Children's Dyslexia Center-Madison
News & Happenings
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Welcome to this Winter edition of our newsletter!
We hope you find the content informational, inspiring, and fun.
Our staff is busy with their daily administrative work and tutoring while our volunteers continue to donate their time and talents to both governance and fund raising. All are focused on the shared goal of helping the families being served by our program.
Please note that the Children's Dyslexia Center-Madison will be closed for winter break until Monday, January 7, with tutoring resuming on Tuesday, January 8, 2019.
Link to our calendar.
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Tutor Spotlight
What is a major ingredient in our recipe for success?
Our tutors!
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Helping Others Succeed: Brigid’s Story
Brigid Ryan was first introduced to the Orton-Gillingham method (the approach used at the Children’s Dyslexia Center) several years ago while she was teaching at a Montessori school in Minneapolis. Her mother, who had attended a training, called Brigid to tell her, “You’ve got to learn about this! It’s absolutely fascinating!” Brigid signed up for a conference on Orton-Gillingham and was instantly hooked. “I wanted an opportunity to help those who were struggling with reading and study skills using a method that has been proven to work,” she said.
Brigid’s opportunity to become further involved with Orton-Gillingham came a few years later when she moved to Madison. She soon learned about the Children’s Dyslexia Center-Madison and applied to become a scholar in training. “Gaining a background understanding of dyslexia was incredibly helpful as it not only allowed me to see and learn from the similarities between my past struggles with learning, but also gave me valuable insights into how to connect with the students I would be teaching,” Brigid explained. Brigid began tutoring in 2015, at first taking on two students. Now, Brigid has four students that she meets with twice each week. She has had four students graduate from the program.
As a Montessori teacher, Brigid brings a unique perspective to her tutoring at CDC-M. She sees ways the two complement one another. “Teaching at the Center we are required to use a systematic, sequential and multi-sensory method to introduce all concepts during our lessons,” Brigid said. “Montessori also relies heavily on having an ordered introduction of material and a varied, multi-sensory way of teaching.”
Brigid is glad to be part of this program and is grateful to the Masons and others for supporting it so that it can remain a free resource in our community. “It is incredibly rewarding to see my students learn to love reading and feel more confident using the skills that we teach them. It is always a special moment when instead of being reluctant to read with me, they start talking about books they are reading at home,” Brigid said.
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Tutor Training Opportunity
Fifty-seven tutors have been trained at our center in the Orton-Gillingham (O-G) approach since 2001. O-G is a systematic, sequential, and multisensory approach for teaching reading and writing. In addition, we have had the honor of teaching a total of
eighteen Madison Metropolitan Public schools teachers including four teachers who are currently finishing their practicum.
Our training is IMLEC (International Multi-sensory Language Education Council) and IDA (International Dyslexia Association) accredited.
We have one training a year which starts in June. The 55 classroom hours are June 18
th, 19
th, 20
th, July 19
th, and August 23
rd; then one Saturday a month through February. The practicum starts the first week in September, teaching two students M/W or T/TH and continues through the summer session (ending July 15
th). A bachelor's degree in a related field is required. An application can be found on our website
cdc-madison.org
O-G instruction is intensive, one-on-one, emotionally sound, language based and success oriented.
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Grants and Other Support Received
We appreciate the generosity of businesses, foundations, and individuals who ensure children in our community have the resources they need to be successful. For the last quarter of 2018, we would particularly like to thank the following foundations for grants we have received:
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Alliant Energy Foundation
CUNA Mutual Group Foundation
Green Bay Packers Foundation
Madison Community Foundation
Thomas Kemp Foundation
Steve Stricker American Family Insurance Foundation
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We'd also like to thank everyone who participated in our first GivingTuesday. We raised $1050 and received a $1050 match from Pete Gunderson.
Good work everyone! We hope to do even more next year -- so stay tuned!
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The big reveal of total amount raised at the 2018
Steve Stricker American Family Insurance Foundation golf tournament.
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Leslie Huber (left) and Kelly Kuenzie (right) at Lambeau Field in December 2018 to receive
Green Bay Packers Foundation award.
