by Smarty Guest Blogger Hallie Rojeski, Head of School, The John Crosland School
The John Crosland School knows that reading is a language-based activity. Research shows that reading does not develop naturally, and for many children, specific decoding, word-recognition, and reading comprehension skills must be taught directly and systematically.
What
We want to support families in the community with Free Reading Screenings for children 5-10 years old in greater Charlotte . Each 30-45 minute screening can identify existing literacy issues and features personalized, face-to-face feedback and recommendations.
When:
Second Wednesday each month from 7:30am-2:30pm
2019 Dates: February 13th, March 13th, April 10th, May 8th, June 12th, July 10th
Screenings are performed by members of the Crosland team that have experience teaching reading to children who need a multisensory, structured approach. 
Why:
We encourage families to ask questions, see what your children’s schools can do to support your concerns, and advocate for them. If you question your child’s pace of reading, progress, or comprehension, we are happy to provide a second opinion. Just call us to ask questions and schedule a time to meet with you and your child. At the bottom of this article are some points to review when thinking about your child’s strengths and areas of concern in terms of reading.
How:
To schedule a screening call or email Debbie Taylor at 704-365-5490 ext 706 or dtaylor@johncroslandschool.org.
The amount of specific attention and insight we pour into our reading program greatly benefits our students. Knowing that many students attend public school, home school, or might be in a transitional kindergarten program, we want to be able to set aside a day a month to lend our expertise supporting the community. After a screening, I once had a mother of nine-year-old let me know that I shared with her more relevant recommendations and expressed my understanding of her daughter as a reader better than her child’s teacher that entire year. Sadly, it was May. I am excited to bring Free Reading Screenings to Charlotte through Crosland and am happy to also connect with the greater community.
Here is an example of what parents should ponder when then they have reading concerns::
Points to Review for Reading Concerns
Kindergarten & First Grade
Difficulties
– Reading errors that show no connection to the sounds of the letters on the page—will say “puppy” instead of the written word “dog” on an illustrated page with a picture of a dog
– Does not understand that words come apart
– Complains about how hard reading is; “disappears” when it is time to read
– A history of reading problems in parents or siblings
– Cannot sound out even simple words like cat, map, nap
– Does not associate letters with sounds, such as the letter b with the “b” sound
Strengths
– Curiosity
– Great imagination
– Ability to figure things out; gets the gist of things
– Eager to embrace new ideas
– A good understanding of new concepts
– Surprising maturity
– A larger vocabulary than typical for age group
– Enjoys solving puzzles
– Talent for building models
– Excellent comprehension of stories read or told to him
© Sally Shaywitz, Overcoming Dyslexia, pp. 122 – 123
If interested, please schedule a screening. Call or email Debbie Taylor at 704-365-5490 ext 706 or dtaylor@johncroslandschool.org.
We are currently fine-tuning our summer offerings. Please visit our website in February to explore our academic summer programming.
Online resources to reference:
https://dyslexiaresource.org/information-about-dyslexia/dyslexia-red-flags/
Components of an Orton-Gillingham (Multisensory) Reading Approach
https://dyslexia.yale.edu/dyslexia/signs-of-dyslexia/
About the Author
Halle Rojeski, Head of School
Hallie Rojeski came to Crosland from Noble Academy in Greensboro, North Carolina, a school very similar to Crosland, where she’s served as Head of Lower School and the Junior High since 2011. Prior, Hallie was a special education teacher for ten years at Noble and The Oakwood School in Greenville, North Carolina. She attended East Carolina University, obtaining a Bachelor’s Degree in special education and a Master’s Degree, and she also holds a Post-Master’s Certificate in School Administration from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
Hallie has been actively involved with many professional associations, including the International Dyslexia Association, the Southern Association of Independent Schools, and a collaboration with The Carroll School in Massachusetts, The Hamilton School in Rhode Island, The Lab School in the District of Columbia, and The Lawrence School in Ohio. Throughout her career, Hallie has demonstrated a commitment to children with learning differences and we’re confident she will take Crosland to the next level and beyond.
More on The John Crosland School:
Click here for more information on Admissions.
Contact Info:
Portia York – Director of Advancement
pyork@johncroslandschool.org
Listen to our Smarty Podcast with Hallie Rojeski, Head of School HERE!
The John Crosland School
5146 Parkway Plaza Blvd.
Charlottte, NC 28217
704-365-5490 ext 709
Website
Blog
Facebook
Instagram: @johncroslandschool and @dogsofcrosland
Twitter: @croslandschool
