Words, Words, Words: Quantity and Quality Matter

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NeuhausNews
S P R I N G
2 0 1 2
V O L U M E
X X X V
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N O . 5
Words, Words, Words:
Quantity and Quality Matter
by Suzanne Carreker
The ability of humans to speak and understand spoken
language evolved naturally thousands and thousands
of years ago. Without explicit instruction, babies
quickly begin to comprehend spoken language and
learn how to use it to communicate their needs and
thoughts. Reading, on the other hand, is an invention
developed by humankind rather recently, only a few
thousand years ago. If the ability to read were a
natural process, all children would learn to read with
the same predisposition for learning to speak and
understand spoken language. However, only 32% of
the nation’s fourth-graders score at or above proficient
levels of reading. This dismal statistic corroborates
a very important idea: Unlike learning to speak
and understand spoken language, learning to read
requires explicit instruction.
Another really important idea is that although learning
to speak and understand spoken language are natural
processes, the quantity and quality of the language
children hear, understand, and use impact reading
proficiency. A seminal study conducted over a 10year period documented the language interactions
NEUHAUS is everywhere!
The Neuhaus logo appeared on Alan McCallum’s Formula Mazda race
car the weekend of February 25. Alan took second place in races on both
Saturday and Sunday. His
family is grateful to Neuhaus
for the educational resources
they found for Alan through
the parent office at Neuhaus.
His father also provided an
announcement on both
days of the race and took
pictures of Alan with the
car and our logo.
between young children and their parents in
professional, working class, and welfare families.
Between 7-9 months and age 3, the children from
the professional families were exposed to 30,000,000
more words than the children from the welfare
families. Furthermore, the language interactions in
the homes of the professional families were more
robust and encouraging than in the other homes. In
due course, the children’s early language experiences
predicted their reading and academic achievement
as 9- and 10-year-olds. This and other studies have
provided evidence that children living in poverty
are disproportionally below average in their
language development and are more likely to
have reading difficulties. In truth, below-average
language development – whether due to disadvantaged
economic status, limited opportunities, or language
learning disabilities – impairs reading development,
particularly comprehension.
Continued on page 5
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A Note from Marybeth
“All that I know is what I have words for.”
CONTRIBUTORS
TO THIS ISSUE
Editor
Catherine Scott
Editing Team
Sarah Austin, Suzanne Carreker,
Mike Cullinan, Irene McDonald,
Jennifer Schmidt and
Rai Thompson
Article Contributors
Sarah Austin, Suzanne Carreker,
Marybeth Flachbart,
Mary Jo Hildebrand,
Rai Thompson and
Catherine Scott
Photography/Graphics
Kian Adkins, Sarah Austin,
Mary North and Jennifer Schmidt
Lenox Reed
Lenox Reed, founding director
of Neuhaus Education Center,
was awarded the
Nancy LaFevers
Community Service Award
at the March 2012 HBIDA
conference in recognition
of Lenox’s outstanding
contributions for students with
dyslexia and related language
learning differences.
Congratulations Lenox!
I am proud to
declare myself a
logophile – a true
lover of words.
This affection for words started at a
young age, my being the youngest of
five. Our home was quite lively, and
frequently there was some misdeed
that no one would admit to. My
mother, ever the detective, would
start her interrogation with “Who
committed this malfeasance?” Her
tone of voice conveyed the meaning;
a dictionary was not necessary. At
the time I thought her goal was to
find the perpetrator, but now I
wonder if she wasn’t also using this
regular event in family life to share
her love of language. My mother
knew then what researchers have
since confirmed: children develop
vocabulary through exposure and,
in our family’s case, repetition.
We think of vocabulary development
as a “school-based” activity. But it is
not limited to traditional vocabulary
instruction. Children, especially
preschoolers, are absorbing language
all the time. The use of language is a
child’s means of conveying his or her
needs and learning to maneuver
within the world. From the early
“no” of a one-year-old, to the complicated negotiating and nuances of
communications with adolescents,
our children are acquiring and using
language skills.
