aid at Pennsylvania School of Business and Student Account Representative at Lehigh Valley College. Megan ended up leaving the post-secondary education field to stay home with her children. As they got older, she had the opportunity to come to BHA. It was one of the greatest decisions she has made. The staff at ISST has become her second family, and they all share a common goal… their students’ success.
“One of the most rewarding aspects of working in ISST is seeing the students meet other ISST students that they can identify with and feel accepted by while being their true selves. Many of our students have had negative experiences such as being bullied or ostracized by peers, not fully understanding social cues, and feelings of loneliness and isolation. It is so gratifying to see our students finally relax, become less anxious, and become more willing to be open, to share, to learn, and to become the best version of themselves. It is even more gratifying when these students come back to visit us after they move on from ISST to greater horizons, such as college, work, or back to their home school. Many of our former students keep in touch and visit us as they still consider us family.”
