Lisa McNeill

Experience

• 

  Houston ISD

  Jan 1999 - Jul 2011

  Supervised a team of educational and business professionals including para-professionals, nurses, social workers, and other organizational support staff as well as instructional staff. Oversaw a student body of approximately 800 - 1000 learners. Monitored and delivered curriculum and instructional support. Devised and coordinated scheduling, employed problem-solving skills and resolved conflict amongst various sectors of the organization, including parents, students, school and district, and community members. Created and presented training modules for staff development. Facilitated meetings and other group activities. Cultivated and encouraged a supportive environment to reinforce the organization’s standards, policies, and goals. Assisted with the creation and maintenance of a $4 million dollar budget from local, state and federal sources. Directed internal and external resources. Collaborated with vendors, district personnel, and other entities to secure instructional supplies and materials. Provided guidance and assistance to key personnel for all aspects of school design and implementation.  Interim Principal at various periods during my tenure. Oversignt of day-to-day operations of all school functions. Trained and mentored new and veteran teachers, clerical staff, etc.  Developed and facilitated classroom training modules for instructional staff. Employed Crisis Prevention and Intervention (CPI) in the management of serious student and teacher crises. Conducted internal audits of campus-wide departments including Gifted & Talented and Special Education Programs, Discipline, and Textbooks. Assessed and evaluated programs and employees utilizing state-approved appraisal systems. Utilize Student Information Systems (SIS) in daily duties. Show less Strategically guided the instruction and facilitation of several self-contained classrooms and managed a team of six classroom teachers. Held senior responsibility for grade-level programs and district-wide assessments. Forged partnerships with teachers, parents, community members, and closely collaborated with various community agencies. Chaired several committees.2003 – 2004 Peck Elementary Teacher of the YearHISD Alternative Certification Program, Cycle 21 Intern of the Year NomineeInvestment Capital Fund and 21st Century Community Learning Center GrantsCo-authored grants to provide funding from Texas Education Agency for programs that target professional staff development for the campus teachers and staff, including team building activities and national conferences in areas of need such as Language Arts, Reading and Math as well as a quality after-school program for targeted youth.Awarded approximately $38,000 and $870,000 respectively. Show less

  • Assistant Principal

    Dec 2003 - Jul 2011

  • Classroom Teacher

    Jan 1999 - Dec 2003
• 

  McNeill Mediation Services

  Jul 2009 - now

  Mediator/Arbitrator

  Facilitate participants through the dispute resolution process by identifying and evaluating the situation utilizing superior communication, negotiation, problem-solving, and conflict resolution skills. Work toward problem resolution based on principles of fairness, utilizing one of three styles of mediation, regardless of parties involved. Open avenues of communication and serve as a neutral party to solve problems and resolve conflict. Consistently demonstrate ability to maintain confidences, exercise sound judgment and discretion, and work collaboratively with others to foster effective working relationships with clients, courts, legal professionals, and the general public. High level of competence, neutrality, creativity, and patience.  Steer participants through the mediation process. High success rate of resolutions reached. Show less

• 

  Tutors with Computers, LLC

  Jul 2011 - Aug 2013

  Regional Manager

  East Texas field operations educational business leader for Supplemental Education Service (SES) tutoring organization based on the provisions of No Child Left Behind. Oversee and mentor area managers to maximize operational success in acquiring and growing number of students to tutor in Reading and Math using our online technology. Represent and uphold company standards in relationships with nine area school districts, local educational agencies and state education agencies including frequent visits with campus and district coordinators, teachers, principals and superintendents. Act as liaison between corporate office, local centers and educational entities. Determine and maintain staffing needs based on operational requirements. Review and address situations within payroll budgets and inventory needs, with focus on ensuring a high level of customer satisfaction and integrity. Conduct business development visits and presentations in Texas, New York and Louisiana as well as develop and implement training components for field representatives for two key projects. Establish and maintain relationships with school/district personnel, district decision makers and community partners to improve academic achievement among students in ~30 participating Title I schools.  Develop and direct teams to evaluate and prioritize market opportunities to maximize return on investment; plan and facilitate annual campaign to inform community members, enroll new students, engage current students, and maximize student academic achievement in math and reading competencies.  Measure the success of the program by using student pre- and post-test evaluations to demonstrate specific student achievement. Regularly review and approve payroll and bonus summary as well as internal field metrics to guide revenue-generating activities. Score of 98% on Compliance visit in first six months managing field operations. Show less

