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Leadership
Richard McManus, Executive Director He became the Educational Director of the first educational program for autistic children that utilized precision teaching and positive approaches for changing problematic behavior. Consultants to this program included Eric Haughton, Carl Binder, and Martin Kozloff, leaders in advanced thinking on education. Many of the curriculum approaches he developed remain the state of the art in instruction of individuals on the spectrum. The high level of vocational skills his students displayed led to a long-term relationship with Work, Inc., a leading vocational training center. At Work, Inc. he was Director of Rehabilitation Services, then became the director of Consolidated Products and Services, an affirmative industry that provided full-time, full pay employment to disabled individuals while making world-class products. Mr. McManus next moved into corporate training and consulting, becoming project manager for major training initiatives at Northwest Airlines, United Airlines, Reebok and other Fortune 200 companies, as well as for National Public Radio. Since 2002 he has concentrated on building a state of the art learning center for children at every level of performance. The Fluency Factory has taught over 600 students, rapidly moving them several years ahead of their current skill levels. During that period he has also trained the teaching and therapy staff in Precision Teaching skills at District 44 in Sabattus, Maine, and at the Exeter Speech, Language and Education Associates center in Exeter, NH. He trains teachers in Accelerated Fluency Development (AFD) – a combination of Direct Instruction, Applied Behavior Analysis and Precision Teaching. Mr. McManus provides educational consultation and AFD training and certification to schools and school districts. Dr. Kate Brannum, Principal Dr. Kate Brannum received her bachelor's degree from James Madison College of Michigan State University and her Ph.D. from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. She has been working as an instructor and administrator for the last twenty years. She has taught at Mt. Holyoke College, American Military University, UMass Amherst, and Palm Beach Atlantic University. She was the head of school at Juno Beach Preparatory School and Batt Private School in Palm Beach County Florida. In 2011, Kate was awarded the Excellence in Teaching Award of the American Public University System. She is committed to using precision teaching to help her students succeed in their endeavors. She is AFD certified, as well as holding Massachusetts certifications in History, English Literature, and Humanities. Michelle Magner Michelle Magner has an M.Ed in elementary education from Lesley University and holds an initial teacher’s license with the Massachusetts DESE with certification in grades 1-6. She is also trained in Accelerated Fluency Development. She has been a tutor at the Fluency Factory since January 2004 and a teacher in Beal Street Academy since 2007. Michelle has experience working with a range of students, from emergent readers to children who struggle with fluency and reading comprehension. She also has experience working with students with learning disabilities and autism. One of Michelle’s most proud teaching moments was when one of her students who, due to hearing loss and lack of confidence, had struggled with reading, said she was able to read a story to her younger sisters. Michelle’s compassion, patience and confidence in students' abilities reassures them because they know there is someone who believes in all they are capable of achieving |