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CDC-M Receives $50,000 for Partnership Program with Goodman Community Center
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Thanks to the generous support of two funders in our community, the Children’s Dyslexia Center-Madison (CDC-M) will be launching a new initiative in partnership with the Goodman Community Center.
At CDC-M, our mission is to help
all
children in our community, regardless of family income, achieve their potential by giving them the resources they need to succeed in reading. By doing this, we help make strides in decreasing the achievement gap in our community. Our new initiative, entitled Literacy for Life, will bring our successful tutoring services to underserved, low-income children at the Goodman Community Center. By bringing our services to their community center, we eliminate transportation and other barriers and provide access to this effective tutoring to children who would not otherwise have it. Tutors, including volunteer tutors and Goodman Community Center staff, will begin training this spring. Students will enter the program in the fall of 2019.
In December, CDC-M learned that we had received $25,000 grants from both
CUNA Mutual Group Foundation
and
Madison Community Foundation.
We are grateful for these generous gifts that cover the cost of the initiative and allow us to help more children in our community overcome their reading barriers and reach their potential.
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Children's Dyslexia Center-Madison Director, Kelly Kuenzie (back row, fifth from the right), attended the Madison Community Foundation awards presentation celebration at the Madison Central Library on December 20th.
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LEGACY CIRCLE
“The true meaning of life is to plant trees, under whose shade you do not expect to sit.” — Nelson Henderson
Planning today will ensure that Children's Dyslexia Center-Madison is here tomorrow to help children read. Your Legacy Circle gift will express your core values and send the message that you believe in our mission. Your gift takes a simple designation and costs you nothing during your lifetime. It’s easy and can be changed if you change your mind in the future.
Legacy circle gifts come in many shapes and sizes, and are often the best way to make a significant contribution. If you have not yet included CDC-M in your estate plans, the following are some of the most popular methods to consider:
Charitable Bequests
Charitable Gift Annuities
Gifts of Life Insurance
Retirement Plan Assets
IRAs
While we cannot provide tax or legal advice, we can work with you to carry out your vision. The advice of an attorney or qualified financial planner is necessary to assess your personal situation and help you decide which options might best serve your goals. Your request for information will be kept confidential and is non-obligatory.
Contact our office at 608-252-4922 for more information.
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If you would like a report of donations you have made
to the Children's Dyslexia Center-Madison,
contact Gail Piper at 608-242-9282 or gailpiper6@aol.com.
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From Kelly Kuenzie, Director
This is a time for giving and sharing our gifts to benefit others. Here at Children’s Dyslexia Center-Madison, we strive to give our students relief from their daily struggles by empowering them to read. This effort would not be possible without your generosity and striving to be better people with a greater purpose in the community and beyond.
In the spirit of sharing and giving of our time and talents, I would like to share with you the story of one of our students, Robert*, as told in an e-mail from his mother to me:
“I just wanted to share with you what Robert has volunteered for. He asked me what he had to do to volunteer at Crest Assisted Living. After getting in contact with the Event Coordinator, she decided it'd be best if Robert read for a half hour to some of the residents. He was planning on just visiting with people, so I was afraid he wouldn't want to do it when it was going to be reading for a half hour. It didn't faze him. He was still up for it.
We met Sam in the 'memory unit'. He doesn't interact or participate in any activities. The Event Coordinator introduced us to Sam's wife and told her what the plan was – Robert would be reading to a small group of people in Sam's room. His wife wasn't so sure how that would go over and Sam seemed a little apprehensive at first. They introduced Sam as a retired teacher (5th grade – the grade Robert is in). I let him know Robert has dyslexia so he may need help with a few words. Within minutes of my son reading, this man lit up. After Robert finished reading the book he took in, we read from a book Sam had. Sam and Robert started reading every other page to each other. I looked over and Sam's wife was wiping tears away. After our half hour was up, Sam was already saying how he's looking forward to this week when we go back.
