Meet Mercellyne Khapudang A School Psychologist In California
– Ngahanyui Zimik
Please meet my friend Mercellyne Khapudang, who has been working and living in California, US for almost twenty years, settled in a suburban area near Sacramento.
I believe most Tangkhul Students of my generation would have travelled in the Mercellyne buses that plied from Imphal to Shillong and Ukhrul, way back in late 1990s or early 2000s. And the bus service was actually named after this friend of mine Mercellyne Khapudang.
Mercellyne Khapudang completed her bachelor’s (Cum Laude) and master’s (Distinction) in science from the US at the California State University, and she has an important observation on the basis of a comparative analysis of the education systems in the US and India : “I only brought my High school from India. And I think that was good because bachelor’s or master’s from India is not considered equivalent here. So basically, I did all my studies here in California, US.”
Mercellyne Khapudang was originally from Nambisha village, but now she considers Meiti her native village, after her father Benjamin bought the land in Kamjong District of Manipur and founded the new Tangkhul Village. Her family initially lived in Mission lane, Sanjenthong (Imphal), and later on, moved to Chingmeirong (Imphal).
And now, sister Mercellyne had been living and working as a school psychologist in a US public sector.
To specify, she currently works directly for a Northern California school district. As a school psychologist for five years, she implements the legal education act called individuals with disability education act (IDEA), for all students in the particular District of California.
Her job is primarily to conduct a psychoeducational evaluation, advocate for a free appropriate public education in a least restrictive environment, utilize trauma informed practices, and overlook as a team leader for a multidisciplinary education team, which includes highly qualified and skilled three speech therapists, three occupational therapists, two registered nurses, a Board certified behaviorist, a physical therapist, social workers, school counselors, and case managers. This educational multidisciplinary team, led by Mercellyne, implements state-wide education policies in compliance to California Department of Education (CDE), across multiple schools in her district, thus enhancing equity in the education system.
And now, as a true daughter of the Tangkhul Soil that has not forgotten her roots, our Tangkhul daughter/sister Mercellyne hopes that more Tangkhul Nagas join the government or state workforce of different foreign countries, which would help the Community draw and adapt to new Policy lessons from varied experiences/ policies implemented in different countries, and she also desires that “more people are aware of learning disability in our tangkhul community.” Mercellyne is blessed with an amazing, Christian husband, Bejoy Gantayat and two beautiful daughters.
