Bridget Geraghty – Publications and Presentations

Bridget L. Geraghty

Special Education Advocate

Publications and Presentations

Presenter, Eligibility/Triennial Review, IEP Palooza, Fairfax County SEPTA, November 16, 2024 

Presenter, IEP Basics, 2024 COPAA Conference, Atlanta, Georgia, March 7, 2024 

Presenter, The Ins And Outs Of Using An Advocate, The ARC of Greater Prince William, May 5, 2023.

Presenter, Mock IEP Meeting, IEP Palooza, Fairfax County SEPTA, December 3, 2022.

Presenter, ABCs of IEPs:  What Every Parent Needs to Know at IEP Meetings, Circle of Support, Sponsored by The ARC of Greater Prince William, November 5, 2022.

Presenter, ABCs of IEPs:  What Every Parent Needs to Know at IEP Meetings, Fairfax County SEPTA, Webinar, February 15, 2022.

Adrianna Del Principe

Adrianna Del Principe

Attorney at Law

 

Adrianna Del Principe is a skilled attorney who joined Belkowitz Law, PLLC, as an Associate in 2022.  Adrianna’s Cerebral Palsy has fueled her passion to protect the legal rights of persons with disabilities and to promote self-determination. She is a well-regarded speaker, and has been a keynote speaker for three events honoring the achievements of individuals with disabilities.  Adrianna is empathetic toward the diversity each person’s unique needs and driven to ensure that each child with a disability receives a free appropriate public education.

Outside of the office, Adrianna has an interest in spreading awareness about various disabilities. Currently, she serves as a board member for a non-profit focusing on helping individuals with asthma and other medical conditions. She enjoys watching hockey, traveling, and spending time with her husband, puppy, family, and friends.

Practice Area

Adrianna represents families in special education matters arising under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, including eligibility, placement, IEP, and due process proceedings.  Represent students in school discipline proceedings at all levels:  elementary, secondary, and post-secondary schools.

Bar Admissions

State Courts: Virginia, Pennsylvania, and District of Columbia

United States District Court: District of Columbia

Professional Associations

Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA)

District of Columbia Bar

Pennsylvania Bar Association

Virginia State Bar

Prior Employment

McGavin, Boyce, Bardot, Thorsen, And Katz, P.C. (formerly Bancroft, McGavin, Horvath & Judkins, P.C.), Associate, 2021-2022

O’Hagan Meyer, LLC, Associate, 2019-2021 and Law Clerk, 2017-2019

Bridget Geraghty

Bridget L. Geraghty

Special Education Advocate

Bridget Geraghty has spent her professional career working in education and joined Belkowitz Law, PLLC as a Special Education Advocate (non-attorney) in September 2020.  Bridget most recently was a special education teacher in Fairfax County Public Schools.  Bridget worked with elementary school students as a Learning Disabilities (LD) teacher and as a Multi-disabilities teacher.  As a teacher and case manager, Bridget worked with a range of students encompassing a wide variety of special education placements and eligibility categories.

Bridget assists families with all aspects of the special education process, including initial eligibility for special education, development of the Individualized Education Program (the “IEP”), school placement, and IEP implementation.  Bridget also provides guidance and coaching to parents on interpretation of educational assessments and strategies to effectively and collaboratively work with the school to meet the unique needs of their child with special needs.

Bridget attended Saint Louis University, where she received a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education.  Bridget was awarded a Masters Degree in special education from The George Washington University’s Graduate School of Education and Human Development.  Her Masters Degree focused on students with emotional and behavioral disabilities.

Bridget currently lives in Fairfax County with her husband (Tim) and her daughter. She was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri, where her family still lives. She understands the importance of family and enjoys the opportunity to use her background and experience to assist others.

Education and Training 

 

Saint Louis University, B.A. (Elementary Education), 2012

University College Cork, Certificate in Irish Studies, 2012

The George Washington University, M.Ed. (Special Education), 2014

Dyslexia Advocate Certificate Program, Dyslexia Training Institute, 2022

Professional Associations and Licenses

Postgraduate Professional License – Special Education, General Curriculum K-12, Virginia Department of Education,  2014-Present

Council for Exceptional Children, 2014-Present

Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (“COPAA”), 2020-Present

International Dyslexia Association (“IDA”), 2023

National Alliance on Mental Illness (“NAMI”)

  

Community Involvement

Fairfax County Public Schools – Elementary School Language Arts Basal Review Committee: Member (2023)

Fairfax County SEPTA: Member (2020-present), Membership Chair (2023-present)

Friends of the Dominican Sisters of Sparkill: Volunteer (2011-present)

