New Elementary Special Ed Director Named

Editor's note: Darien Board of Education Chairperson Elizabeth Hagerty-Ross and Schools Superintendent Stephen V. Falcone issued this statement about the promotion of Elizabeth Wesolowski assistant director for elementary special education. She replaces Laura Conte, who worked for since 2008:

Liz Wesolowski has spent her entire teaching career in the Darien Public Schools where she has had increasing leadership responsibilities.  Ms. Wesolowski is currently the District Program Integration Coordinator, a role in which she works with both special and general education teachers to ensure that district programs and instructional practices are designed to meet the needs of all students. 

Additionally, she has played an integral role in creating clear procedures and documentation for the SRBI process and in developing guidelines for moving students from SRBI to special education services.  

She has provided professional development to administrators and teachers across the district in these areas and this past year she oversaw a Collaborative Teaching Pilot Program at the elementary level.

Prior to her serving in this coordination capacity, Ms. Wesolowski was a special education teacher who was responsible for curriculum modification, delivery of instruction, IEP development and implementation, academic testing, and case management. 

She has been involved at the district level in Reading and Writing Workshop approaches, Cathy Fosnot mathematics applications, and technology integration for curricular and managerial purposes. 

She has been recognized for her ability to mentor new teachers, support students with a range of needs, communicate clearly and effectively, and her own love of learning.

Elizabeth Wesolowki, who is certified in as both a general and special education teacher, earned her undergraduate Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Gettysburg College. 

She received a graduate Master of Science degree from Fordham University in Teaching with a Childhood Education Major.  She completed another Master’s degree in Educational Leadership from the College of New Rochelle where she is currently a doctoral candidate in the school’s Executive Leadership Program.

Professionally, Ms. Wesolowski has been awarded grants to study Spanish and has developed the skills necessary to complete evaluations for students whose native language is Spanish. 

She has been a CMT Testing Coordinator and has done training in the Case-Partner Model for the Improvement of Teaching and Learning.   Her research interests have focused on factors that impact teacher-teacher collaboration and teachers' shared ownership of student learning.

Ms. Wesolowski resides in Westchester, NY.