Faculty & Staff - Exceptional Learners Center
Ms. betsy fons / director of student services
Ms. Fons grew up in New York state until her family moved to Bourbonnais, Illinois. A product of Catholic education, Ms. Fons attended Maternity BVM Grade School, Bishop McNamara High School, and Lewis University where she majored in Social Work. She started her career as a juvenile probation officer for Kankakee County before working for DCFS recruiting foster parents. In 1995, Ms. Fons began working as a Director of Youth Ministry for her home parish of Maternity BVM. Ms. Fons earned a Masters of Religious Education from Loyola University. In 1998, Ms. Fons was hired as the Director of Campus Ministry at St. Viator High School in Arlington Heights. During her 17 years at St. Viator, Ms. Fons earned a Masters Degree in Educational Administration from Dominican University and a Professional Educators License in School Counseling from Lewis University. Most recently, Ms. Fons spent three years as an Assistant Principal and School Counselor at Old St. Mary’s Grade School in Chicago.
Ms. Fons enjoys traveling to other countries (she has been to all 50 states), flea markets, making quilts, the Chicago Cubs, and spending time with her family and friends. She is excited to be a part of the St. Isaac's community and supporting students in reaching their fullest potential academically, socially, emotionally, and as practicing Catholics.
Ms. Fons enjoys traveling to other countries (she has been to all 50 states), flea markets, making quilts, the Chicago Cubs, and spending time with her family and friends. She is excited to be a part of the St. Isaac's community and supporting students in reaching their fullest potential academically, socially, emotionally, and as practicing Catholics.
Mrs. Jennifer Houch / Speech Language Pathologist
This is Mrs. Houch’s tenth year as a speech-language pathologist. She earned her Bachelor of Sciences degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders from The University of Illinois and her Masters of Sciences degree in Speech-Language Pathology from Rush University. Mrs. Houch has extensive experience working with children with a variety of speech-language needs, including: developmental language delay, speech sound disorders (phonological delays and apraxia of speech), autism spectrum disorder, and dyslexia. As a mother of two boys, she is passionate about parent education, early identification/intervention, literacy development, and inclusion. She is certified to provide parent training services for parents of children with expressive language delay and autism.
Mrs. Amanda Miller / Reading specialist for Grades K-4
Mrs. Miller is happy to be back at St Isaac’s as part of the Exceptional Learners Center. Prior to joining the ELC, she was an SIJ parent until her youngest graduated in 2018. She was a classroom teacher in kindergarten and first grade before staying home with her own children. She returned to teaching three years ago working as a reading and writing tutor.
Mrs. Munira Shakir, MOT, ORT/L / Occupational Therapist
Mrs. Shakir graduated from Midwestern University in Downers Grove with her Masters in Occupational Therapy and with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology (cum-laude) from St. John’s University in New York City. She has worked in a variety of settings, including outpatient pediatrics, skilled nursing, acute care, adult orthopedics and neurology, but always had a special interest in the endless possibilities that children have. She has experience with a range of diagnoses, including, sensory processing disorder, low muscle tone, poor visual motor integration, handwriting difficulty, and delayed fine motor skills. She has taken several continuing education courses in visual perceptual difficulty and treatment and is also trained in the Handwriting without Tears program.
Mrs. Shakir lives in the western suburbs of Chicago with her husband and three children. She enjoys traveling internationally and experiencing different cultures along the way. Her travels has definitely shaped her into a better therapist, allowing for stronger rapport with her clients.
Mrs. Shakir lives in the western suburbs of Chicago with her husband and three children. She enjoys traveling internationally and experiencing different cultures along the way. Her travels has definitely shaped her into a better therapist, allowing for stronger rapport with her clients.
mrs. jeanne mosquera / primary Resource Support
Mrs. Mosquera graduated from Benedictine University. She has her Master's degree in Curriculum and Instruction from National Louis University. Before coming to St. Isaac's, Mrs. Mosquera taught Kindergarten and second grade at Our Lady of Peace School in Darien.
Mr. Owen Enoch / Clinical Psychology Extern
Mr. Enoch is this year's Clinical Psychology intern at Saint Isaac Jogues. He received a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Baylor University and recently completed his Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology from Wheaton College in Illinois. He is continuing in his academic training at Wheaton College in their Doctoral Program for Clinical Psychology (Psy.D.). He has been placed for his clinical training this year at Monarch Clinics in Wheaton which has a partnership with St. Isaac's. Mr. Enoch is passionate about helping children and families overcome various issues of trauma, overwhelming emotions, and challenging behaviors. He enjoys working from a collaborative approach and seeing children grow in confidence and competence in themselves and their unique strengths.
Outside of the world of psychology, Mr. Enoch is passionate about spending time with friends, enjoying music, and traveling when opportunity affords.
Outside of the world of psychology, Mr. Enoch is passionate about spending time with friends, enjoying music, and traveling when opportunity affords.
