Jill M. Merritt

Watch a Biography of Jill Merritt

Dr. Jill Merritt teaches many of the special education and early childhood courses at Gannon.and often supervises students on field placement She has been the president of The ARC of Erie County, Wesleville Borough Council and has served on some school boards in the Erie area.. She has recently gone through Orton Gillingham training in an effort to help her students better teach reading.She is the advisor to Gannon's student group GUSEC and they frequently participate in activities in the community that provide opportunities for those with disabilities. Prior to teaching at Gannon she taught in special education in a public school in Ohio.

Courses Taught

Early Childhood Overview ECED 100
Integrated Curriculum PreK to Fourth Grade ECED 300
Integrated Curriciulum for Preschool and Kindergarten* ECED 320
First Year Seminar EDCR 104
Special Education Overview SPED 101/GEDU 537
Meeting the Needs of Students with Exceptionalities: Nursery through Preschool*
Collaboration and Partnership SPED 242
Meeting the Learning Needs of Students with Exceptionalities: PreK through Eighth Grade SPED 245
Program Planning and Assessment SPED 243
Strategies for Accommodations and Modifications* SPED 250
Positive Behavior Supports SPED 306
High Incidence Disabilities SPED 308
Literacy for Students with Exceptionalities SPED 320
Meeting the Learning Needs of Students with Exceptionalities: 7th – 12th Grade
ASD Theory and Practice SPED 412/GEDU 512
ASD Field Experience 1 SPED 413/GEDU 513
ASD Applied Behavior Anyalsis and Intervention SPED 426/GEDU 526
ASD Field Experience 2 SPED 427/GEDU 527
ASD Strategies for Social Competence SPED 431/GEDU 531
ASD Field Experience 3 SPED 432/GEDU 532

Scholarship-Research

Through a recently received grant, some of Dr. Merritt's research examines the impact of equine assisted therapy with children diagnosed with autism. Special education students and Occupational therapy students from Gannon worked together to provide equine therapy to students from the Barber National Institue and examined the impact it had. Another area of research Dr. Merritt has focused on has been the use of alternative seating to improve young childrens attention in the classroom.

Service

Below are some of the activities Dr. Merritt has participated in:

Trainer, Youth Mental Health First Aide Training
Trainer, QPR Training – Suicide Prevention
Coordinator, Special Education Program, School of Education, Gannon University
Chair, Compensation Committee, Gannon University
Chair, CHESS Academic Affairs Community, Gannon University
President and Vice-President, The Arc of Erie County
Gannon University• Treasurer and Secretary, Faculty Senate, Gannon University
Montessori Regional Charter School Board of Trustee
Elected to the Wesleyville Borough Council- President, Finance Chair, and Personnel Committee
President, The Arc of Erie
Board Member and Secretary, Erie Area Council of Governments
Finance Chair and Member, Wesleyville Community Days Committee
Board of Trustees, Erie County Signing Region