Florida State University

Syntha Alvarez, Washington County
Chipley High School
CARD Staff: Julia Davis

Syntha Alvarez is an ESE Teacher at Chipley High School, Washington County. She is certified in Exceptional Student Education, Middle Grades Integrated, and Elementary Education. This is her third year teaching and her first year teaching students with autism. Prior to obtaining her teacher’s certification, Syntha worked for 10 years as a social worker. She has been married for fifteen years and has two sons on the autism spectrum. Syntha started a local autism support group in 2010 and is currently working with other parents in her community to establish an autism resource center for the surrounding rural counties.

Proposed Project:

The purpose of this project is to create a transition program/classroom learning environment that takes basic academic skills and incorporates them into real world activities. The teacher will have to teach Florida Access Points in order for the students to obtain a Special Diploma, but the teacher will teach it to them in the manner that they will use it. The teacher would also like to come up with some ways to teach job skills. Currently, there is no job coaching program for high school age students in Washington County.