Faculty & Staff - Exceptional Learners Center
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. emily elwood/ director of exceptional learners center
Mrs. Elwood grew up in the small town of Petoskey, Michigan. Mrs. Elwood and her husband recently moved from Chicago to the suburbs. She received her Bachelor's degree from Wittenberg University in Early Education with a minor in Special Education and also played collegiate soccer. She earned her Master's degree in Special Education from DePaul University and currently holds an LBSI license.
Prior to joining St. Isaac's, Mrs. Elwood taught at a Catholic school in Chicago for nine years in different teaching roles. She worked as the Director of Resource for the last 6 years and has experience working with a variety of student needs, including: learning disabilities, dyslexia, autism spectrum disorder and ADHD.
Mrs. Elwood enjoys spending time with her family in Northern Michigan, playing all racket sports, skiing and cooking. She is most excited about getting to know all of her students and helping them grow educationally, emotionally, and spiritually.
Prior to joining St. Isaac's, Mrs. Elwood taught at a Catholic school in Chicago for nine years in different teaching roles. She worked as the Director of Resource for the last 6 years and has experience working with a variety of student needs, including: learning disabilities, dyslexia, autism spectrum disorder and ADHD.
Mrs. Elwood enjoys spending time with her family in Northern Michigan, playing all racket sports, skiing and cooking. She is most excited about getting to know all of her students and helping them grow educationally, emotionally, and spiritually.
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.
