THE DYSLEXIA RESOURCE STAFF

Josh Clark

Executive Director of The Dyslexia Resource and Head of School at The Schenck School

Josh Clark has served as Head of School at The Schenck School in Atlanta, Georgia, since 2016. Regarded as one of the top independent elementary schools serving dyslexic learners, The Schenck School focuses on the accelerated remediation of dyslexia using a highly diagnostic and prescriptive application of the Orton-Gillingham Approach. Prior to this role, Josh served as Head of School at Bodine School in Memphis, Tennessee. Sharing a mission and vision very similar to that of The Schenck School, Bodine experienced a 35% increase in enrollment in its target demographic of first through sixth grade elementary students and an overall enrollment growth exceeding 20% during Josh’s tenure. Josh began his career at Lausanne Collegiate School, an International Baccalaureate World School in Memphis, where he served as Assistant Head of Middle School and a middle school English teacher for seven years. Josh is involved with several professional organizations and currently serves as a Trustee with the Southern Association of Independent Schools and with the International Dyslexia Association. He co-chaired the 2017 and 2018 International Dyslexia Association Conferences. Josh is very interested in promoting the science behind reading as a vehicle for education reform and social good.

Through The Schenck School’s outreach organization, The Dyslexia Resource, Josh gives presentations throughout the region on dyslexia and the “Reading Brain” and partners with many initiatives designed to raise first through third grade literacy rates in public schools. Presently, through The Dyslexia Resource, Josh is working with Made By Dyslexia, the global nonprofit co-founded by Richard Branson, and Microsoft to create a series of online training modules for teachers and parents.

Josh holds a master of arts degree in American literature from the University of the South – Sewanee and a bachelor of science degree in secondary education from Indiana University, Bloomington. In 2016, Josh completed the HBX CORe: Credential of Readiness, a pre-MBA program through Harvard Business School. When away from his professional duties, Josh enjoys spending time with his family and exercise, with eleven marathons and two triathlons completed to date. Josh’s wife, Melanie, is a part-time early childhood teacher and full-time CEO of their household. Josh and Melanie both take enormous pride in their son Rigby (9) and daughter Dalloway (6).

Josie Calamari

Director of Teacher Training

Josie is born and raised in Atlanta. She earned a B.A. in History from The University of Georgia and, later, a M.Ed. in Reading Education with a focus on new and digital literacies through distance learning in conjunction with The University of Georgia.

Before joining The Dyslexia Resource staff, Josie spent her first two years at The Schenck School teaching sixth grade and taking OG training classes with Rosalie Davis. She was hooked and knew one day she wanted to work and train teachers. After 6 more years in the classroom, Josie jumped at the opportunity to work for The Dyslexia Resource and provide support for teachers working with dyslexic students in both private and public schools. She is a Fellow with The Academy of Orton-Gillingham Practitioners and Educators. As the Director of Teacher Training, Josie trains teachers, in both private and public schools, and independent tutors as well as mentors practitioners working towards certification with the Academy of Orton-Gillingham Practitioners and Educators.

Josie has served on the IDA-GA Board of Directors and has helped plan their annual conference and a Southeastern conference. Since then, she has worked with the Academy of Orton-Gillingham Practitioners and Educators on their annual conference as well.

Kim Day

Director of Research and Development, The Schenck School

Kim has been an educator for over 35 years and is currently the Director of Research & Development at The Schenck School. In her role she supports the professional learning and development of the staff and faculty at the School and also helps foster school partnerships in the Atlanta community through The Dyslexia Resource. Kim came to this position from Purpose Built Schools (PBS) where she served as the Director of Literacy & Early Learning. While at PBS, Kim provided consultative support to schools in the PBS network in establishing research-based literacy and early learning programs.

Kim has a Ph.D. in Special Education with an emphasis in language-based learning disabilities, assessment and educational leadership from the University of Georgia. Her professional interests include teacher training in literacy and language development for young children as well as teacher development through mentoring and coaching practices.

Ellen Hill

Director of Community Engagement

Ellen Hill is an advocate for students with dyslexia. Since 1987, she has worked at The Schenck School developing and implementing strategies that help struggling students succeed. While at The Schenck School, Ellen has served as a tutor, teacher, Lower School Principal, Admissions Director, Outplacement Director, and currently as Director of Community Engagement. Ellen has an B.A. in learning disabilities from Mercer University and a master’s degree in learning disabilities from Georgia State University. Ellen has presented numerous educational sessions locally and nationally for educators, parents, and other professionals at conferences presented by the International Dyslexia Association, the Academy of Orton-Gillingham Practitioners and Educators, the SSATB, and Georgia Independent School Assocation. Additionally, she has given presentations at community events, independent and public schools, and several universities in Georgia. Ellen likes to say that she has continued her education by living with her dyslexic husband and children. She is very proud to be the lucky parent of two dyslexic sons.