- Ludwig Wittgenstein
We know the importance of wide
reading to children, but every experience can be a teachable moment for
language. Think of the opportunities
a trip to the grocery store brings!
There are fruits and vegetable of all
shapes, sizes and colors, waiting to
be named and described. A mundane
errand to the hardware store can
deepen knowledge about the names
and utility of tools and the occupations
of those who use them.
Renowned educator and author
Priscilla Vail described language using
the Victorian expression passepartout,
or key to universal access. She
asserted that both possessing and
being skilled in using language will
unlock the doors of information
acquisition, accessing background
knowledge and experiences, and the
ability to be successful both today
and in the future. It was important to
my mother that her children acquired
those capabilities; therefore, she was
deliberate in her use of language
with us. Because we at Neuhaus are
dedicated to better readers and
brighter futures, we, too, believe in
the importance of unlocking those
doors. Help us by talking to a child.
Marybeth Flachbart, Ed.D., CALT
President and CEO
HISD Update
A total of 3,123 Houston Independent
School District teachers attended
professional development provided
by Neuhaus Education Center. The
professional development focused on
delivering common core knowledge
of reading instruction that included
decoding, language development,
spelling, writing, vocabulary, fluency,
and reading comprehension to the
district. The amount of instruction
teachers received totaled 98,211 hours.
HISD Attendees
g
g
g
Grades 1 & 2 - 1224
Kindergarten - 695
Grade 3 - 581
g
g
g
504 Designees - 221
Elementary Special Ed - 177
Principals - 169
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A Teacher’s Perspective: We Can’t Give Up!
An influential article written by reading expert Louisa
Moats is entitled “Teaching Reading is Rocket Science.”
I couldn’t agree more. I am a veteran educator of 31
years, having been both a principal and a teacher.
Last June, I retired after 11 years of teaching first and
second grade in a low-performing, low-income school.
Throughout my career, I learned new information,
techniques, and strategies. My last years as a secondgrade teacher taught me about the importance of explicit
decoding and comprehension instruction for all children,
especially those whose learning is affected by poverty.
That's how I came to understand the true meaning
of “teaching reading is rocket science.” There are no
“one-size-fits-all” solutions or “quick fixes”! As a teacher
you need to know about the basics of reading and have
skill in teaching them.
After my retirement, I was offered a two-year consultancy
in our district, focusing on reading intervention. “No
problem,” I thought. I knew about children who experienced
difficulties learning to read and who could not carry on
a coherent conversation. “I can fix that!”
I began my consultancy with Neuhaus’ Reading Readiness.
I targeted 8-10 children in each of the three kindergarten
rooms in the school where I last taught. In small groups,
with our alphabet arcs, plastic letters, and lots of
enthusiasm, we went to work. It became quickly apparent
to me that the children did not yet know the letters of
the alphabet and that they had no connection to the
printed word. They also did not know that a letter
corresponds to a sound, and that if you put many letters
and sounds together you get a word and ultimately meaning.
Many of the children did not know the difference between
a word and a picture on a page, and all had limited
oral language.
Ideally, parents read and talk to their children; but for
parents who struggle daily with difficult socio-economic
circumstances, this may present more of a challenge than
they can meet
without help. My
job then became not
only teaching the
skills to read words
but also enriching
the environment
to develop oral
language and
vocabulary so the
children could
understand the
words they were
reading.
Mary Jo Hildebrand with students.
Oral language is underrated and assumed. By that I
mean there are people who think, “If children know how
to speak, do you really need to teach oral language?”
The answer is a definitive “yes!” When I was still teaching
second grade, I would often ask parents about the kind
of conversations they had at home with their children.
Based on the parents’ feedback, I suggested ways to
use conversation as an opportunity to increase children’s
oral language and help develop their higher-level thinking
skills and world knowledge.