• 

  Alternatives Unlimited

  Aug 2013 - Nov 2013

  Director of Accountability

  Served as an advisor on all matters relating to the accountability area of the department, specifically the business climate, professional development and training opportunities. Conducted data analysis to inform the development and improvement of the on-line tutoring department. Assumed responsibility for overall leadership and management of staff in the on-line tutoring department. Directed activities of the accountability department employees to record in detail all accountability activities of the work flow while ensuring all applicable state, federal, and local laws are followed, and in compliance with policies.  Used program data to create monthly progress reports to drive decisions. Enforced policies, procedures, and current state and federal laws regarding school and system accountability requirements for the purpose of meeting departmental and system objectives within accountability guidelines. Maintained confidentiality relative to role.  Researched and investigated discrepancies of information and/or documentation to ensure the accuracy and adherence to established procedures prior to processing.  Responsible for the development, implementation, and accomplishment of an annual department work plan. Show less

• 

  Waterman Steele Group

  Nov 2013 - Jul 2015

  Director of Educational Partnerships

  The Waterman Steele Group (WSG) is a full-service boutique consulting firm comprised of a highly successful team with over a century of experience. The WSG team provides hands on support to a broad range of clients. The firm specializes in building and managing face-to-face outreach operations at all levels to build support for products, causes, issues and real estate market strategies toward achieving tangible outcomes for its clients.Headquartered in Houston, Texas with offices in Washington, D.C. and Atlanta, Georgia, WSG offers local, national and international corporations, non-profit organizations, governmental agencies and high level individuals with precise strategic counsel by some of the best in the business. We have invested in building valuable long-term relationships with decision-makers and influencers at all levels of government, business and community. Our constant presence and continuous engagement in these arenas provides us with intimate knowledge of emerging issues, trends and real estate opportunities. Whether it is to create brand recognition, raise awareness for a cause, or position our client in a new marketplace, at WSG we design and execute personalized innovative strategies that allow us to successfully navigate the dynamic and ever-changing global world in which we live and work. Show less

• 

  Brienza's Academic Advantage

  Feb 2014 - Feb 2016

  Director of Texas Services

  I support the infrastructure, develop and promote business and recruit talent for the organization across the state.

• 

  Kaleidoscope Educational Solutions

  Jul 2015 - Jun 2017

  Managing Education Director

  Kaleidoscope Solutions specializes in school turnaround by targeting improving teacher performance and practices.

• 

  FEV Tutors

  Feb 2016 - Apr 2016

  Educational Consultant

  FEV Tutor is committed to providing high-quality, innovative, online tutoring programs that have a measured impact on student achievement gains. Our team works hand-in-hand with each of our school or district partners to ensure that each program we deliver aligns to our partner's unique needs and initiatives. The result is a customized student achievement program that represents a natural extension of the core classroom.My duties are primarily developing relationships and new business within schools and districts throughout the greater Houston area. Show less

• 

  Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

  Mar 2017 - Sept 2018

  Consultant

  Providing quality training and professional development to educators on HMH products.

