Special Education

Meet the Team!

CCR - Kelly Foster — klfoster@wcpss.net

Ms. Foster: I am entering my 12th year of teaching. I spent three years as a first-grade teacher, one year as a special education teacher in Virginia, and have also served as an interventionist in Chapel Hill. Outside of school, I enjoy spending time with my two golden retrievers and going on long walks with them.

Degrees/Certifications: Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration, Master's Degree in Curriculum and Instruction with Specialization in Special Education; Certified in Elementary Education K - 6, Exceptional Children: General Curriculum K - 12, and English as a Second Language K - 12

CCR - Cherie McMichael —  cmcmichael@wcpss.net — Website

Ms. McMichael: I am very excited to be joining the White Oak Elementary Special Programs team as a CCR Teacher. I have been working in WCPSS as a CCR Teacher for 30 years. Yes- I just said 30! I moved to North Carolina from Rochester, NY in 1995. I have two adult sons, Alex who is 24 and Ryan, 22. My boys have attended Salem Elementary, Salem Middle and Apex High School, as well as ECU (Alex-go Pirates!) and App State (Ryan). I enjoy traveling, beach time, yoga, hiking and spending time with friends and family. I am looking forward to a great year and meeting my new students and families.


Degrees/Certifications: BA in Psychology and Sociology and a Minor in Human Development, MEd in Special Education

CCR IA -- Ms. Bhavana Patil -- bpatil@wcpss.net

 
Ms. Bee: Hello! My name is Bhavana Patil, and I go by Ms. Bee. This is my fourth year at WOE, and I absolutely love working with children. WOE is truly a wonderful place to be! I serve as an Instructional Assistant for CCR and feel grateful to be part of such a supportive and inspiring environment. I live in Apex with my husband and our two loving boys. This year, my older son is beginning an exciting new chapter as a freshman at UNC Charlotte, while my younger son is in 8th grade at Mills Park Middle School. Outside of work, I enjoy cooking and spending quality time with my family. I also have a soft spot for beach trips and long walks—they’re my happy places! I'm thrilled and looking forward to another wonderful year at WOE!

Degrees/Certifications: Bachelor of Commerce and Accounting

CCR 1:1 IA -- Prajakta Dhage -- pdhage@wcpss.net

 
Ms. D: I'm Prajakta Dhage and this is my 3rd yr in WOES, I live in Cary with my husband and son.

Degrees/Certifications: Bachelors degree Sociology, Degree in Fashion & Garment Designing

ECS 1 - Kristy Seaboch — kseaboch@wcpss.net — Instructional Assistant(s): Vera Lyktey

Ms. Kristy:  My name is Kristy Seaboch and I was born and raised in Wake County. I have been at White Oak for 7 years (although not consecutively); one as a parent and six as an employee. I currently live in Siler City with my husband and our four children (ages 26, 23, 21 and 17). I love the beach, gardening and spending time with family, as well as knitting, sewing and crocheting. I am very excited to be working with your children here at White Oak and am positive that it will be a great year!

Degrees/Certifications: BS Child Development

ECS 1:1 IA -- Vera Lektey  --   vlyktey@wcpss.net 

Ms. Lyktey: 
 

Degrees/Certifications: 

ECS IA -- Surekha Bhamidipati

Ms. Bhamidipati: My name Surekha Bhamidipati. I am from Southern India. My husband is a software engineer. I have a 15 year old daughter. I like to spend my free time with my family.

Degrees/Certifications: Bachelor of science and bachelor of education

ECS 2 - Zaejai Dunn — zdunn@wcpss.net — Instructional Assistant(s): Kandy Edwards, Padmaja Jonnalagadda

Ms. Dunn: This is my second year teaching ECS. I’ve been working in the field since 2019, and I truly love helping little learners grow and shine. I’m a Raleigh native who enjoys exploring new places around the city, spending time in nature, and curling up with a good book. I’m also an animal lover, so don’t be surprised if I share a fun story or two about my four legged friends!

Degrees/Certifications: Bachelors in Social Work

Mrs. Kandy: Hello, I am Kandy Edwards, but the students me as Mrs. Kandy. I Have been an IA for ECSII for going on ten years! I am currently obtaining my Bachelor's degree in special education, in the hopes of being a teacher one day! I have four children of my own all under the age of 12. I love what I do and would not change it for the world! I enjoy spending time with my family, taking trips as well as being a school mom to students who I look forward to seeing daily!
Working with students, they give me aspiration on how I plan on helping them, grow, build, and overcome! Just by being a part of their future moving forward, always makes a difference. I look forward to working with students daily in order for them to become what meets the eye!

Degrees/Certifications: Associate in Arts

Ms. J: Hi, My name is Padmaja Jonnalagadda and I go by the name Ms. J. I was born and raised in India. My husband works for SAS Institute and I have two awesome sons, both Seniors, at Appalachian State University and Green Level High school. I worked as a Substitute Teacher at White Oak Elementary and various other schools in and around Wake County in the year 2018 and started as a full-time IA since 2019 at WOE and it's been wonderful working here ever since. I enjoy traveling, watching movies, shopping, hanging out with friends and family. I love our admin and the staff and I am looking forward to another great year at White Oak Elementary.

Degrees/Certifications: Masters in Commerce 

Speech - Marta Serrano —mserrano@wcpss.net

Mrs. Serrano: I am so glad to be at White Oak again this school year! I have been working in schools, private practice, and hospital settings as a Speech-Language Pathologist since 2001. I look forward to working with White Oak students this year and helping them with their speech and language skills.

Degrees/Certifications: MA-Speech Language Pathology from the University of Texas at Austin, BA-Speech Language Pathology from the University of Florida. CCC-SLP Certification from the American Speech Language Hearing Association (ASHA). Licensure from the North Carolina Board of Examiners for Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists and the North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction.

Occupational Therapy - Aaron Russell — arussell@wcpss.net

Ms. Russell: Mrs. Russell has been an OT with Wake County Public Schools for several years and loves working with the families and staff at White Oak Elementary! When she's not working, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two sons.

Degrees/Certifications: BA in Sociology from NC State, MS in Occupational Therapy from ECU

Physical Therapy - Margarethe Hauschildt— mhauschildt@wcpss.net

Dr. Hauschildt -- Hello! This year will be my 4th year in Wake County schools but my 1st year at White Oak. I am very excited to join this team! I am from New Hampshire and went to college at the University of NH, then attended Columbia University in NYC for my Doctor of Physical Therapy degree. I worked in Boston for a few years and then moved to Raleigh and fell in love with this area! I love reading, knitting, hiking, running, and exploring new places in the US and abroad. I have a sweet rescue dog named Ollie and I am getting married next year!

Degrees/Certifications: Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from Columbia University