B.F.A in Art Education
from Pratt Institute, NY
Concentrations: painting and art history

M.S. in Art Education
from Pratt Institute, NY

M.A. in Learning Disabilities
from Fairleigh Dickinson University, NJ
Concentration: Learning Disabilities Teacher Consultant

Cristina Perla joined Newark Collegiate Academy in 2011 as a Special Education Teacher, Case Manger, and LDT-C. At Newark Collegiate Academy she has contributed to the development, instruction, and management of the first life skills curriculum at Newark Collegiate Academy for our moderately cognitively impaired students. In doing that, she has established relationships with local businesses in the community to construct a work-study program for the benefit of our life skills students. Previously she was the special education teacher at North Star Academy.  In the past four years she has also led small group instruction for students with less developed skills in literacy, math and organizational/study skills. Ms. Perla has devoted significant time to assess the literacy skills of new students and provide the necessary intervention to bring students to grade level. Ms. Perla administers 150 DRAs, SRIs, GRDT-2, TOMA, and other various norm based tests to help guide instruction for struggling learners. She is currently a part of the Child Study Team which oversees day-to-day accommodations and modifications made in general education classes as well as serves as the point person to ensure that all students are receiving their related services as stated in their IEPs. She conducted professional developments for general education teachers to teach them about how specific learning disabilities manifest in the classroom and how to effectively teach students with learning disabilities. Ms. Perla was emergency certified as an LDT-C in August of 2011. She is an accomplished artist and has earned a BFA and an MS from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York, and a MA as a Teacher of Students with Disabilities with a concentration as a LDT-C from Fairleigh Dickinson in Madison, New Jersey.

• NJ Certification: Learning Disabilities Teacher Consultant
  (LDT-C)
• NJ Certification: Teacher of Students with Disabilities
• NJ Certification: Elementary School Teacher in grades k-5
• NJ Certification: Teacher of Art
• NJ Certification: Teacher of Commercial Art