Smart Character Choices

Personnel

Diane Vance

Project Director -- Diane Vance, MA has over twenty years experience in education. She began her career as a special education teacher in Illinois working with blind and visually impaired children in rural and urban settings. In 1997 she began working at Charyl Stockwell Academy serving as assistant principal and served as principal from 1999 through 2003 where the staff laid the foundational work for what would become Smart Character Choices. Ms. Vance has served as Director of Smart Character Choices since its inception and oversees all aspects of the program. She is certified in Reality Therapy and Choice Theory through the William Glasser Institute in California and has been a faculty member since 2000. While principal at Charyl Stockwell Academy, Ms. Vance led the school to become Dr. Glasser’s eleventh Glasser Quality School in the fall of 2001. Diane lives in Pinckney, Michigan with her husband Mike and three sons, Aaron, Adam and Jacob.

Jonathan Erwin

Director of Training and Curriculum Development -- Jonathan C. Erwin, M. A., started his career in education as a high school English teacher, coach, and drama director. Jon was later employed as a staff development and curriculum specialist with New York State’s Board of Cooperative Educational Services. He is currently a senior faculty member and advisory board member with The William Glasser Institute. Mr. Erwin has taught graduate level courses at Elmira College and Lock Haven University and has presented at state, national and international conferences and conventions. He is the author of the book The Classroom of Choice: Giving Students What They Need and Getting What You Want (ASCD 2004), a practical guide for appealing to intrinsic motivation in the classroom, and articles in Educational Leadership, The Education Digest, and The Virginia Journal of Education. His next book, Inspiring the Best in Students, is scheduled for completion in 2007. Jon lives in Western New York State with his wife Holly and their three children, Nathan, Liam, and Laena.

Lisa Pick

Consultant--- Lisa Pick has been in the field of education since 1992. Mrs. Pick graduated from the University of Maryland with a Bachelor’s of Science in Early Childhood Education and later received a Master’s of Science in Special Education from John’s Hopkins University. Mrs. Pick taught preschool through fourth grades and has worked with students with special education needs through sixth grade. Mrs. Pick became a High/Scope certified teacher in first through fourth grades. While teaching at Charyl Stockwell Academy for four years, Mrs. Pick was also the Reading Specialist and High/Scope Consultant for the school. After teaching for eight years, Mrs. Pick became an educational consultant for Engage Learning, training and working with teachers in North Dakota, South Dakota, Arizona, and New Mexico. Mrs. Pick was the Dean of Curriculum and Instruction and Character Education Coordinator at Charyl Stockwell Academy for the past four years. Currently, she serves as a consultant to Smart Character Choices on the development of elementary curriculum and classroom management.

Theresa Merrill

Consultant--- Theresa Merrill received her Bachelor of Science degree from Central Michigan University in 1991. In 1993, she received her Master of Arts degree from Central Michigan University in Professional Counseling. Ms. Merrill has held a Professional Counseling license for 14 years and received her Guidance Counseling license in 2003. She has spent her counseling career providing counseling sessions for children, adolescents and families. She has worked in Detroit Foster Care for five years and has since facilitated substance abuse recovery groups for adolescents and adults for the past nine years. Ms. Merrill has also facilitated counseling groups regarding anger management, self esteem, sexual abuse and family transition issues. Currently, she is the school Counselor at Kensington Woods High School.

Dr. Matthew Burns

Director of Research and Evaluation --Matthew Burns is currently an Associate Professor of Educational Psychology with The University of Minnesota and Twin Cities. He received a B.A. in Psychology from Michigan State University, an M.A. in Educational Psychology, an Ed.S. in School Psychology, and a Ph.D. in Leadership from Andrews University. Before beginning a career in academia, Dr. Burns was a school psychologist in South Bend, Indiana; Bay City, Michigan; and Midland, Michigan. He also supervised special education programs with Midland Public Schools, was a faculty member in school psychology and special education with Central Michigan University and, has consulted with many districts throughout the country. Matthew also serves the field by being active in many professional associations, and is a past President of the Michigan Association of School Psychologists. His research agenda focuses on curriculum-based assessment, intervention assistance (pre-referral) teams, applying cognitive psychology to classroom instruction, educational labels, and special education reform. One of Matthew´s career goals is to participate in a radical revision of special education and the roles of school psychologists within the public school system.

Kelley Buko

Administrative Assistant -- Kelley Buko received a degree in Business Administration from Cleary University in 1983. She then began her career in the title insurance industry. She worked as a title examiner, residential real estate closing agent, construction draw coordinator and branch manager of a title company for 19 years. Kelley also co-owns a heating and cooling company with her husband and acts as its office manager. Kelley joined Smart Character Choices in October 2006 as an administrative assistant to Diane Vance. Her duties include communications, event planning, marketing strategies and curriculum development. Kelley is a life-long resident of Hartland, Michigan where she resides with her husband and two children. She has been very active in her community and children’s schools where she has held many leadership positions with various parent teacher organizations.