My name is Catherine, and I LOVE my job as a school based SLP! I have been a state and nationally certified speech-language pathologist for 18 years now. I earned my bachelor’s degree (bachelor of science in Communication Disorders) from Auburn University in 2004. I earned my master’s degree (master of science in Speech-language Pathology) from the University of Montevallo in 2007, where I was a member of the National Honor Society, Phi Kappa Phi, for academic excellence.
I am also a national board certified teacher (NBCT) in the area of exceptional needs, ages prek-12 years. It’s the highest national certification a teacher can hold. I certified by demonstrating skills in the area of speech-language pathology-which falls into the exceptional education category, in the school system. It is estimated that only 10% of teachers in Alabama have earned their NBCT certificate. Research shows that students taught by national board certified teachers, receive the equivalent of one to two months more instruction, than by teachers who are not national board certified. It is renewed every five years, to ensure that we are lifelong learners, always looking to learn new skills and improve our service delivery.
I have worked in the public school system, all 18 years of my career, with ages 2-12 years of age. I currently work at McCalla Elementary School, a Jefferson County (Jefcoed) school. I have worked with children with ranges of articulation needs, including 1-2 errors, to severe phonological process disorders. I also really enjoy helping children increase their vocabulary/utterance length/language through play, and training parents to help at home. This includes students who have a diagnosis of Autism.
I live in Helena with my husband, two boys, and two cats. When I’m not working, I enjoy reading, baking, eating what I bake, shopping, drinking coffee while bird watching, and making yearbooks/memory books for my family.
Bright Birmingham 