Building Friendships
Providing Social Skills Programs for Youth and Adults with Communication, Sensory Integration, Social Interaction, and Behavioral needs.
What is Social Skills Today (SST)?
Mission
Our Purpose is to provide respite opportunities for families of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders and Asperger's Syndrome and other social, communication, sensory, and behavioral needs through the avenues of: Summer Camp Programs, Monthly Social Skills Groups, and Overnight Weekend Retreats. It is our goal to provide social skills training, behavioral accommodations, and language-building activities in a safe and enriching environment for individuals functioning at all levels ages four to young adults.
Meet the SST Team
Mary J. O’Connell has worked in the Gwinnett County Public Schools for over thirteen years teaching children with Autism. She has experience working with children in all levels of Autism. She holds a Masters Degree from Georgia State and is a Highly Qualified Certified teacher in the state of Georgia. For five years, she supervised the Extended School Year program for students with Autism. Presently, she teaches at Pharr Elementary School in Snellville. She has a private consultant business for parents of children with Autism and other disabilities.
Mary and her business partner, Nan Britt own Social Skills Program Consultants, LLC which manages Saturday Social Skills Groups at Cobblestone in North Fulton and Spectrum Camps and Clubs in Gwinnett. Together they have expanded their programs to include Social Skills groups, summer camps, and overnight respite for children with Autism and their siblings. Their vision is to expand into other counties within Georgia and provide more activities for children with Autism.
Nan B
ritt
Nan Britt taught in the Gwinnett County Public School System Autism Program for five years at the elementary level. During that time period she taught in a severe level autism classroom for four years, one year in a mild level autism classroom, and was awarded Teacher of the Year for Pharr Elementary in 2005-06. Nan also served as a teacher mentor on the Autism Team for elementary severe level classrooms for two years within the Gwinnett County Public School System. She has a Master’s degree from the University of Georgia in Autism Spectrum Disorders and Intellectual Disabilities and is a Highly Qualified Certified teacher in the state of Georgia. Nan received her graduate training in the COPPA (Collaborative Personnel Project in Autism) project, which is a federally funded grant program certifying teachers in the education of children with autism at the University of Georgia.
Currently, Nan stays busy with her young children and enjoys spending time with her family. Nan’s professional focus has shifted from the classroom setting to working with families of children with autism in their home environment. Nan enjoys collaborating with parents of newly diagnosed children with autism in order to provide them with useful information that is both beneficial and practical to the individualized needs of their child, as well educational resources that enable parents to access the appropriate services for their child.
Tim O'Co
nnell
Tim O’Connell, a teacher for 12 years in the public school system, has instructed a variety of children and young adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders. As the Middle School, High School, and Saturday Social Groups Coordinator for Social Skills Program Consultants, Tim provides high quality instructional leadership guiding the teachers and staff toward developing meaningful and measurable outcomes for individuals with social interaction and behavioral needs.
Tim has taught in the public school system for Gwinnett County Public Schools in general education inclusion settings as well as special education classrooms. While working with students with Autism Spectrum Disorders in the moderate, mild, and resource (High Functioning Autism and Asperger’s Syndrome) settings, Tim implements a variety of teaching methods identified from research to be among the most current best practices in the field of autism focused on each student’s individual needs. Students as well as parents in Tim’s classes know that he cares most about providing a safe learning environment with high expectations that result in lifelong skills.
In addition to teaching children, Tim enjoys educating adults and teachers at conferences and within the school system. Tim, along with fellow Social Skills Program Consultant colleagues Mary O’Connell and Nan Britt, has presented at the Autism 101 Conference sponsored by the Georgia Chapter of the Autism Society of America. In the school system, Tim has designed and provided many training courses on a variety of educational issues, and instructional strategies.
Tim holds teaching certifications in both special and general education as well as an Educational Leadership Certification. Tim is a double graduate of The University of Georgia with a B.S.Ed in Interrelated Special Education and M.Ed in Autism and Intellectual Disabilities and is a huge Georgia Football fan that only misses a football game to work a Saturday Social Group. Along with watching football Tim enjoys playing tennis, watching movies, and boating in his free time.
For More Information on Social Skills Program Consultants and our many services available
Email: information@socialskillstoday.com
4545 Suwanee Dam Road, Suwanee, GA 30024