• 

  KinderCare Education

  Jun 2017 - Sept 2018

  Director

  Lead the early childhood learning center in serving children, teachers and staff in theoverhaul of a once- thriving center. Hire, engage and develop a team of "best in class"educators to be passionate and committed professionals. Partner with parents with a shareddesire to provide the best care and education for their children. Cultivate positiverelationships with families, teachers, state licensing authorities, community contacts andcorporate partners. Leverage business, sales and marketing savvy to grow the organization’spresence in the community. Strong understanding of early childhood evaluation observationsand assessments for both teachers and children.Develop and manage operational and educational budget, local policies and protocols forthe center.Increased enrollment by 60% in less than six months.Increased engagement survey results from low-performing to high-achieving within fourmonths of accepting position.Mentored assistant directors and program specialists in their roles supporting curriculum and professional development as well asoperational excellence.Guided the center through the NAC re-accreditation process to award.Maintained 4-Star rating under Texas Rising Star by following best practices and standards for early education.Supervise, mentor, and coach teachers and other staff in all aspects of childcare and early learning education.Knowledge of Texas Minimum Standards, NAEYC Professional Development Standards, Texas Core Competencies and Early LearningGuidelines.Facilitates to ensure hiring staff manage employee on-boarding, employee relations issues, orientations, performance reviews, and offboarding activities.Wrote and won Collaborative for Children/Hurricane Harvey Grant and Community Garden Grant Show less

• 

  BE A CHAMPION, INC.

  Jul 2018 - Jun 2021

  Education Services Liaison

  Lead the non-profits educational services division as a subject-matter expert in learningpractices and pedagogy for the Rio Grande Valley and Houston markets. Hire, engage anddevelop a team of "best in class" educators to be passionate and committed professionals.Partner with school districts and charter schools with a shared desire to provide the besteducational experiences with a team of highly qualified staff. Cultivate positive relationshipswith vendors, state licensing authorities, community contacts and corporate partners.Leverage business, sales and marketing savvy to grow the organization’s presence in thecommunity. Strong understanding of program evaluation, observations and assessments forboth program staff, teachers, and corporate entities. Manage team responsible for entireprocess of identifying, placement and oversight of school personnel with key partners.Knowledge of pertinent laws, codes, policies, regulations and personnel processes. Adept at best practices in teaching and supervising children and program management. Collaborates with internal and external personnel for implementing and maintainingservices and programs. Lead program staff, program operations personnel, services, and implementation ofprograms and processes for providing services within established timeframes and withincompliance requirements. Prepares a variety of documents and reports (e.g. attendance, budget, daily activity, dailyprogram content, etc.) for providing written support and conveying information to keystakeholders and departments. Researches a variety of topics (e.g. grants, community service projects, etc.) to maintainknowledge of trends and changes and making recommendations.Responds to inquiries and issues related to field staff, district personnel, public andprogram participants for providing information and direction as may be required. Show less

• 

  The Varnett Public School

  Aug 2021 - now

  Accelerated Learning Program Lead

  Played a pivotal role in the development and successful implementation of the AcceleratedLearning Program, contributing to the improvement of teaching and learning outcomes for allstudents in the Houston region. Reporting directly to the Assistant Superintendent of Teaching& Learning, my responsibilities aligned closely with the job requirements and descriptionprovided. Utilize strong knowledge of research-based elementary instructional practices fordiverse and at-risk student populations.Apply expertise in elementary scheduling and content to optimize ongoing programdevelopment.Actively collaborate with district leadership, principals, coordinators, interventionists, andcampus staff.Align, develop, and implement a customized calendar for the ongoing Accelerated LearningProgram.Stay current with educational research to inform effective pedagogical approaches.Ensure curriculum content and scheduling meet the specific needs of elementary education.Foster open communication and cooperation among various stakeholders.Play a pivotal role in the successful execution of ongoing program objectives.Maintain a unified approach to development, aligning all stakeholders with current programgoals.Contribute to the program's overall effectiveness through ongoing attention to detail andcollaboration.Implement innovative technology solutions to enhance program development andinstructional practices.Lead and facilitate training sessions on ADSY planning, practices, and methodologies forstaff and parents. Show less