COA Special Education Team

Meet the COA Elementary Special Education team! The four of us work with the COA staff in a variety of different ways to support students while they are at school.

Mackenzie Wilson-Timmins, Jennifer Marzion, Marina Kopytsya, Carolyn Brosnan

Mackenzie Wilson-Timmins, Jennifer Marzion, Marina Kopytsya, Carolyn Brosnan

My name is Jennifer Marzion, I am the school psychologist at COA Elementary School. I moved to Sacramento from the Bay Area over the summer and have been welcomed with open arms at COA. I have 2 children, Gabriel and Jalyn, who are both in college. When not at school, I enjoy hanging out with my family, walking my dog and simply relaxing. While at COA my job includes the following:

► Supporting Diverse Learners; giving cognitive assessments to learn more about a student’s learning strengths and challenges.
► Consulting and collaborating with school staff (teachers, curriculum coaches, speech, RSP, administrators).
► Improving Academic Achievement.
► Promoting Positive Behavior and Mental Health (counseling and social skills groups).
► Creating Safe, Positive School Climates.
► Strengthening Family-School Partnerships.
► Improving School-Wide Assessment and Accountability Monitor individual student progress in academics and behavior.

My name is Mackenzie Wilson-Timmins, I am the School Speech and Language Pathologist, also known as the “Speech Teacher”. I recently moved from Seattle, WA. I am enjoying soaking up the Northern California sun! I work with students who have communication difficulties that negatively affects their academic and/or social success. These communication difficulties may look like difficulty with: saying sounds correctly, speaking clearly, following directions, sharing thoughts, ideas, and feelings, flow of speech and voice. Students I serve are typically on an IEP and therapy can occur inside or outside of the classroom, as well as collaboration and consultation with teachers and staff. It is my goal to help parents understand how their child best communicates and learns.

My name is Carolyn Brosnan. I am the new Education Specialist (Resource Teacher) for COA. I moved from second grade to help start a Resource program within GCC. I grew up in the area and graduated from Oakmont High School in Roseville. I attended Humboldt State University and earned a B.A. in Social Science. I have a multiple subjects teaching credential and a second teaching credential and master’s degree in Special Education from National University. I have enjoyed working with various grades and abilities over the past several years.

My name is Marina Kopytsya. This is my third year teaching special education and my second year at COA Elementary. A little bit about my background, I immigrated from Ukraine to the United States with my parents when I was 9 years old and have lived in California ever since, so I understand the culture and language of the majority of our students and their families, which I am very grateful for. I enjoy coming to work every day and it’s a privilege for me to teach our wonderful students alongside our dedicated staff. My teaching philosophy is that every child can succeed given the right tools and strategies, and I believe that students can make significant academic progress when their resource teacher, parents, and classroom teachers partner together.

As resource teachers we have many responsibilities including:

► Provide academic, social, and behavioral support to students on an IEP.
► Collaborate with teachers and parents on a regular basis to support students on an IEP.
► Provide a safe and fun environment that helps build student confidence and motivate.
► Create and work on goals using essential Common Core Standards.
► Assess, monitor, and record student progress.
► Ensure students are given appropriate accommodations and/or modifications to access grade level curriculum.

IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS ABOUT YOUR CHILD, WE ARE HAPPY TO HELP!

(916) 286-1950