Jen Pelcyger, M.Ed.
Executive Director of Dyslexia Solutions of Colorado, LLC
Jen is Certified at the Associate Level through the Academy of Orton-Gillingham. She has been working with children with dyslexia, ADHD and dysgraphia since 2009. Jen enjoys building a relationship with each child and watching their self-esteem grow as they are finally taught in a way that makes sense to them. Jen has a background in education and taught first grade for 7 years prior to working with individuals with dyslexia. Her calm demeanor and patience paired with classroom management experience makes her tutoring sessions productive and fun. Jen enjoys working with these bright students one-on-one. Jen lives in Denver with her husband and 11 year old son, Sam. She enjoys singing in choirs, hiking and camping.
Qualifications:
B.A. in Family Studies from the University of Arizona in 1996
Professional Teacher’s License 2000
M.A. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Colorado at Denver in 2003
40 hours Orton-Gillingham Approach Associate Training, 2009 with Karen Leopold
100 hours Orton-Gillingham Associate Practicum, 2010
40 hours Yoshimoto OG Basic Training 2012
40 hours Yoshimoto OG Advanced Training, 2013
40 hours Orton Gillingham Approach Certified Training, 2016
50 hour practicum Orton-Gillingham Approach Certified Level 2017
Over 2000 hours logged tutoring students.
Practitioners
Aubrey Rule
Aubrey recently completed Associate level Orton-Gillingham training and is currently doing her 100 hour practicum. She is a licensed teacher in Colorado with 7 years of experience in Denver Public Schools teaching 3rd and 5th grade. She also tutored with Rocky Mountain Dyslexic Camp, where she was trained in, and fell in love with the Orton-Gillingham approach. That led her to focus the last three years of her teaching career on only literacy.
Aubrey is excited to be using her training and love of working with kids to help more students find the joy of reading! This past year she took time away from teaching to spend time with Arlo, her two and a half year old, and work on creative endeavors, including starting a little soap company, getting her garden going, hugging trees, camping, sewing, hiking, and reading.
Before teaching, Aubrey worked at residential outdoor camps for 14 years in California, Maine and here in Denver. She created relationships with kids of all ages and backgrounds for over 20 years, and is thrilled to begin this new adventure in teaching and learning with your child!
Barb Steyaert
Barb has worked in education in a variety of ways for the last 15 years. She began as a classroom teacher (K,1st, & 2nd) then became a literacy interventionist in the first cohort of JeffCo literacy interventionists through a selective interview process. She received in-depth additional literacy instruction training through this position in addition to her Masters of Education in Literacy and her Literacy Specialist Endorsement from the Colorado Department of Education.
Barb also works as an adjunct professor for Regis University. She helps teachers attain their final literacy masters practicum endorsement, the literacy specialist endorsement. She has taught and mentored educators in the Orton Gillingham approach (multi-sensory/dyslexia specialty) and has completed her OG certification.
Barb has worked extensively with Wilson Phonics/FUNdations, and the newest research including the Science of Reading to provide literacy interventions that are structured, sequential, and cumulative. She is committed to providing effective cognitive based instruction to students with learning delays, phonological gaps, and dyslexia. Barb has a passion for literacy instruction and believes that all students can succeed with the right differentiated instruction to match their individual needs.
Jean semder
Jean is a Certified Reading Specialist and holds a Bachelor of Science in Art Education. She has over 30 years of teaching students with learning differences, specializing in teaching students with dyslexia and other associated learning struggles.
Jean has 40 hours of training in the Orton-Gillingham method at the Reading ASSIST Institute. In the Wilson Reading System 3rd and 4th edition, Jean has 72 hours of professional training. She enjoys many years of understanding test assessments. As a certified diagnostician, Jean knows the reading process. With a demonstrated track record in reading remediation, Jean’s student’s scores increase in their word decoding, word recognition, spelling, and reading comprehension skills on standardized testing.
Jean also subcontracts with public schools to provide compensatory reading services to their special education students for over 20 years. A compassionate educator with a sense of humor, Jean enjoys working with her students from all age groups. She resides in central Pennsylvania with her husband, Tim, and has two adult children Andrew and Emily. Jean enjoys art, music, cooking, and traveling.
Kristin Duncan
Kristin is a certified Reading Specialist and a special education teacher through the Colorado Department of Education. She is certified through the Institute for Multi-Sensory Education, IMSE with practicums at the primary and intermediate levels. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in K-6 Elementary Education and two Master’s in Special Education and Reading. Kristin has tutored students and worked in the classroom using the Orton-Gillingham Approach for students struggling with reading, writing and spelling.
Her greatest accomplishments are the relationships she creates with her students and families. She takes great pride in her students’ growth. She believes every student can learn through systematic instruction, high expectations, and engagement. She is actively involved in the International Reading Association and Council for Exceptional Children organizations to stay involved in the latest research in the field.
Kristin resides in Colorado with her husband, children, and dogs. She enjoys traveling, running, spending time outdoors, and volunteering with the Special Olympics.
Jenny Zweber
Jenny is an Academic Language Therapist with 120 hours of training, including practicum at The Reading Center – Dyslexia Institute of Minnesota. She holds a Bachelor of Science in K-8 Elementary Education and a Minnesota K-8 Teaching license. She has tutored students using the Orton Gillingham based Barton Reading and Spelling System since 2012. In 2020 Jenny started using the Orton-Gillingham Approach which does not use a curriculum because every lesson is individualized and written specifically for each student.
Jenny first entered the world of dyslexia when her daughter was in first grade and not making any progress at the local school. When told that the district would not help her daughter, Jenny decided to homeschool her, giving her the one-on-one attention she needed.
When her daughter was in middle school, Jenny worked with her to created Dreaming Dyslexic – a social group for dyslexic elementary students to get together as a community. Jenny served as Director for two years and helped Decoding Dyslexia of Minnesota make it a long-term program by merging Dreaming Dyslexic into their organization in 2021.
Jenny resides in Minnesota with her husband, teen son and daughter, and two cats. She enjoys reading, baking, and traveling to new places.
zoe strauss
Zoe is an Orton-Gillingham reading educator who is passionate about working with children, especially those with learning differences. She believes that learning should be engaging and specific to the individual. Patience, compassion, and enthusiasm are the foundations of her approach to supporting students.
Zoe is determined to build students’ confidence by helping them learn to read and write. Zoe believes that every student has the chance to succeed with individualized instruction from an educator who truly cares.
Zoe received her bachelor of science degree in strategic communications and early childhood education from the University of Kansas. She has spent over 10 years working with children in various settings. She has gained experience with many learning differences such as dyslexia, autism, and auditory processing disorder.
Zoe is motivated to do what it takes to help a child succeed. She prides herself on being a lifelong learner. She continually stays up-to-date on the newest research and teaching techniques in order to provide students with the highest quality of education. Zoe is also an active member of The International Dyslexia Association (IDA) in Minnesota.