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Advocacy

Mr. Heil is a specialist in advocacy for all students, but particularly students with disabilities. As one of the very first psychologists trained specifically to work in the field of deafness, Mr. Heil is an expert in the sociological effects of disability. He has been a school psychologist and program consultant in communication disorders, has served in a magnet school for GATE students in Colorado and was the first Director of the West County Consortium for Special Education in Sonoma County. Mr. Heil, in his role as a Psychologist at the California School for the Deaf, was a consultant to the California State School for Neurologically Handicapped Children and worked with school districts all over Northern California evaluating students for admission to CSD-F.  Mr. Heil is honored to have been chosen to sit on Pacific Bell’s first Advisory Group for Persons with Disabilities as the only non-disabled person in the cohort, where he served with distinction for several years.

 

Mr. Heil is known for his fairness, rapport with teachers and school staff and clear communication. He is a passionate advocate for students with both IDEA and Section 504 needs. IEP and 504 meeting facilitation are his specialty.  Mr. Heil was, for ten years, the faculty advisor for Analy High School’s Peer Mediation Program where he trained students in narrative mediation.  In this role, he was intimately involved in resolution of numerous inter-student disputes.  He has recently taken on several advocacy cases where bullying and harassment were issues and has a particular interest in ensuring the safety of all students in our schools.

 

Mr. Heil's advocacy also extends to disadvantaged students seeking college opportunities.  He travels extensively and has facilitated student applications to numerous excellent universities.  He is a strong advocate for economically disadvantaged and first generation students and has worked extensively with Summer Search in support of their students at his schools, having been invited to address their Bay Area donor gathering in recent years.

 

Pro bono or reduced rate services are possible on a case by case basis.

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