That she seems excited about being with the G&T kids would speak a lot louder to me than all the credentials in the world! Perhaps it means she even requested the position in a bid to actively work with G&T kids all the time. And the fact that she introduced herself to you also speaks volumes to me - she has opened communication channels. AFAIK It's a lot more than traditional teachers do.
I hope that the enthusiasm she seems to have will carry her and her students through this next year with everything you need
Actually our school requires all teachers to send out a welcome letter to students each summer introducing themselves.
