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OUR TEACHERS
Our teachers are dedicated to giving each student personal
attention and to working with each family to develop a program that works
best for the student’s individual needs. The majority of our teachers
have a minimum of 10 years classroom experience and a master’s
degree. Many of our teachers are certified Reading Specialists/Consultants
or Special Education teachers, and have experience working on I.E.P. teams.
Our language teachers are trained in methods that have been proven through
scientific research to improve the skills of students who are in need
of direct and multisensory teaching. In this regard, our teachers are
really educational therapists. These specialists have experience and training
in Orton-Gillingham and Project
Read, and work with students with dyslexia, language disabilities
and attention deficit disorder.
For students with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and/or Executive
Functioning difficulties, we have teachers with training and experience
in this field. These teachers help students learn “active”
study strategies to help them retain more information and increase their
independence.
Teaching
Staff
Lisa
Bigney, M.A., M.Ed, Director
Years teaching: 20
Education: M.Ed. Teaching, Curriculum and Learning Environments,
Harvard University; M.A. Computers in Education, Lesley College; B.S.
Elementary and Special Education, Boston University
Certifications: Elementary and Special Education.
Additional Training in: Orton-Gillingham, Project Read,
Lindamood-Bell, Semple Math
Awards: Pi Lambda Theta Honor Society
President's Volunteer Service Award
Suzanne
Azar, M.Sc.
Years Teaching: 14
Education: B.S. Zoology, University of Massachusetts,
M.Sc. Biology, George Mason University
Additional Training in:
Environmental Education
Brenda
Bennett, M.Ed.
Years Teaching: 12 years
Education: M.Ed. Special Education, Cambridge College:
B.S. Elementary Education and Special Education, Rhode Island College
Certification: Special Education, Special Education Administration
Additional Training in: Orton-Gillingham
Kelli
Dupuis, M.A.T.
Years Teaching: 10
Education: B.S. University of Connecticut, M.A.T. University
of Connecticut
Certifications: Early childhood and Elementary Education
Additional Training in: Differentiated Instruction, Diagnosis
of Reading Difficulties, Investigations Workshop for Transforming Mathematics,
Literacy Instruction
Carol
Fortunati M.A.
Years Teaching: 20
Education: M.A. English, Rhode Island College; B.A. Elementary
Education, University of Rhode Island
Certifications: Elementary Education, English, Early
Childhood and Facilitator Project Exceptional Ready
Additional Training in: Rhode Island Writers, Project
Exceptionally Ready, Better Words Than Said, Literature Circles
Linda
Giordano
Years Teaching: 10
Education: B.S. Elementary Education and Special Education,
Rhode Island College
Certifications: Elementary Education and Special Education
Additional Training in: Orton-Gillingham, Project Read,
Lindamood Bell (LIPS), Telian Reading Therapy Program, and Sensory Integration
Hannah
R. Goodman. M.Ed.
Years Teaching: 7
Education: B.A. in English, Clark University, M.Ed in
School Counseling, Providence College
Certifications: English High School and K-12 Guidance
Published: My Sister's Wedding, Releasing The Writer
Within
Awards: 1st place Writer's Digest International Self-Published
Book Award–Young Adult/Children's Division
Samantha
Kravitz, M.A.T.
Years teaching: 8
Education: B.A. English, Providence College, M.A.T. English,
Brown University
Certifications: English
Published articles: The Cupola, The East Side Monthly
and RI Familes Today.
Rebecca Ladd, M.A.
Years Teaching: 20
Education: M.A. Reading Education, University of Rhode
Island: B.A. English and Secondary Education, University of Rhode Island
Certifications: English and Reading
Additional Training in: Project CRISS, Telian Reading
Therapy, Orton-Gillingham
Abby
Lewis
Years Teaching: 5
Education: B.A. Hobart and William Smith Colleges
Certifications: Early Education
Additional Training in: Orton-Gillingham
Jane
McJennett, M.A.
Years teaching: 27
Education: University of Virginia, M.A.; University of
Michigan, B.A.
Certification: Language Therapy from the Reading Disabilities
Unit of Massachusetts General Hospital Program
Special Training in: Orton Gillingham, French Language, Educational
Therapy in Language Disability
Lisa
Murdock M.Ed.
Years Teaching: 12
Education: M.Ed. Special Education, Providence College:
B.S. Special Education, Rhode Island College
Certifications: Special Education
Additional Training in: Orton-Gillingham, Project Read
Debra
Nassau, M.A.
Years teaching: 13
Education: M.A. Education, American University; B.A.
English and American Literature, Brown University
Certifications: Learning Disabilities
Additional Training in: Orton-Gillingham, Project Read
Deborah
Phillips, M.Ed.
Years Teaching: 20
Education: M.Ed. Reading, Rhode Island College; B.S.
Elementary Education, Rhode Island College
Certifications: Elementary, Reading Teacher/Specialist,
Reading Consultant
Published: Keeping A Writer’s Notebook
Awards: National Council of Teachers of English Annual
Award
Mercedes
Quevedo
Years teaching: 40 years
Education: Brown University, University of Chicago B.A.,
North Central College, Buffalo State Teachers College
Certifications: Certified in Elementary and Middle School
Education, Language Therapy from the Reading Disabilities Unit of Massachusetts
General Hospital Program
Additional Training in: Orton-Gillingham, Project Read,
Slingerland.
Awards: Presenter at AISNE Conferences
Sandra
Rosenberg, M.Ed.
Years Teaching: 30
Education: A.B. in English, City College New York; M.Ed.
Elementary Education Curriculum and Instruction, Harvard University; M.Ed.
Reading, Rhode Island College
Certifications: Elementary Education, Reading Specialist/Consultant
Additional Training: Orton-Gillingham, Six Traits Writing,
Differentiated Instruction
Awards: Phi Beta Kappa, Pi Lambda Theta
Published articles and manuals: Rhode Island Reading
Review, and Addison-Wesley Reading Program
Anne
Stevenson, M.A.
Years Teaching: 6
Education: M.A. Teaching, Manhattanville College,
B.S. Social Work, Syracuse University
Certifications: Elementary Education
Additional Training in: Schools Attuned, WriteMind, Orton-Gillingham
Awards: Kappa Delta Pi Honor Society
Nancy
Suprenant M.Ed.
Years Teaching: 30 years
Education: M.Ed. Reading Education, Rhode Island College:
B.A. English and Education, University of Massachusetts
Certification: Reading, Special Education
Additional Training in: Orton-Gillingham, Telian Reading
Therapy Program, Lindamood Bell (LIPS,Visualizing and Verbalizing)
Cheryl
Tondreau M.A.
Years Teaching: 9 years
Education: M.A. Elementary Education, Rhode Island College,
B.A. Social Studies, Providence College
Certification: Literacy Teacher, ESL
Additional Training in: Wilson Language System, Schools
Attuned
Elena
Winter
Years Teaching: 11 years
Education: AB, Ohio University
Additional Training in: Orton-Gillingham and Project
Read
Published: An Orton-Gillingham Reader Book I and An Orton-Gillingham
Reader Book II
Child Advocate
Myrna Silverstein,
Ph.D.
Years as Psychologist/advocate: 24
years as school psychologist in South Kingstown as an evaluator and member
of an I.E.P. team, 4 years as a consultant/advocate at RITES
Certification: Department of Health license as a psychologist,
Department of Education certification as school psychologist.