Parental support in this endeavor is essential because as
teachers, we cannot do this alone. We can only bridge
the gap. But as I continue my consultancy, I know that
I, along with the kindergarten teachers, can make a
difference. I know we can’t give up! And so, as part of
enriching their environment, I will read to my students
every day and heighten their awareness of the words I
am reading. I will engage them in oral language lessons
using Neuhaus’ Language and Literacy units, and I will
continue to speak to them about what we are reading
and about the simple things in their environment. I now
know firsthand how important early language is to reading. My students are learning and so am I!
Mary Jo Hildebrand
On January 25, 2012, Neuhaus Education Center was selected to
receive a $1,000 cash donation along with 10,000 books through
the H-E-B Read 3 campaign in Houston. A celebration was held
at the H-E-B Buffalo Market on Buffalo Speedway. The H-E-B
Read 3 campaign is the brainchild of H-E-B Chairman and CEO
Charles Butt, who has a strong commitment to education. The
campaign has three basic components – an in-store learning and
shopping experience for customers, access to affordable books,
and community outreach. Neuhaus will be generously donating
the 10,000 books to local elementaries.
Marybeth Flachbart and Sarah Ballanfant are shown with H-E-B’s Buddy at the celebration.
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Crazy BUSY
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teacher professional development.
Pepper & Ashley Edens and Courtney & Tom
Lippincott, underwriter chairs, and Stephanie
& Josh Davis and Leslie & Eric Wade, auction
chairs, secured sponsors and in-kind donations
for the Luncheon. Marina Christensen, decorations chair, did a beautiful job with decorations
and worked closely with Kroger, who donated
all of the centerpieces. The honoree this year
was The Robert and Janice McNair Foundation,
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Neuhaus Education Center hosted its Annual
Benefit Luncheon in March featuring Edward
Hallowell, Ph.D. Dr. Hallowell captivated the
1,000 luncheon attendees with his knowledge
and humor. He discussed his latest book,
Crazy Busy: Outstretched, Overbooked and
About to Snap! Strategies for Handling Your
Fast Paced Life, which offers rational guidance
to anyone suffering from the stresses of
modern life. The Luncheon, co-chaired by
Chris & Bo Butler and Stacey & Scott Butler,
raised more than $278,000 for
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7
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1. (L-R) Luncheon
Chairs: Bo Butler,
Chris Butler,
Leslie Wade,
Stephanie Davis,
Marina Christensen,
Stacey Butler and
Scott Butler.
2. Speaker,
Dr. Ed Hallowell.
3. Standing
L-R: Sharon Noel,
6
Will Noel, Dr. Terry
Grier, Sarah Bellows
Seated L-R: Marcia Noebels, Sallie Wright, Dr. Carol Bedard, and Suzanne Carreker.
4. Rev. Larry Hall and Emcee Lisa Malosky. 5. Testimonial, Pedro Chapa. 6. Joanie Haley
and Patricia Allen. 7. Joanne Escobedo and Will Noel. 8. (L-R) Amy Melton, Courtney
Lippincott, Dr. Linda Adamson, Marybeth Flachbart, Rachel Flachbart, and Bobby Kirkland.
9. (L-R) Bo Butler, Chris Butler, Penny Butler, John Butler, Stacey Butler, and Scott Butler.
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Words, Words, Words:
Quantity and Quality Matter
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Continued from page 1
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represented by Joanie Haley. The Luncheon was
held at the Hilton Americas Hotel.
The following day, Dr. Hallowell was the guest speaker
at the Lenox M. Reed Seminar held at Neuhaus. He
discussed his book, Delivered from Distraction:
Getting the Most Out of Life with Attention Deficit
Disorder. Co-authored with Dr. John Ratey, the book
engagingly discusses every aspect of ADD, from
diagnosis to identifying the proper regimen for
treatment. After Dr. Hallowell spoke to over 150
guests, he autographed copies of the book.
