About NET
Nancy Sarachaga
I have had a vision for special education consulting and advocacy for over 20 years. Now that I am a retired special education educator with 30 years of experience, I have made that vision a reality. As an educator, I was driven by my passion to see that the unique needs of my students were met. I also recognized the need for parents to be heard. I am no stranger to expressing my concerns and discussing problem-solving strategies with classroom teachers, administrators, directors, and parents.
I have a Bachelor of Science in Education of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) from Barton College and a North Carolina certification in teaching students with Learning Disabilities. Throughout my 30 years in special education, I have held various roles, including middle school inclusion teacher, DHH teacher across all academic settings, itinerant teacher, Exceptional Children's Case Manager, and Exceptional Children's Facilitator. My students, from pre-school to age 21, had a wide range of cognitive and academic abilities, the full range of hearing loss, and multiple special education eligibilities. I have experience with all 14 categories of disabilities recognized by the state of NC.
When my son, Nicholas Ethan Thornton, acquired a rare blood disorder in 2013, I gained a new perspective on the need for advocacy in a complex, unfamiliar world of jargon and procedures. That experience heightened my desire to educate and support families in the world I know.
