Profiles of Literacy Education Program Alumni at SUNY Plattsburgh

Alumni Profiles

Meet Our Graduates

Katie E. McNeil, Class of 2004

• M.S.Ed. Literacy Birth–Grade 6.
• B.A. in Elementary, Special Education, and English 7–12.

Great Instructors Have Given Me a Wonderful Education

The professors of Literacy here at Plattsburgh State are amazing. I have learned everything from what a basal text is to miscue analysis. They have prepared me to become the best educator that I can be. The faculty is exuberant about teaching, extremely friendly, and helpful in many ways. I feel blessed to have had such a wonderful education.

Bethany Soucy, Class of 2002

• 2002 M.S.Ed. Reading Teacher K–12.
• 2001 B.S. Elementary Education Pre K–6.

Academic Intervention Services Literacy (Reading) at Plattsburgh High School

I am currently helping the Plattsburgh City School District develop a reading program for students at the high school level. It has been several years since a reading teacher has been on staff at the high school and they felt that with the new "No Child Left Behind" regulations a reinstatement of the position was necessary. I teach 10 sections of AIS Literacy and assist the staff by providing a referral service for reading evaluations. It is our goal to diagnose and provide assistance to every student who is experiencing reading difficulties.

Another project I have been taking part in at Plattsburgh High School is the creation of a homework lab called "The Tenth". "The Tenth" meets three days a week after school and uses peer tutoring and teacher assistance to help students complete their class assignments.

The education that I received at SUNY Plattsburgh left me well prepared to take on these responsibilities. Dr. Ackland and the entire Literacy Department provide students with up-to-date techniques and strategies that really work in the classroom.

Extensive Fieldwork Refined My Teaching Approach

The most important piece to any education program is in the amount of field work that is available. Plattsburgh State provides students with many opportunities to develop and refine their teaching approach. 1:1 tutoring is a requirement for several different reading courses, and students must complete a reading clinic before graduating. It is here that one truly learns how to teach.

The Literacy Department provides students with a reading center containing resources of all kinds to assist in the teaching of reading. The college is also very lucky to have the North Country Teacher Resource Center on campus. This center provides students with resources and the latest technology to assist teachers in the classroom. They also provide opportunities for professional development.

The Professors Still Help Me Today

Professors are valuable resources not only while attending college but after you enter the work force. Dr. Ackland and I have spoken several times since I have graduated and he always provides guidance and assistance.

Overall, my experience at Plattsburgh State was very positive, and I look forward to continuing my professional development with them.

Professional Organizations:

• Kappa Delta Pi.
• International Reading Association.
• New York State Reading Association.
• Champlain Valley Reading Council.

Other Community Involvement:

• Literacy Volunteers of America.
• Private Tutoring.
• North Country Downs Syndrome Association.

Matthew Carpenter, Class of 2001

My name is Matthew Carpenter and I graduated from Plattsburgh State with my Elementary Education K–6 degree in the spring of 2001. After graduation and spending a year in Syracuse, N.Y. as a substitute teacher I decided to return to SUNY Plattsburgh to earn my masters degree within the K–12 Reading program.

My master's degree was complete by the summer of 2003. Immediately following my graduate studies I participated in the Summer in the City 2003 program which I highly recommend for all education majors. This particular program was designed to encourage future educators to work in inner-city school settings throughout New York City. I loved it so much that I obtained a job in Manhattan as a grades 3–5 science teacher. I currently have over 200 students and love my job as well as the basketball coach position that started in October. I can't stress enough to future teachers how rewarding my job is working with children from so many different ethnic backgrounds.

All of my professors at Plattsburgh State were amazing and always gave that extra step for all of their students. I especially admire and thank Dr. Robert Ackland for all that he has taught me throughout my years at Plattsburgh State.

Are You an Alum With a Story to Share?

If you are a graduate of our program and would like to be featured on this page, please contact the Graduate Assistant for Literacy Education at (518) 564-5145.

Contact Information

If you would like more information about literacy education programs at SUNY Plattsburgh, please contact:

Heidi Schnackenberg, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Teacher Education Unit
Program Area Coordinator, M.S.Ed. Graduate Programs
Office Location: Sibley 309
Phone: (518) 564-5143
Fax: (518) 564-2149
Email: Heidi.Schnackenberg@plattsburgh.edu

Jessica Chase

Secretary
Office: Sibley Hall 302
Phone: (518) 564-2125
Email: chaseja@plattsburgh.edu
Fax: (518) 564-2149