Melissa A. Sreckovic
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CURRICULUM VITAE
Melissa A. Sreckovic
PERSONAL INFORMATION
Name:
Melissa Ann Sreckovic
Address:
Campus Box 8040 Chapel Hill, NC 27599-8040
E-mail Address:
msreck@email.unc.edu
Telephone:
(586) 419-2820
AREAS OF SPECIALIZATION
Special Education
Inclusive Classrooms
Autism Spectrum Disorder
School-based bullying prevention and intervention
EDUCATION
Start date:
August 2011
Expected
completion
date:
Summer,
2014
Ph.D.
Candidate
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Education
Dissertation Title: Introducing Students with Autism
Spectrum Disorder to Peer Social Networks: Effects on
Social Interactions and Peer Victimization
Advisors:
Kara Hume and Harriet Able
Committee Members: Samuel Odom
Gary Mesibov
Betsy Crais
August 2009
M. Ed.
Michigan State University
Concentrations: Special Education and Literacy
May 2006
B.A.
Michigan State University
Elementary Education
Minors: mathematics and English
K-6 all
subjects, 7-9
Mathematics
and Language
Arts
North Carolina Professional Teaching License
2007
K-5 all
subjects, 6-8
mathematics
and English
Michigan Elementary Provisional Teaching Certificate
2007
K-3
Michigan Literacy Progress Profile (MLPP)
LICENSURE
2010
Melissa A. Sreckovic
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PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Spring 2014
Teaching
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of
Assistant
Education
EDMX 722: EDMX Advanced Reflective Literacy Teaching for
Experienced Teachers
 Assisted in the development of course content and
developing course assignments
 Supported teachers in designing an intervention plan
for struggling readers
 Coached teachers as they implemented evidence-based
reading interventions
Fall 2012
Teaching
Assistant
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of
Education
EDUC 516: Introduction to the Education of Exceptional
Learners
 Assisted in developing course syllabus
 Assisted in developing weekly lectures and activities
for K-12 pre-service teachers on how to teach
exceptional learners in the general education classroom
 Created course assignments that capitalized on
practical applications
 Designed and presented a lecture on classroom
management
Spring 2012
Co-Instructor
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Department of
Allied Health
SPHS 802: Autism Spectrum Disorders: An Interdisciplinary
Seminar
 Designed course syllabus with co-instructors
 Connected course content to emphasize the important
relationship between occupational therapists, speech
language pathologists, and educators when working with
children with ASD
 Created a climate of mutual trust and expectations
between peers and instructors to provide an optimal
cooperative learning experience
 Provided autonomy in class assignments to provide
students with opportunities to be self-directed learners
 Provided formative and summative assessments to
gauge student understanding and motivation and adjust
teaching strategies and content as necessary
2007-2011
Third Grade
General
Wake County Public Schools
Penny Road Elementary
Melissa A. Sreckovic
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Education
Inclusion
Teacher
 Conceptualized, designed, and taught inquiry based
lessons for mathematics, science, social studies, and
literacy based on county curriculum guidelines and state
standards
 Developed a successful learning environment among a
group of students with diverse abilities
 Differentiated instruction and adapted academic
material to meet the individual needs of all students
 Assessed student learning continuously using
formative and summative assessments
 Integrated technology in the classroom to enhance the
learning environment and maximize student learning
 Developed an Autism Support Team to provide support
for teachers including interventions for students with
ASD
 Created an after school homework help room program
to help at risk youth with life skills
 Served as the third grade team leader for the 20102011 school year
2008
Instructional
Designer
American Research Institute, Morrisville, North Carolina
 Designed online training courses for companies
 Created a relationship of mutual respect and
expectations with project managers
 Worked collaboratively with a team of instructional
designers and graphic designers
 Designed educational screen pages with easy
navigation
2007
Second Grade
Summer
School
Teacher
Chippewa Valley School District
Ojibwa Elementary Second Grade Summer School Teacher
 Taught literacy and mathematics instruction to
students who were not meeting grade level standards
 Monitored student progress through a variety of formal
and informal assessments
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
January
Research
2013-present Assistant
Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Center on Secondary Education for Students with Autism
Spectrum Disorders (CSESA)
Supervisors: Dr. Kara Hume and Dr. Samuel Odom
 Assisted in the development and implementation of
Peer Social Networks for high school students with
HFA/AS
Melissa A. Sreckovic
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 Assisted in data collection and treatment fidelity for
Social Competence Intervention (Stichter, 2012) for High
School students with HFA/AS
 Coached High School teachers on how to implement
Peer Support interventions in inclusion classrooms
 Participated in a non-concurrent multiple-baseline
across participants design study to measure the effects of
Peer Supports for high school students with ASD across
three sites (Vanderbilt University, University of