Brooke Kamke

Operations Manager

Brooke Kamke, a proud Schenck School parent, is the Dyslexia Resource Operations Manager. She leads The Dyslexia Resource’s day-to-day operations of teacher training, research, and partnerships with area schools and other organizations and directs dyslexia support services and awareness programming.

Most recently, Brooke was the Director of Quality and Patient Safety at Emory University Hospital. She has a masters of public health from Emory University Rollins School of Public Health where she continues to serve as a Practicum Advisor to Health Policy and Management students. She also has a B.A. in biology – thematic sequence in logic from Miami University.

Rosanna Rocca

Registrar

Rosanna is the Registrar for The Dyslexia Resource and The Schenck School. She manages registration for Dyslexia Resource training courses and outreach services. She has studied business administration at Perimeter College and is bilingual in English and Spanish.

Terry Sherali

Director of Student Services, The Schenck School

Terry is the Director of Student Services at The Schenck School. As part of her responsibilities, she helps families not enrolled at the School support their dyslexic students through one-on-one and group tutoring opportunities and through The Schenck School’s Summer Adventures program, which is open to rising kindergarten through eighth grade students. Terry has a B.S. in Business Administration from Appalachian State University and has completed courses in Orton-Gillingham training. Prior to her work with The Schenck School, Terry was an early childhood teacher.

Jen Burch

Remediation Specialist

Jen began her career as a molecular biologist at Emory University. It wasn’t until 2011, when her then second grade daughter was diagnosed with dyslexia, that she began her training in the Orton-Gillingham approach to better understand her child’s needs. Since then, Jen has become an Associate Member of the Academy of Orton-Gillingham Practitioners and Educators (AOGPE) and is working to become a Certified Practitioner of OG. Jen is a remediation specialist for The Dyslexia Resource at The Schenck School, specifically working to remediate students in an underserved public school in Atlanta.

Nancy Christensen

Remediation Specialist

As a parent of a dyslexic son and former Schenck student, Nancy has first-hand knowledge on the lifetime benefits and impact Orton-Gillingham can have on young lives. Based on that experience, Nancy is trained on the Associate Level and is now a remediation specialist at Slater Elementary School where, as part of The Dyslexia Resource partnership with Purpose Built Schools, she has the opportunity to work with underserved students to develop the fundamental reading skills needed for their future academic advancement. Nancy has a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Mercer University. Prior to her current position, Nancy served as a long-term substitute teacher at Schenck, Atlanta Speech School, Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School and as a teacher’s assistant at St. Benedicts’ Episcopal School.

Kellie Reifenberger

Remediation Specialist

With a bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education, Kellie spent 7 years teaching in the DeKalb County school system. While at Montgomery Elementary School she worked with children in grades 2 through 4. Kellie Reifenberger’s interest in the Schenck School started when her middle child was diagnosed with dyslexia. It was during her daughter’s two year attendance at the school that Kellie realized the transformational effect it was having on her daughter, both academically and emotionally. It was then that Kellie knew she would eventually obtain her OG certification so that she could offer the same support to struggling readers that her daughter received. Kellie re-entered the education field at The Atlanta Speech School where she worked as an assistant in the Transitional Kindergarten class with children diagnosed with early speech and language delays. After 4 years, she then moved to lead teacher in the traditional kindergarten class. She taught there for 3 years before joining The Dyslexia Resource in 2019. It is here where she feels a passion for helping young struggling readers become strong confident readers with a growing spark for life-long learning.

Karen Wade

Remediation Specialist

Karen Wade worked at The Schenck School for 11 years; first as a teacher, and then as a long-term substitute teacher. In 2017, she transitioned to The Dyslexia Resource to work as a Reading Specialist at Thomasville Heights Elementary School. Karen received her associate level certification with the Academy of Orton-Gillingham Practitioners and Educators (AOGPE) through the Schenck School teacher-training program. She has a master’s degree in special education from Florida State University. According to Karen, her work as a reading specialist through The Dyslexia Resource’s partnership with Purpose Built Schools has been the most rewarding of her career. It has given her the opportunity to partner with organizations focused on educating the underserved student population, a passion for her. Karen began this work in January 2017 as a remediation specialist at Thomasville Heights Elementary School. Through the partnership of The Dyslexia Resource and the Hill Center in Durham, North Carolina, Karen is able to serve second and third grade students, providing Orton-Gillingham methodologies using an iPad app as an additional tool to engage the students on their road to reading success.