Special Education Programs

Parents and guardians are key members of collaborative educational teams responsible for determining eligibility for special education and making all decisions related to the corresponding services. This process is governed by state and federal regulations, specific Arlington Public Schools (APS) policies and procedures, and requires informed parental consent.

On the following webpages of Special Education, they can find detailed information about:

Individualized Education Program (IEP).

Homebound Instruction for Medical Reasons

Information related to special education services is available on the Parent Resource Center web pages.

For more details, email [email protected] or call 703-228-7239.

Special Education Team

Megan Stetson

Special Education Lead

[email protected]

Damali Dayne

Interlude

[email protected]

Kennedi Poland

Special Education ELA 6

[email protected]

Philippe Millogo

Special Education - Math 6

[email protected]

I am a special education math teacher. I teach 6 grade. I have been at gunston middle school for more than 7 years. I enjoy coaching sports at the middle school level.

Kristen Paonessa

Special Education - ELA 8

[email protected]

Hi! My name is Ms. Kristen Paonessa. The students call me Ms. Pao (pay-oh), for short. This is my 3rd year teaching at Gunston Middle School, but my 13th year teaching overall. I have a B.A. in International Affairs & Economics from Northeastern University and a M.S. in Secondary Education from Johns Hopkins University. In 2018, I earned my certification in K-12 Special Education. My goal is to provide all students, especially those with learning exceptionalities, a pathway to access grade level content in preparation for high school & beyond. When I leave GMS, I enjoy spending time with my husband, our 1 year old son, and our Doberman/Pyrenees dog.

Kelly Tucker

Functional Life Skills Teacher

[email protected]