Coaching Support

Professional Development Requests

• Nonviolent Crisis Intervention Training
• Initial Certification Training (8 hours)
• Refresher Course (4 hours)
• Facilitated IEP through Key2Ed (Initial and Advanced/Refresher)
• Additional topics include:
• De-escalation Strategies
• Foundational Behavior Concepts
• Paraprofessional Specific Topics
• Customized professional development to meet unique needs
• Professional development with opportunities for follow-up coaching to support implementation

Classroom and Individual Student Consultation

• Observation(s) with feedback
• Coaching and modeling of effective strategies
• Curriculum implementation and differentiation of supports
• Collaborate with teams to promote the success of students by creating a safe, efficient, and effective learning environment
• Facilitate the process of using data for the identification and implementation of supports that address the instructional and behavioral needs of students
• Administration of academic and/or behavioral assessments
• Development of intervention plans in collaboration with a student’s team
• Coaching focused on implementation of individualized student plans

Mid-Valley coaches are available for collaboration and consultation to MVSEC programs and member districts when requested. The coaches are experienced educators with credentials that provide a foundation which supports a variety of activities within and beyond the cooperative. 

This background is further enhanced through participation in professional learning specifically designed to develop coaching skills (e.g., Jim Knight, Elena Aguilar, Cognitive Coaching). Mid-Valley coaches strive to adapt and apply the skills they learn to the unique contexts they support.

Jessica Antoniou, M.A., CCC-SLP/L, CAS

Jessica has been a part of Mid-Valley Special Education since 2014. Prior to becoming an Instructional/Behavioral coach, she was a Speech-Language Pathologist who worked in many programs throughout the Cooperative for 8 years. Her work is centered around her passion for the link between behavior and communication. She is a certified CPI instructor and plans the CPI professional development for the Cooperative. Jessica received her B.S. in Speech and Hearing Science and M.A. in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She received a Graduate Certificate in Autism Spectrum Disorders from Arizona State University and is a Certified Autism Specialist. She is currently attending Aurora University to obtain a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership with an anticipated completion date of Spring 2025.

Bethany Akers, M.A.

Bethany has been a member of the Mid-Valley Special Education Cooperative team since 2006. Prior to becoming an Instructional/Behavioral Coach, she taught students with Autism in the Mid-Valley New Pathways program at the intermediate and middle school levels. She received a B.S.Ed. in Special Education from Northern Illinois University, and an M.A. in Reading and Literacy from Benedictine University. In 2023, Bethany earned an M.A. in Applied Behavior Analysis from Northern Illinois University. She holds the following teaching credentials and certifications: LBS1, Reading Specialist, and Senior Level CPI Instructor. Her expertise includes collecting and analyzing data to support students’ behavioral development.

Amanda Neubauer, M.A.

Amanda joined the coaching team at Mid-Valley Special Education Cooperative in 2023. Prior to working at Mid-Valley, she was in East Aurora School District as the Special Education Instructional Coach, and the PBIS Tier 2 coach, while also supporting the District through the MTSS process. While in the classroom, she taught Early Childhood Special Education in an Autism Classroom, as well as General Education K-2. She received an MA in Early Childhood Education from National Louis University, her LBS1 Endorsement from Aurora University, and a Graduate Certificate as a Certified Autism Specialist from Arizona State University. She is also a CPI Instructor for the Cooperative.

Catie McGinnis, LBS1, M.A. ABA

Catie McGinnis is an Instructional and Behavioral Coach with the Mid-Valley Special Education Cooperative. She has over 20 years of experience as an LBS1 educator and coach, previously serving as an Intervention Manager, SEL Specialist, and Behavior Facilitator supporting Tiers 1–3. A graduate of Northern Illinois University, Catie holds a bachelor’s in Special Education, master’s coursework in Educational Psychology, and an M.A. in Applied Behavior Analysis with an emphasis on bullying intervention and prevention. Currently completing her doctorate in Educational Psychology/ABA and BCBA supervision, her expertise spans curriculum design, Motivation Theory, Applied Behavior Analysis, and Polyvagal Theory. Catie’s coaching centers on building educators’ SEL competencies and promoting student co-regulation and self-regulation.