Melissa Waugh – Publications and Presentations

Melissa K. Waugh, JD, MPH

Attorney at Law

Presentations

Presenter, Parents’ Rights Regarding Educational Records in Virginia: FERPA, IDEA, Virginia SPED Regulations, and VFOIA, EdLaw Taskforce Quarterly Meeting, Richmond, Virginia, August 6, 2024

Presenter, What is Specially Designed Instruction?, 2024 COPAA Conference, Atlanta, Georgia, March 10, 2024

Presenter, Consent:  The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly, 2024 COPAA Conference, Atlanta, Georgia, March 10, 2024

Presenter, All About IEEs, 2024 COPAA Conference, Atlanta, Georgia, March 7, 2024

Panelist, Navigating the IEP and IEP Meetings – Panel Discussion, University of Richmond School of Law Special   Education Symposium, Richmond, Virginia, October 27, 2023

Panelist, Working A Special Education Case in the Commonwealth – Panel Discussion, VPLC Annual Statewide Legal Aid Conference, Richmond, Virginia, October 19, 2023

 Presenter, IEEs in the Trenches: Common Conflicts with LEAs, 2023 COPAA Conference, San Francisco, California, March 4, 2023.

Presenter, All About IEEs, 2023 COPAA Conference, San Francisco, California, March 2, 2023.

Presenter, All About Independent Educational Evaluations, 2022 COPAA Conference, Boston, Massachusetts, March 3, 2022.

Presenter, What To Do When the School Says “No”, CASA of Central Virginia, February 18, 2021. 

Presenter, The Legal Framework for IEP’s and Section 504 Plans, CASA of Central Virginia, February 4, 2021.

Presenter, Your Transition Toolbox, The William & Mary Law Institute of Special Education Advocacy Conference, Janaury 14, 2021.

Presenter, IEP Transition Toolbox, 22nd Annual COPAA Conference, Baltimore, MD, March 8, 2020

Presenter, Understanding the IEP for Lawyers, National Allies for Parents in Special Education, Charlotte, NC, October 6, 2018.

Presenter, Managing Client Relationships, National Allies for Parents in Special Education, Charlotte, NC, October 6, 2018.

Child Find:  From the School House and Beyond, National Allies for Parents in Special Education, Charlotte, NC, October 6, 2018.

Presenter, Special Education Law for Legal Aid Attorneys, Virginia Legal Aid Society, Suffolk, VA, February 23, 2018.

Discipline of Students with Disabilities, Special Education and Advocacy Training:  An Introduction for Practitioners and Advocates, Norfolk, VA, November 5, 2017 (presented with Dr. Jeffrey Katz, Licensed Clinical Psychologist).

Preventing the School-to-Prison Pipeline, Special Education and Advocacy Training:  An Introduction for Practitioners and Advocates, Norfolk, VA, November 5, 2017 (presented with Cheryl Poe, Special Education Advocate).

Strengthening the FAPE Requirement, Special Education and Advocacy Training:  An Introduction for Practitioners and Advocates, Norfolk, VA, November 5, 2017 (presented with Andrew Pappert, J.D.).

Special Education:  Strengthening the FAPE Requirement, Local Government Attorneys of Virginia, Lynchburg, VA, June 30, 2017.

Unravelling Free and Appropriate Public Education (“FAPE”) Complexities, National Business Institute (NBI), Roanoke, VA, June 8, 2017.

Essential Components of a 504 Plan, National Business Institute (NBI), Roanoke, VA, June 8, 2017.

Navigating Funding Streams for Mental Health Support, 21st Annual Robert E. Sheppard, Jr. Juvenile Law and Education Conference, Richmond, VA, May 13, 2016.

Advocating for Children with Disabilities, Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), Lynchburg, VA, October 11, 2016.

Special Education Law and Advocacy, Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), Lynchburg, VA, September 10, 2014.

Concerns for Development:  When and How to Refer a Child for Early Intervention Services, The Alliance for Families, Lynchburg, VA, February 18, 2014 (presented with Ms. Polly Smith, Lynchburg City Schools).

Special Education Law and Advocacy, Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), Lynchburg, VA, October 2, 2013.

Advocating for Children with Disabilities, Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), Lynchburg, VA, October 19, 2012.

Special Education Advocacy, Presbyterian Homes, Lynchburg, VA, April 17, 2012.

Publications

Melissa K. Cantrell, The Taming of E-Health:  Asserting U.S. Jurisdiction Over Foreign and Domestic Websites, 103 W. Va. L. Rev. 573 (2001).

Melissa K. Cantrell, International Response to Dolly:  Will Scientific Freedom Get Sheared?, 13 J.L. & Health 69 (1998-1999).

 

Press and Media 

Evan Goodenow, LCPS special education plan approved, understaffing concerns raised, Loudoun Times, April 26, 2023

Nour Habib, Experts say ‘missteps’ were likely in how school addressed special needs of Richneck student, Daily Press, Jan. 28, 2023.