California-Davis, University of North Carolina-Chapel
Hill)
September
2011-present
Project
Coordinator
School of Education
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Social skills Project for Children with High Functioning
Autism in Middle and High School: Parent Interviews and
Educator Focus Groups
Supervisor: Dr. Harriet Able
 Assisted in IRB application
 Organized educator focus groups
 Developed questions for educator focus groups and
parent interviews
 Facilitated educator focus groups
 Assisted in data analysis
May 2012December
2012
Research
Assistant
Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Parent training to Reduce Young Children’s Challenging
Behavior
Supervisors: Dr. Tia Schultz and Dr. Angel Fettig
 Assisted with family recruitment and initial family
interviews
 Collaborated with the research team to create family
training kits
 Assisted in the implementation of a functionalassessment based parent intervention
 Collected baseline, training, coaching, and maintenance
data
 Coached a parent of a young child with autism how to
reduce his challenging behaviors during his morning
dressing routine
 Coded training videos for fidelity of implementation
 Assisted in data analysis
May 2012-
Research
Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute
Melissa A. Sreckovic
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December
2012
Assistant
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Parent Perceptions of Their own Learning Process During a
Parent Education Group for Parents of Youth with ASD
Supervisor: Dr. Tia Schultz and Dr. Suzanne Kucharczyk
 Collaborated with the research team to create
interview questions
 Conducted phone interviews with parents who
participated in a parent education group for parents of
children with ASD
 Transcribed interview data
October
2011-May
2012
Research
Assistant
School of Education
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Reconnect and Recharge
 Gathered data during educator focus groups
PEER-REVIEWED PRESENTATIONS
Sreckovic, M. A., Kirby, A. V., Hedges, S., & Pace, S. (2014, April). “Falling through the
Cracks”: Challenges for Students with ASD in High School. Paper accepted for
presentation at National Council of Exceptional Children Conference, Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania.
Carter, E. W., Redding, J., Sreckovic, M. A., & Common, E. A., Huber, H. B., (2014, April).
Fostering Social Connections among Adolescents with Autism: Lessons From a
Mixed-Methods Project. Poster accepted for presentation at National Council of
Exceptional Children Conference, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Sreckovic, M. A., Brunsting, N. C., & Common, E. A. (2013, October). Targeting peer
victimization and students with ASD: Risk factors, prevalence, and prevention.
Paper presented at Teacher Educators for Children with Behavioral Disorders
Annual Conference on Severe Behavior Disorders of Children and Youth, Tempe,
Arizona.
Brunsting, N. C., Sreckovic, M. A., & Lane, K. L. (2013, October). Special education teacher
burnout: What we know and what we need to know next. Paper presented at
Teacher Educators for Children with Behavioral Disorders Annual Conference on
Severe Behavior Disorders of Children and Youth, Tempe, Arizona.
Schultz, T. R., Fettig, A., & Sreckovic, M. A. (2013, October). Supporting Parent Use of
Positive Behavior Support in the Home through Coaching. Paper presented at
Teacher Educators for Children with Behavioral Disorders Annual Conference on
Severe Behavior Disorders of Children and Youth, Tempe, Arizona.
Sreckovic, M. A. (2013, April). Bullseye on bullying: Exploring the prevalence of
victimization rates among youth and adolescents with High Functioning Autism and
Melissa A. Sreckovic
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Asperger’s Syndrome. Poster presented at National Council of Exceptional Children
Conference, San Antonia, Texas.
Fettig, A. & Sreckovic, M. A. (2013, March). We gotta teach! Social emotional teaching
strategies. Invited presentation for the Ashe County Child Care Resource & Referral
Early Childhood Education Conference, Jefferson, North Carolina.
Common, E., Knowles, M., Sreckovic, M. A., & Lane, K. L. (2013, February). Self-regulated
strategy development: A tier 2 intervention for students with and at-risk for EBD.
Poster presented at Midwest Symposium for Leadership in Behavior Disorders,
Kansas City, Missouri.
Sreckovic, M. A., Lukasik, L., & Able, H. (2013, January). Optimizing the parent-educator
social network. Paper presented at North Carolina Council for Exceptional Children
Conference, Pinehurst, North Carolina.
Sreckovic, M. A., Garwood, J. D., Able, H., & Schultz, T. (2013, January). Supporting the
social needs of students with High Functioning Autism: Educators’ perspectives and
implications for parents. Paper presented at North Carolina Council for Exceptional
Children Conference, Pinehurst, North Carolina.
Sreckovic, M. A., Able, H., & Schultz, T. (2012, November). Supporting students with High
Functioning Autism: What educators want to know. Paper presented at Teacher
Education Division Council for Exceptional Children Conference, Grand Rapids,
Michigan.
Sreckovic, M.A. (2012, February). Peer mediated interventions: An effective way to create
a more inclusive classroom. Poster presented at North Carolina Council for
Exceptional Children Conference, Winston Salem, North Carolina.
Sreckovic, M.A. (2012, February). Peer mediated interventions for secondary students
with autism spectrum disorders. Paper presented at Southeastern Association of
Educational Studies Conference, Columbia, South Carolina.
