Aberdeen's Specialists page

 Ms. Lawhon-Academic Interventionist

Hi! My name is Cindy Lawhon and I'm very happy to be a part of the Academic Intervention team at AES! I obtained my undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Go Heels!! I am a certified K-6 classroom teacher and Reading Specialist for grades K-12. I trained in Reading Recovery and was proud to be part of a 4-year Literacy Collaborative Training project with a trainer from The Ohio State University. My goal as a teacher is to empower children with the skills and strategies they need to be successful lifelong readers and learners. One of my favorite quotes about teaching is from Marie Clay and says "If children are unable to learn, we must assume that we, as yet, have not found the right way to teach them." My passion as a teacher is to be intentional and innovative in order to do whatever I can to help those in my charge succeed in school and life. It's also very important to me to develop caring, positive relationships with my students because "Children become what they think you think they are."

 Ms. Strayer- Academic Interventionist

 I started my teaching career in Minnesota where I worked for 4 years. I returned to North Carolina in 1994 and have been a teacher for Moore County schools for 25 years. I worked as a Reading Recovery teacher for over 15 years. I am now an interventionist. I work with students that may need additional support in reading or math. The students at Aberdeen Elementary are Awesome to work with! Students know I am fair. I ask a lot of my students but give a lot also. Humor is what keeps us moving forward and the students at Aberdeen Elementary have an amazing sense of humor. We know when to be serious but always end with a big smile and laugh!

 Miss Lages-K-5 ESL Teacher

Hi, I am Miss Lages, the English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher for Kindergarten through 5th grade. I received my degree in Middle Grades Education - Language Arts and Science from Wingate University, and my K-12 ESL Licensure through UNC - Chapel Hill. All over the world, education is about opportunity, both given and taken. I am here to make sure that students from other language backgrounds receive and take advantage of the magnificent opportunity that is an American public education. To that end, I partner with students, parents, teachers, and administrators to meet the challenging needs of our language learners. My hope for the future of my students is that they will become knowledgeable, respectful, responsible, and engaged citizens of the world.

 Mrs. Edwards- Counselor

My name is Jill Edwards and I am the new School Counselor. I completed my Bachelor of Social Work from UNC- Charlotte, Master of Arts in Education in School Counseling from UNC- Pembroke, Post-Masters Certificate in Advanced School Counseloing from UNC-Greensboro, Post-Masters Certificate in School Administration from UNC-Charlotte, and I am National Board Certified in School Counseling. My parents were big influencers in the career I have chosen for myself. Growing up, I saw the impact they had on my community and the people who lived there. They were constantly doing for others despite their own struggles, therefore I knew right away I wanted to follow in their legacy; to motivate, encourage and help equip others with the skills needed to be successful in life. In order for students to be successful, lifetime learners, they need to feel supported by not only the school community, but also the parents/guardians. It takes a village and we all share in the academic success of our kids, so I will be working closely with the students, parents, and staff to meet the needs of each individual child here at Aberdeen. In doing this, I hope to develop rapport with parents, students and staff, which in turn will hopefully increase parent involvement within the school. For the last eleven years I was a high school counselor and have seen how gaps in learning in younger years impacts students in upper grades. Through transparency and collaborative relationships with all stakeholders, I will use my experiences to help close those gaps and bring a deeper perspective on my programming order to meet the needs of the whole school, which in turn increases student success.

 Mrs. Allred- Instructional Support Facilitator

My name is Brandi Allred and I am serving as an Instructional Support Facilitator for Aberdeen Elementary School.  My family consists of my husband (Ian), two twin boys (Barrett and Cooper) and dog (Kobe). We live right here in Aberdeen.  I am a proud, two-time graduate of Wingate University. I received my Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education in 2003 and Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership in 2009.  I have served as an Educator for 18 years.  My educational roles have included General Ed Teacher (grades 2nd - 6th), District Math Coach, Digital Instructional Facilitator, Assistant Principal, and Coordinator of Instructional Technology.  With all of these unique experiences, I have been able to build a tool box of instructional strategies and resources.  My purpose as an educator is to serve the students, families, and other educators in my community through collaboration and sharing resources.   It is my hope that in this role, I can help support teaching and learning in every classroom and contribute to the growth of every student.

 Mrs. Judge- AIG

Hi! My name is Andrea Judge. I am the AIG specialist for Aberdeen Elementary. I earned my teaching degree in 2009 from St. Andrew’s University in Laurinburg. I have taught kindergarten and 2nd grade in the regular education classroom. I earned my academically gifted endorsement through the University of North Carolina at Pembroke in 2015. This is my 6th year as an AIG teacher and I can honestly say I have the best job EVER. I serve children from preschool through 5th grade. I feel deeply honored to share my passion for learning with the children and other adults of Aberdeen Elementary. I hope they walk away from my class every time with some new information and are inspired to think about everything in a little deeper manner. I want to expose them to subjects and ways of thinking that broaden their worldview It is not my job to teach children what to think but it is my passion to teach children how to think.

 Ms. Dunham- Educational Interpreter

Hello!  My name is Kimberly Dunham, although everyone (staff and students) call me "Ms. Rose!"  This is my first year here at Aberdeen Elementary.  I am an Educational Interpreter and have been working in the NC Public School System with Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing students for almost 25 years now. 

Believe it or not, I learned American Sign Language (ASL) from a Deaf man.  I had never met anyone Deaf before.  We became friends and he gave me a business card that had the alphabet, A-Z and numbers 1-10 on it.  I fingerspelled everything, when speaking with him.  Later, he taught me vocabulary words, so that we could speak faster.  I retained everything he taught me for over 10 years and in 1996, I got my first job as an Educational Interpreter in the NC Public Schools!  In 2004, I took and passed the EIPA (Educational Interpreter Performance Assessment) Test with the State of North Carolina.  I took an ITP (Interpreter Training Program) from Blue Ridge Community College (BRCC) and earned my Associates Degree in Interpreter Education in 2005 and I also hold Licensure with the State of North Carolina Licensing Board (NCITLB). 

I provide American Sign Language (ASL) for the student(s) that I work with.  I bridge that gap of communication between the student(s), their hearing peers, teachers, and other staff members.  I also support language development (vocabulary in ASL), especially at the elementary level, so that the student can increase their knowledge and comprehension so they can communicate with others using sign language.  I always encourage "anyone" to learn ASL so that they can communicate with the Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing that they may meet in school, or out in the community.  Please feel free to ask me anytime how to sign a word or phrase...I am always happy to show you!

I absolutely love what I do and working with children at all levels (elementary, middle, and high school) gives me such joy!  I want to show each child that they can succeed...just never give up!!!  Truly, I learn so much from them everyday...I consider it a blessing to do what I do! 

 Mrs. Bayard- Occupational Therapist

Hi My name is Andrea Bayard. Most people call me Ms. Andy. I am excited to return to Aberdeen Elementary again this year! I have been an OT for 35 years and with Moore County for 16 years. I graduated with a BS in Occupational Therapy from Kansas University. (Rock Chalk Jayhawk!) and a MS in Counseling with emphasis in play therapy from University of North Texas. I am also a Registered Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapist. I believe learning can be fun and exciting for everyone. When children feel safe and cared for learning happens automatically. I am so proud to be a part of the team that encourages building relationships and building foundational learning skills and watching growth unfold.