Federal Programs- Meet the Team

 Jack O'Connor

406-444-3083
Federal Programs Unit Manager
Title I Director
 

Work-Related Duties:

1. Allocates Federal Funds to Districts
2. Provides technical assistance to districts
3. Acts as the state private school ombudsman

Jack O’Connor is the Title I Director, Federal Grants Unit Manager, and Private School Ombudsman for the Montana Office of Public Instruction. In this capacity he works with the Egrants grant management system, Targeted Assistance and Schoolwide Programs and Private/Non-public participation in Title I. The Federal Grants Unit distributes and monitors Title I, Part A; Title II, Part A; Title IV, Subpart 1; Title V (RLIS); Homeless Education; and Neglected and Delinquent Programs. Prior to this Jack was the Assistant Title I Director and Unit Manager for the School Support Unit at OPI working with at-risk districts. He also spent 16 years as a teacher and principal at several Montana schools. Jack has served as President and Past-President of the National Association of ESEA State Program Administrators (NAESPA).

 Angela Branz-Spall

406-444-2423
Migrant Education Director
 
 

Work-Related Duties:

1. Supervises IDR/Data Collection MIS 2000 /MSIX
2. Subgrating/Allocations to LEA/LOA
3. Supervises Comprehensive Needs Assessment Process
4. Supervises Service Delivery Plan/Evaluation

Angela Branz-Spall is the Title I Part C Migrant Education Program State Director. In this capacity she oversees the implementation of all aspects of the Migrant Education Program which is a state administered and operated program. This includes all administrative activities that are unique to the MEP, such as the identification and recruitment of all eligible migratory children located in the state, interstate and intrastate coordination of the Montana MEP and its local projects with other relevant programs and local projects in the state and in other states, as well as procedures for providing for educational continuity for migratory children through the timely transfer of educational and health records. She is responsible for collecting and using information for accurate distribution of subgrant funds through the E grant management system and the development of a statewide needs assessment, service delivery plan and evaluation. Angela has spent her career in public education as a classroom teacher, local program administrator and federal grants manager. She is a past-president of the National Association of State Directors of Migrant Educators (NASDME) and currently serves as the Western Stream representative of NASDME and the Chair of the NASDME Scholarship Committee.

 Serena Wright

406-444-2036
State Director for Homeless
EducationTitle I/Family
Engagement Specialist

Work-Related Duties:

1. State Coordinator of Homeless Education
2. Title I Specialist
3. Family Engagement Coordinator

Serena Wright is the newest member of the Federal Programs team. She is the Homeless Coordinator, Title I, Part A, and Family Engagement Specialist. Before the OPI, Serena was a teacher for over 17 years in the East Bay of northern California. Her entire career has been working with students who qualify as Title 1; English Learners, Socio-Economically Disadvantaged, and Migratory. She began teaching in a large urban school district as a bilingual teacher at a school with an EL and socio-economically disadvantaged population of almost 80%. Over the last 10+ years, Serena was the EL Coordinator in a small rural, farming community with only 3 schools, no high school, and an EL population of about 10%. During COVID, she became the community liaison in a sense, working behind the scenes to make sure the kids who were home alone had what they needed; clothing, food, supplies, and technology. The position here at the OPI as the State Homeless Coordinator was the perfect step because she could continue the work she loves surrounded by teams of district staff who have the same deep care for struggling families.

Serena is married and has 3 children. They love all things DISNEY, Disney parks, Disney movies, and they are excited to explore their new state and all it has to offer!

 Christy Hendricks

406-444-0794
Federal Grants Coordinator

Work-Related Duties:

1. Review Title I, Part D; Title II, Part A and Title V federal grant applications and provide technical assistance to LEAs.
2. Monitor LEAs for Title I, Part D; Title II, Part A and Title V to ensure LEAs are in compliance with federal law.
3. Foster Care Point of Contact for the state of Montana to ensure foster care students are immediately enrolled in school and receiving the services they need to succeed in school. Also work with Child Welfare Services to make sure students are marked correctly in Infinite Campus so they can receive those services.

Christy Hendricks is the Federal Grants Coordinator for the Montana Office of Public Instruction and oversees Title I, Part D; Title II, Part A; Title V and is the Foster Care Point of Contact for the state of Montana.  She has been on the Conference Planning Committee for NAESPA for the past 2 years and has extended her role as the Region V Representative for NAESPA.  Christy is also on the Montana Board of Crime Control Youth Justice Council Board to ensure our most vulnerable youth receive the services they need to succeed.

In her current role at OPI, Christy works with Egrants, Targeted Assistance and Schoolwide Programs and Private/Non-public participation in Title II.  The Federal Grants Unit distributes and monitors Title I, Parts A, C, and D; Title II, Part A; Title III Part A; Title V (RLIS); and Title IX McKinney-Vento Homeless Education. Prior to this Christy was the Data Control Specialist for the Career Technical Adult Education Department at the OPI.  She also spent 18 years as a CTE/Business Education and Elementary Librarian in a very small rural school in Montana. Christy is a proud 6^th generation Montanan and loves to be outdoors as much as possible and enjoy her beautiful state she is blessed to call home! AND She LOVES Her KC CHIEFS!!!!