As preparations for the 2020-2021 school year continue across Abington School District, the ASD administration is proud to welcome new Assistant Director of Student Services, Ms. Marie Capitolo, who is responsible for overseeing special education districtwide. Ms. Capitolo works under Director of Student Services Ms. Judy Bomze.
Ms. Capitolo has more than two decades of experience in special education, most recently serving as a Director of Special Education for the School District of Philadelphia, where she oversaw special education services and staff for 30 school buildings. Prior to that position, Ms. Capitolo spent 17 years serving as a teacher of special education in Philadelphia and in Florida.
For as long as Ms. Capitolo can remember, she has had a passion for working with, and helping, children. At the Pennsylvania State University, she earned a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education, through which a course in special education sparked an interest that led to her eventual career path.
“I fell in love with serving as an educator for students with special needs,” Ms. Capitolo said. “This fueled my desire to get a master’s degree in special education from Penn State, and I never even considered starting my career in any other type of classroom. My time spent educating children who have different or complex learning needs has been so rewarding, and I am specifically looking forward to having the opportunity to lead the teaching efforts in Abington schools.”
In addition to the master’s degree she earned in special education from the Pennsylvania State University, Ms. Capitolo has a master’s degree in educational leadership from Cabrini University.
In her previous position, Ms. Capitolo was responsible for creating programming models in Philadelphia schools so that students with significant needs could learn in an environment with their peers, or in programs offered within the District, rather than having to go to specialized schools. One example of this was her successful creation of a fully included Autistic Support Program.
“It’s important to families that their children are educated as close to their neighborhood as possible and can participate alongside their non-disabled peers in order for them to be thriving members of their community and culture,” she added.
Ms. Capitolo’s love of helping children and passion for serving students with special needs has proven beneficial in her multifaceted career in which she has developed and implemented school action plans, counseling and other interventional support services, parent/guardian trainings, as well as, professional development offerings for both general education and special education staff and administrators.
“As we embark on an atypical school year for the students and staff of Abington School District as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, I appreciate having the leadership and expertise of Ms. Capitolo on our team to help guide our special education planning for 2020-2021 and beyond,” Dr. Jeffrey Fecher, Superintendent of Abington School District, said. “Ms. Capitolo’s oversight of this programming as the Assistant Director of Student Services is critical to our District operations. We know her diverse and extensive background in Philadelphia schools will be beneficial to her role leading Abington School District’s special education teachers and staff.”