Clementine Academic Liaison Megan Hamann has been working in the education field for over ten years. In her role, Megan ensures that the adolescents are able to stay on track with their school work while on their journey to full recovery. Learn more about Megan and her work at Clementine in this week’s “Our Clementine Family”…
What is your name and what are your credentials?
My name is Megan Hamann. I hold a Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education from Asbury University in Wilmore, Kentucky and I also have my Master’s degree in Special Education from Florida Gulf Coast University, in Fort Myers, Florida. I am looking forward to beginning my Specialist degree in Education leadership in the Fall here in Miami.
Please give us a brief description of your background.
Surprisingly, teaching was something I never thought I would do! School definitely was not my favorite thing growing up. However, after a decade of being an educator, I wouldn’t have it any other way! I decided to pursue education, to make it a fun and enjoyable experience for my students.
I have had the privilege to teach in amazing schools, focusing on grades 1st – 6th. I hold certifications in ESOL, Elementary K-6, English 6-12, and Special Education. Having taught in Georgia, Naples, Florida, and Miami, I have had a wide experience in different public school systems, as well as Charter Schools. However, one of the best experiences was teaching at Ada Merritt in Miami – one of the top International Bachelorette schools in the country! I love all the experiences I have had, especially the wonderful students & administrators I have worked with, which has thoroughly helped in the position I hold today!
I began working for Oliver Pyatt Center in 2015 after I was looking to step back from the public school system to spend more time with my children. I started OPC as the English teacher and after a few months of working with the clients, I was asked to fulfill the role as the Educational Liaison. I love to work with the adolescents, parents, school counselors and principals on a daily basis to ensure the adolescents are able to stay on track with their education while they focus on their recovery.
What does a typical day look like for you at Clementine?
Typically, my day begins by checking my email to make sure I can connect the adolescents with the teachers or counselors who have emailed assignments or tasks. On the days I am in the classroom with the adolescents, I check in with them to see how their work load is. We aim to maintain a healthy balance of school work with their treatment. If adolescents are overwhelmed, we cut back, if they can handle more work, we add more. When adolescents first admit, we create a personal plan for each. We look at their work load, course requirement for graduation and the reality of what can be attained during our school hours at Clementine to find the best fit for each adolescent in treatment.
In your own words, please describe the philosophy of Clementine.
Education, as well as recovery, is something that effects the adolescents for the rest of their lives. While their recovery and focus on treatment is the number 1 priority, education is also an important part of their lives as well. Our goal is to maintain the appropriate balance to keep the adolescents on track for graduation, while they focus on recovery. However, this is different for each adolescent that comes in, which is why communication is a key factor in the success.
How does your team work together? How do your roles overlap and differ?
Teamwork is key at Clementine! Education is just a piece of the puzzle that we all bring to the table. Without that piece, there would be a big hole in the picture! As our team brings together information, it is amazing to see how certain parts of the Eating Disorder can affect school, learning capabilities and also social aspects as well. As an educator, I aim to bring my knowledge together with the doctors and therapists to help understand why the school situation is impacting the clients positively or negatively.
What is your favorite thing about Clementine?
My favorite aspect of Clementine has been working with schools and adolescents all over the country! I have learned a lot about the school systems and medical leaves, school & state requirements, and have met so many wonderful people who are also focused on wanting the best for our adolescents. Guidance Counselors and principals play a key role in helping the girls attain success as well, it has been such a joy to work with such caring people!
What are three facts about you that people do not know?
When I was in college, I was a nanny for a family who had four kids under the age of three in SoHo, NYC! That was an experience! I also backpacked Europe after I graduated college with only a couple hundred dollars! My biggest secret is – When I was in college I had a major intestinal surgery that took a year to fully recover from, I know that is odd to share here, but I have seen that it has helped me connect with the girls in a very intimate way. I had to take a semester off my college classes and felt it was the end of the world, however, to get better and recover was actually what I needed. I was able to continue to finish school, I finished just a little later than I first anticipated. However, that ended up being the best thing for me. I love to share this with the clients, so they know I completely understand how hard it is to stop their ‘plan’ for school and focus on the quality & health of their own life. I understand it is hard, but we will work together to get them to a place where they can be successful!
For more information about Clementine adolescent treatment programs, please call 855.900.2221, visit our website, subscribe to our blog, and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
To visit or tour a Clementine location with one of our clinical leaders, please reach out to a Clementine Admissions Specialist at 855.900.2221.