INVITED PRESENTATIONS
Sreckovic, M. A. (2014, February). Promoting inclusion with classroom peers. Invited
speaker for Special Education 361: Inclusive Methods of Instruction, University of
Wisconsin, Whitewater, WI.
Sreckovic, M. A. (2014, January). Success stories on obtaining external funding as a
graduate student. Invited speaker for OCSC 858: Seminar in Proposal and Grant
Writing, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC.
Common, E. A., Sreckovic, M. A., & Lane, K. L. (2013, November). A step-by-step approach
to conducting a systematic review of the literature. Invited speaker for the
Schoolwide Integrated Framework for Transformation Center (SWIFT), The
Melissa A. Sreckovic
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Lifespan Institute, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS.
PUBLICATIONS
Carter, E. W., Common, E. A., Sreckovic, M. A., Huber, H. B., Bottema-Beutel, K., ReddingGustafson, . . . Hume, K. (2013). Promoting social competence and peer relationships
for adolescents with autism spectrum disorders. Remedial and Special Education.
Advanced online publication.
Sreckovic, M. A., Common, E. C., Knowles, M., & Lane, K. L. (in press). A review of selfregulated strategy development for writing for Students with EBD. Behavioral
Disorders.
Fettig, A., Schultz, T. R., & Sreckovic, M. A. (2014). Effects of coaching in the implementation
of functional-assessment based parent intervention in reducing challenging behaviors.
Currently in Revise and Resubmit Stage.
Hume, K., Sreckovic, M. A., Snyder, K., & Carnahan, C. R. (2014). Smooth Transitions:
Helping Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder Navigate Through Their School Day.
Accepted for publication pending minor revisions.
Hedges, S. H., Kirby, A. V., Sreckovic, M. A., Pace, S., Kucharczyk, S., & Hume, K. (2014).
“Falling through the cracks”: Challenges for high school students with autism
spectrum disorder. Manuscript submitted for publication.
Sreckovic, M. A., Brunsting, N., & Able, H. (2014). Victimization of Students with Autism
Spectrum Disorder: A Review of Prevalence and Risk Factors. Manuscript submitted
for publication.
Brunsting, N., Sreckovic, M. A., & Lane, K. L., (2014). Special Education Teacher Burnout: A
Synthesis of Research from 1979 to 2013. Manuscript submitted for publication.
FUNDED RESEARCH GRANTS
Introducing Students with High Functioning Autism to Peer Social Networks: Effects on Social
Interaction, Peer Victimization, and Friendship (June, 2013). Organization for Autism
Research Graduate Research Grant.
SERVICE
 Co-Editor, Research Division of Council for Exceptional Children Newsletter (Beginning
January, 2014)
 Guest Reviewer, Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions
 Guest Reviewer, Journal of Remedial and Special Education
 Safe Schools NC, Board Member (September 2012-present)
Safe Schools NC is a nonprofit organization committed to providing safe learning
environments for all students and educators. As a board member I serve as an advocate
Melissa A. Sreckovic
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for students and educators, provide educators with strategies to create safe learning
environments, and help families when their children are bullied at school.
Article Reviewer, National Professional Development Center on Autism Spectrum
Disorders (January, 2013)
Coded articles to determine which practices could be considered an evidence-based
practice for students with ASD
Conducted Systematic Literature Review Workshops for graduate students at UNC-CH
guided by instruction from Dr. Kathleen Lane (June, 2012; March, 2013)
Course Development, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, (November, 2011)
Assisted in developing an introduction to special education course that would benefit K12 pre-service, general and special educators
Autism Support Team Coordinator, Penny Road Elementary (August 2010-June 2011)
Developed and coordinated an autism support team to assist teachers, students, and
families working with children with autism spectrum disorders
After School Group Coordinator, Penny Road Elementary (August 2010-June 2011)
Developed and coordinated an after school program for children at-risk; assisted
students with homework and life skills
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Center on Secondary Education for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder, September
2013-present
Collaborated with CSESA team members and the Organization for Autism Research to
create professional development kits for schools to train their staff on understanding
autism and how to provide support to students with autism spectrum disorder in the
general education classroom
Safe Schools NC, September 2013-present
Assisted in the development of online training tools for educators with a specific focus on
creating safe learning environments for all students
Penny Road Elementary, October 2010
Provided staff training on how to differentiate instruction and accommodate for students
with autism spectrum disorder in general education classrooms
HONORS AND AWARDS
Translational Research Training for Interdisciplinary Doctoral Students, Fellowship from
the U.S. Office of Education Grant, Participant, 2011-2015
Penny Road Elementary Teacher of the Year, 2011
Michigan Association of Teacher Educators Student Teacher/Intern of the Year, 2007
MEMBERSHIPS
Council for Exceptional Children, 2011-present
Melissa A. Sreckovic
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Research Division–Council for Exceptional Children, 2012-present
Teacher Education Division–Council for Exceptional Children, 2012-2013
International Society of Autism Research, 2012-2013
UNC Graduate Student Association, 2011-present