2012 Graduates
Standing (L-R): Rai Thompson, Lisa Cann, Jan Davidson, Kari O’Brien, Sondra Hoskins,
Karen Wenzel, Lisa Williford, Mary Castor, Joanne Escobedo, Linda Corbett, Ginger Holland.
Seated (L-R): Maryke Meij, Beth Walmus, Kay Meyers, Kathy Kelly, Suzanne Hunn,
Deb Putnam, Eileen Holshouser.
Twenty-two therapists have completed
Neuhaus’ Dyslexia Therapist Preparation Program
during the last year. Of the graduates, 16 participated in
the graduation ceremony with their families and
friends the morning before the luncheon.
Will Noel spoke briefly to the guests and distributed
framed Honor Roll certificates.
After introductions by Neuhaus’ professional development
staff, the graduates received their certificates of
completion from Suzanne Carreker.
To ensure successful
and critical reading,
the quantity and
quality of children’s
language must be
nurtured through
explicit engagement.
Because early language
experiences are so
vital to early reading
success, Neuhaus is
currently developing
a language program
for parents of infants
and toddlers who are at risk for reading failure.
The program will provide parents with a variety
of simple activities that explicitly engage their
children in language. For example, parents can
speak a slow, cooing “baby talk” to their infants,
using short segments and simplified language:
“Baby had a nummy din-din! Mama’s washin’ the
yucky dishes.” Research has demonstrated that
universally infants pay greater attention to “baby
talk” than to standard adult language. Parents
accordingly can engage their toddlers in
conversations using standard language while
taking a walk, talking about the names, colors,
and textures of plants, the shapes and sizes of
leaves, the feel of water from a fountain, or the
aroma of freshly mowed grass. These kinds of
activities increase the quantity and quality of
children’s language. By engaging their children
in purposeful language activities before they
are even in preschool, parents can help put their
children further down the road to reading success.
In sum, proficient reading is not a reality for
all children. The absence of proficient reading
is often the result of inadequate language
development that is exacerbated by the inability
to read text well. Better reading and brighter
futures begin with instruction that promotes
accurate and fluent decoding and instruction
and opportunities that promote rich and deep
oral language. These are the hallmarks of Neuhaus’
professional development.
Get more ideas about what you can do
with your children this summer by
checking out more articles on our
website at www.neuhaus.org.
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Grammatically Speaking
Never mind the meaning of John Lennon’s lyrics from
the song I Am the Walrus; those nominative pronouns
are screaming to be heard. Why, then, is the objective
pronoun me included in the mix? It is for the rhyme,
of course, and nothing more. Despite what we hear
regularly on television, on the radio, from our friends and
family and other myriads of sources, proper grammar
mandates that after a to be verb, a nominative pronoun
should be used to mimic the subject of the sentence.
It is obvious that in informal, conversational speech, the
use of the objective pronoun is becoming more widely
accepted in these circumstances. Most of us, when
contacting a close family member or friend by telephone,
will say, “It’s me,” rather than “It is I.” In formal writing,
however, it is important to incorporate the syntactic
elements of the language; therefore, it is essential that
students are explicitly taught grammatical constraints.
This is especially true when those constraints differ from
what is heard as the norm.
Pronoun usage in everyday speech can make your ears
ring. “Attending the opera was a wonderful experience
for my daughter and I.” Ouch! My grammar check even
tried to call attention to the error as I was writing the
sentence. Many think that the word I sounds more
sophisticated, so it should be used rather than the proper
me in the sentence. Additionally, we often hear, “Me and
my dad went to the baseball game.” OUCH! In this case,
“I am he
As you are he
As you are me
And we are all together…”
using the objective
pronoun in the
subject of the sentence
is inappropriate both formally and informally.
In writing, the author’s voice is vital in communicating
the ideas he or she wants to express. Often, that will
require the artistic misuse of grammar. Examples include
the use of incomplete sentences, often by beginning a
sentence with the words but or because; employing
dialectical differences; or utilizing informal, slang vocabulary.
