Class of 1999: Janeen Levine

I moved back to the East Coast in 1999 and settled in suburban Philadelphia, where I continue to live and work.  In 2004, I earned my M.Ed. degree and PA certification in Elementary Education.  I spent six years working for Knowledge Learning Corporation as a kindergarten teacher and program specialist.  Currently, I work for Creative Beginnings, which is the preschool that serves the children of Fox Chase Cancer Center employees.  After many years of casting about, I found a niche that integrates everything I love best—while challenging me to grow as an educator, an administrator, a trainer, and an advocate.  My snappy title is “Learning and Behavioral Specialist,” and my role encompasses a myriad of responsibilities.  As an onsite trainer, much of my time is spent writing and delivering responsive training workshops for our teachers and administrators.  The main focus of my job, however, is to support the identification, referral, and inclusion of children with learning differences.  I am fortunate to collaborate with five other administrators who share the same level of passion, ambition, and commitment to the field.  And I still firmly believe that my background in writing has served my career as an educator very well.
 
In 2007, I edited seven nursing textbooks in the Incredibly Easy series published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.  It was an interesting gig that taught me a lot about positioning myself as a freelance editor and believing in both my skills and pedigree as a Drake-educated writer.  My fellow 515 pioneers may be surprised to learn that I earned a lofty photo credit for a clinical photo shoot I completed in 2007, as well. Additionally, I hold a position on the leadership team for ETS (Educational Testing Service), the publishers of the national Praxis teacher certification exams.  I continue to serve as a freelance test question developer and respondent for ETS in the division of Education of Young Children.  When I am not working, I enjoy spending time with my 4-year-old niece, traveling, reading, and attending live theatre.