Marissa Morris is honored to serve the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation as its Special Education Advocate. She is from Torrington, CT where she graduated from Torrington High School. She went on to pursue a Bachelor’s of Science in Special Education from the University of Connecticut’s prestigious Neag School of Education. During her undergraduate studies, Marissa served in AmeriCorps’s Jumpstart Program to help ensure students are equitably prepared for success in kindergarten. She was also a member of the UCONN Softball Program. Marissa completed her Master’s in Educational Psychology also from the Neag School of Education. During her graduate coursework, Marissa acquired an additional graduate certificate in Positive Behavior Interventions & Supports (PBIS). Marissa began her career as a Special Education Teacher in Connecticut where she was the head teacher of a self-contained program at a public middle school primarily servicing students diagnosed with an Intellectual Disability and/or Autism Spectrum Disorder. Marissa has experience working as a K-3 resource special education teacher at a public elementary school. She has also worked as a classroom teacher at a therapeutic day school servicing high school students with emotional disabilities. When she is not teaching, Marissa enjoys coaching softball, playing sports, the arts, and traveling. She lives with her baby daughter (Savannah), her fiancé (Julio), and her two cats (Renata and Adia) in Rocky Hill. She is excited to serve the Mashantucket Pequot community and looks forward to meeting members of the family during her service.
Services
- Helps families understand their educational rights and feel empowered navigating the Special Education and 504 processes
- Conducts educational file reviews
- Conducts student observations
- Attends PPTs and other school meetings to advocate for appropriate services and supports
- Supports with educational planning of student support plans, 504s and IEPs
- Provides guidance to families going through the Birth to Three process