Unfortunately, many developing writers, not having been
exposed to syntactical conventions, are unaware that
they are being artistic!
One can only hope that as writers, we would “all together”
come to understand the importance of word choice that
is pleasing to the ear orally as well as in written format.
Rai Thompson
Team Neuhaus
Update
Team Neuhaus participated in the
Chevron Houston Marathon, Aramco
team, numbering over 100 members,
raised more than $22,700. Mary North
2
and Shree Nath Hardikar were our
Check out our
NEW
Summer Class
Schedule!
top fundraisers with $2,610 and
$2,000 respectively. Big thanks to
Team Neuhaus!
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Half Marathon, and El Paso 5K. Our
3
1. Sharon Curran is excited to run for Team Neuhaus!
2.Team Neuhaus: (L-R Top Row) Sally McCandless,
Sue Silvey, Sharon Curran, Pat Cavanagh, Liz Lane,
Rhonda Hill, and Mary North. (Bottom Row) Mary Yarus,
Beth Sledge, and Suz Hall. 3. Sarah and Jackie Olmos
cheer on Team Neuhaus!
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Recent Donations
The following generous donors have made gifts of $500 or more to Neuhaus Education Center
between 8/31/11 and 3/30/12.
Stanford and Joan Alexander Foundation
Mr. and Mrs. Joe B. Allen
Dr. and Mrs. James L. Allen
Amegy Bank of Texas
Anadarko Petroleum Corporation
Mr. and Mrs. Ben B. Andrews
Mrs. Ross Anglin, Jr.
Annunciation Orthodox School
Mr. and Mrs. James A. Baker III
The Joe Barnhart Foundation
The Bayou Charitable Trust
Jenifer and Eli Ben-Shoshan
Ms. Cynthia S. Birdwell
Mr. and Mrs. Fred K. Blackard
Mr. and Mrs. Stephen M. Block
Adrienne Randle Bond
Mr. Gregory Bond
Ms. Patricia A. Bourlon
BoyarMiller
The Briarwood School
Bridgeway Foundation
Ms. Karen Brisch
Dr. and Mrs. Gary Brock
Brown & Gay Engineers, Inc.
Brownstone Construction, LTD.
Burguieres Family Foundation
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Hayden Burns
Butler Brothers Builders
The Mary H. Cain Foundation
Mr. and Mrs. Edward H. Cappel
Rosalie & Joiner Cartwright, Jr. Foundation
Mrs. Jereann Chaney
Dr. and Mrs. Don E. Cherry
Flournoy Davis Manzo
Child Develop Foundation
Mr. and Mrs. Alan Christensen
Mr. and Mrs. Jim Cisarik
Mr. and Mrs. Joseph A. Cleary, Jr.
Dr. and Mrs. Joseph P. Colaco
BBVA Compass Bank
The John Cooper School
Cooper/T. Smith Stevedoring
Covenant Technology Services, L.L.C.
Mr. and Mrs. Rogers L. Crain
The Crain Foundation
The Cullen Foundation
Mr. Michael P. Cullinan
Mr. and Mrs. Thad Dameris
Mr. and Mrs. Joshua Davis
Mr. and Mrs. Martin Debrovner
Deer Park Independent School District
Mr. and Mrs. Jimmy Demeris
The Detering Company
Mr. and Mrs. Ryan P. Devlin
Ms. Barbara L. DeWitt
Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Drushel, Jr.
Mr. and Mrs. Ashley Edens
Roger Eichhorn, Ph.D.
Mr. and Mrs. Michael U. Ellington, Jr.
The Ellwood Foundation
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas J. Fatjo III
Mrs. Carolyn Grant Fay
Mr. Ray and Dr. Marybeth Flachbart
Mr. and Mrs. Doug Fordyce
Mrs. Alfred C Glassell, Jr.