The walk out was amazing. On Sam’s door was a list of his occupations. I noticed he wasn't only a teacher; he was also a reading specialist. How wonderful it is these two people have met at the right time in their life to help each other. I never thought Robert would be leading a reading group. I'm still in awe about this. As for Sam, the Event Coordinator said it went better than she ever imagined. Apparently, it's the most he's talked or interacted with anyone in months.”
The good that can be achieved when we share our gifts to benefit others is unknown until it is shared. We look forward to sharing more stories of our wonderfully bright students and the gifts you have afforded our centers, communities, and families. Thank you for all that you do!
Sincerely,
Kelly Kuenzie, Director
*name has been changed to protect child's privacy
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Walk T-Shirt Artwork Contest Has Begun!
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It's time to get those pencils, crayons, markers, and paper out! Help our 9th Annual Walk for Dyslexia by submitting your artwork to be considered for the front of the walk t-shirts. Click below for information flyer and consent form.
Deadline is January 15, 2019.
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Grins, Giggles, and perhaps Groans
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Question:
Why shouldn't you tell secrets in the garden?
Answer:
The potatoes have eyes, the corn ears, and the beanstalk.
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Famous People With Dyslexia
Scientists, artists, architects, astronauts, musicians, engineers, inventors, business leaders, government officials, -- the list goes on and on. Who is YOUR favorite?
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Charles "Pete" Conrad - Astronaut
He was the commander of Apollo 12, the second mission to the moon, he was one of the first people to set foot on the moon, and he had dyslexia.
A graduate of Princeton University with a degree in aeronautical engineering, Conrad was confident in subjects like math and science growing up. His dyslexia, though, made reading and writing difficult for most of his education. He struggled through a private school until 11th grade when he was expelled because of his failing exam grades. At the time, Conrad's teachers thought him to be lazy, unaware of his dyslexia. Knowing her son wasn't unintelligent, Conrad's mother became his advocate after his expulsion, communicating with his new school to create learning approaches that worked for Conrad's learning styles. Though he had to repeat 11th grade at his new school, he soon thrived in the new environment with the proper assistance and accommodations for his dyslexia. With the help he received during his last two years of high school, Conrad was able to get accepted into Princeton University, and eventually became one of the first American astronauts sent into space. (Source: Dyslexia Help at the University of Michigan)
For more information about Charles "Pete" Conrad,
click here.
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Our 10th Annual
Walk for Dyslexia-Madison
will take place
Saturday,
May 18, 2019,
and will return to Brittingham Park in Madison.
Registration/Check-in begins at 7:30am; walk at 8:30am.
We want to thank our 2018 walk sponsors
for helping to make this year's event a success.
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Don't forget to bring in your
BoxTop$ 4 Education coupons to put in the collection box located in our waiting area.
(Please be sure they are not expired.) Our Center has raised $1,770 in the last four years with just those little pieces of paper!
We want to thank
Carol Skavlen, our volunteer who is in charge of this fundraising effort. Carol organizes the coupons, checks the expiration dates, fills out the paperwork and submits everything to General Mills for our donations.
Visit
www.boxtops$4education for more information about this General Mills charitable program that raises money for non-profit organizations.
And, there are coupons on the Boxtop$ 4 Education website for you to use at the store. Check them out!
Coupon Page
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Our Board of Governors
Roger Nitzsche, Chair
William E. Johnson, Vice-Chair
Steve Underwood, Secretary
Paul Krueger, Treasurer
Gail Piper, Assistant to the Treasurer
Andy Anderson
Don Komplin
Michael Roering
Peggy Rosin
Jeanne Silverberg
Jon Udell
Deputy for Supreme Council, 33° A.A.S.R. for No. M.J.
Michael A. DeWolf
Diane Anderson, Controller
Kelly Kuenzie, Director
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We want to recognize and thank
the following sustaining funders of our Center:
Irwin A & Robert D Goodman Foundation
Madison Community Foundation
NFL Alumni Association-Madison Chapter
Steve Stricker American Family Insurance Foundation
Don Soberg 33°
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Children's Dyslexia Center-Madison
608.252.4922 office | 608.252.4933 fax
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