Jacksonville School for Autism

JSA Staff

JSA relies on a group of Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analysts (BCaBAs) to provide intake and assessment of new students, IEP coordination and implementation, and training of new teachers. Once paired with a new family and student, the BCaBA will be responsible for team management and supervision. Each BCaBA will serve as lead consultant and direct service provider for approximately 6 students each.

Jessica Byrd, M.Ed., BCaBA-JSA Education & Program Coordinator
Jessica Byrd has been working part time for the JSA since its opening in 2005, as a Teacher/Consultant and Educational Coordinator. Jessica holds a Bachelor in the Arts of Education (Special Education) from the University of North Florida, and is a Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst. Jessica has twelve years experience in working with children and adults with disabilities. Her experiences include residential, private and public schools, as well as in-home programs.

In addition to working at JSA Jessica is currently enrolled in a Masters Degree program at the University of North Florida for Disability Services/Behavior Analysis and plans to obtain her Board Certified Behavior Analyst License upon completion.

Jessica's philosophy of education is that all children/ students can learn and feels it as her personal mission to help them achieve success.

Jessica is married and she and her husband Trey have three children, Reagan, Jack, and Taylor.

Irene Batario, BCaBA-JSA Behavioral Coordinator
Irene Batario is a founding teacher at JSA. She worked diligently along side the founding parents to help establish JSA during it's inception in 2005. Her invaluable contributions as a coordinator of student, parent and teacher programming is reflected by the growth in number of students and teachers at the school today.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, however, she finds her calling and passion helping special needs children and is a Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst (BCaBA). Irene has over 12 years experience working with the special needs population such as children and the elderly.

Guided by her personal philosophy to "Provide Whatever It Takes" to teach her students, Irene works to develop significant bond with her students which fosters mutual respect, instructional control and in the end, helps students reach their learning potentials.

Irene is married and she and her husband Al have one daughter, Christina.

Trina Middleton-JSA Classroom Coordinator
Trina graduated with a BS degree in Psychology from University of Central Florida. Trina has been working within the autism community and school system for the past ten years here in Duval County. She started her experience as a classroom teacher of elementary children with autism in 2002. She broadened her depth and understanding of families challenged with autism and began reaching beyond the classroom setting. Trina served as the lead teacher to start a special needs Sunday School at her church, staffed a soccer program for children with autism and helped to establish the Sunrise Surf Shop surf camp. Trina challenged herself by becoming a Nationally Board Certified Teacher in 2007 as an Early Childhood Through Adulthood/Exceptional Needs Specialist. She has partnered with the local CARD Center for two years creating projects demonstrating how to set up effective teaching environments for children with autism. She has spent the past six years doing just that for Duval County and is excited about bring that experience to JSA.