NANCY JOHNSON JAMES
Oakland, CA 94605
EXPERIENCE
2017 - Present
Education Specialist, Early Childhood Special Education - San Leandro Unified School District. Provide daily instruction to 3 - 5 years-old students with mild - moderate disabilities. Collaborate with IEP team members and coordinate services.
2007-2017
Education Specialist, Level II Moderate-Severe – San Leandro Unified School District. Provide daily instruction in a Kindergarten – Second Grade Special Day Class. Plan, coordinate and supervise instruction by para-professionals in the classroom. Engage in ongoing collaboration with general education teachers, specialists, service providers and parents. Serve on the site leadership team, on the district Special Education Task Force and as a site union representative.
2004 - 2006
Director, Operations and Administration – East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation. Supervised a department of 5 administrative and IT staff. Managed cross-functional operations between real estate development, property management and neighborhood and economic development departments. Oversaw the general administrative budget. Supervised coordination of board of directors meetings, retreats, trainings, and staff communication. Supervised coordination of staff and board events. Serves on the senior management team.
2000 - 2004
Executive Assistant / Board Liaison - East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation. Supervised administrative staff and general administration budget. Coordinated board of directors and committee meetings, retreats, training and staff communication. Ensured the provision of administrative support to the Executive Director. Coordinated staff and board events and functions. Served on the management team.
1998 - 1999
Executive Assistant / Research Associate- Applied Research Center. Provided research and administrative support to the Executive Director.
1996 –1998
Studio Administrator – Merce Cunningham Dance Foundation. Managed daily activities and maintenance of modern dance studio. Supervised and maintained payroll records of 10 work-study staff. Administrated Professional training Program and Open Program in Cunningham technique. Maintained student attendance records. Directed student recruitment for certificate programs.
ARTS & COMMUNITY
Present
Integrated Learning Specialist Program Facilitator, Alameda County Office of Education, Art Is Education Program. Support lead trainers in providing training and development for educators in the integration of art and curriculum in classrooms at all levels.
2006
Panelist, Organizational Assistance Panel - City of Oakland Cultural Arts Department. Served as a panelist for the annual funding cycle. Work including reviewing proposals and making site visits.
2002
Intern/Instructor – WritersCorps through St. Mary’s College of California. Provided instruction in Creative Writing for the Ethnic Literature Class at Ida B. Wells High School in San Francisco.
1999 - 2000
Instructor - The Village Center at Lockwood Year Round School. Taught a “Pan - African Dance Experience” class in which students were exposed to the dance and music of Africa and its Diaspora.
1998 -2000
Instructor - Women of Color Resource Center. Taught creative writing workshop for women in recovery.
1999
Choreographer - University of California at Berkeley Theater Department, Symposium on Creating Community Through Theater with Rhodessa Jones. Choreographed the theatrical production, “Past-time Paradise.”
1997-1998
Instructor - Caribbean Cultural Center. Taught Haitian Dance in Brooklyn Public Schools.
1992 – 2004
Associate Artist - Cultural Odyssey. Served as performer, choreographer and instructor in yearly production by The Medea Project: Theater for Incarcerated Women.
EDUCATION
Doctoral Student in Special Education, University of San Francisco School of Education.
Early Childhood Special Education Added Authorization, Project Optimal
Education Specialist Credential Level II – Moderate – Severe, California State University
Sacramento
Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), Community Development Leadership Institute
MFA Creative Writing, St. Mary’s College of California. Studies in poetry and creative nonfiction.
Minority Activist Apprenticeship Program. Center for Third World Organizing. Community Organizers Training
B.A. Liberal Arts, Sarah Lawrence College. Concentrations in Performing Arts and English Literature. Independent studies in Eastern and Southern Africa.
AWARDS
2019 Mid-Alameda County SELPA Excellence in Special Education Award
2016 Mid-Alameda County SELPA Excellence in Special Education Award
2012 Mid-Alameda County SELPA Excellence in Special Education Award
2008 Mid-Alameda County SELPA Excellence in Special Education Award
2002 Hedgebrook Writers Residency
2001 Agnes Butler Award for Excellence in Poetry