ER9 Announces new Middle School Special Education Supervisor

August 31, 2026

Dear Middle School Families,

I hope you and your family have had a wonderful summer and are looking forward to the start of a new school year. As we prepare to welcome our students back, I would like to share an important update regarding the structure of our Special Education Department.

Over the summer, we took time to review our special education leadership structure and identify ways to provide more consistent, accessible, and building-focused support for students, families, and staff. As part of this restructuring, each of our elementary schools will now have a dedicated Supervisor of Special Education, and our two middle schools, Helen Keller Middle School (HKMS) and John Read Middle School (JRMS), will share a supervisor dedicated specifically to supporting the middle school level.

I am pleased to introduce Ms. Alissa Olivier, who will serve as our new Supervisor of Special Education for HKMS and JRMS.

Ms. Olivier brings valuable experience as both an educator and special education administrator. She began her career as a teacher in the Bronx before relocating to Connecticut, where she went on to serve in special education administrative roles in both Bridgeport and Watertown. Her experience working with students, families, educators, and multidisciplinary teams will be an asset to our middle school communities.

In her new role, Ms. Olivier will serve as the primary contact for special education-related needs at both HKMS and JRMS. She will work closely with building administrators, special education teachers, related service providers, and families to support programming, PPT processes, and our students' individual needs.

Over the next several weeks, Ms. Olivier will be spending time in both schools getting to know our students, staff, and families and becoming familiar with the programs and supports available within each building. We are excited to welcome her to our district and look forward to the relationships she will build within both middle school communities.

We recognize how important communication and collaboration are in supporting our students. Please know that our goal with this new structure is to strengthen those connections and ensure that families have a consistent and accessible point of contact for special education support.

Please join me in welcoming Ms. Olivier to HKMS and JRMS. We are excited to have her as part of our Special Education Department and look forward to a positive and successful school year together.

Best,

Dr. Meghan Pogonelski