Grits Foundation
Mr. and Mrs. Alfredo L. Gutierrez
H-E-B
George and Mary Josephine Hamman Foundation
Mr. and Mrs. Mark Hammer
Mr. and Mrs. Emerson Hankamer
Ms. Sulabha Hardikar
Mr. and Mrs. Steven S. Harter
Mr. and Mrs. Randolph M. Henry
Mrs. Jane C. Henson
Mr. and Mrs. Richard W. Hightower
Houston Branch International Dyslexia Association
Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo
Mrs. Lauren Hudson
Mr. and Mrs. J. Palmer Hutcheson
The Institute of Montessori Education
Mr. and Mrs. John W. Johnson
Mr. and Mrs. Dennis N. Johnston
Mr. and Mrs. David W. Jones
Mr. and Mrs. Harry R. Jones, Jr.
Mr. and Mrs. Kemp Jones
The Joy School
Mrs. Ike S. Kampmann, Jr.
Mr. and Mrs. Matthew Kardesch
Marie Louise & David Kinder Family Fund
The Kinkaid School
Kroger Food Stores
M. B. Lamar High School
J.T. Lanehart Electric Co., Inc.
Mr. and Mrs. David W. Light III
Jack H. and William M. Light Charitable Trust
Mr. and Mrs. John Lindley
Locke Lord Bissell & Liddell
Dr. and Mrs. Joseph E. Lorino
Mr. and Mrs. Scott Martin
Max Exploration Services, Inc.
Dr. and Mrs. Michael T. McCann
Mr. and Mrs. Mike M. McDaniel
John P. McGovern Foundation
Mr. and Mrs. Mark Melton
Mrs. William James Miller
Mithoff Family Charitable Foundation
Mr. and Mrs. Brian M. Moss
Mrs. Ben B. Neuhaus
Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Newton
Mr. and Mrs. James L. Noel III
Mr. and Mrs. Edmund O. Noel
Mr. and Mrs. William D. Noel
Ms. Jackey Noons
Mr. and Mrs. Don North
Carol Ann and Robert W. Paddock Fund
Ms. Liz Palmer
Palmetto Partners, Ltd.
Ms. Genevieve Patterson
Mr. and Mrs. Grier P. Patton
Ms. Deborah R. Perl
Mr. and Mrs. Timothy E. Perry
Ms. Joy Posoli
Mr. and Mrs. John H. Reed
Reliant Energy
Reliant Energy Foundation
Hilda & Hershel Rich Family Fund
Ridgway's, Inc.
River Oaks Baptist School
Ms. Wilhelmina E. Robertson
Ms. Regina Rogers
Mr. Dorian Roldan
Dr. Mariam Chacko and
Dr. Kenneth V. I. Rolston
The Foundation For The School
for Young Children
Mr. and Mrs. Scott Schwinger
Scurlock Foundation
Mr. and Mrs. Louis S. Sklar
Mr. and Mrs. Roland Sledge
Mr. and Mrs. Creighton Smith
Mr. and Mrs. Richard S. Smith
Mr. and Mrs. Stuart M. Smith
Southampton Montessori
Southwest Securities, Inc.
Spindletop Charities, Inc.
The Springmeyer Foundation
St. John The Divine Episcopal Church
Sterling-Turner Foundation
Mr. and Mrs. Winston M. Talbert
Paul B. & Frances Lenora Terry, Jr.
Family Foundation
Texas Children's Hospital
The Thornhill Family Foundation
Trial Exhibits
Mr. and Mrs. H. Fisher Trigg
Martha Turner Properties
Mr. and Mrs. Joseph T. Vaughn
The Vaughn Foundation
Mr. and Mrs. A. S. Veletsos
Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Wade
Mr. and Mrs. Eric Wade
Ms. Ann Wales
Margaret W. Weaver Donor-Advised Fund
Mr. W. Temple Webber, Jr.
Richard W. Weekley Family Fund
Weiser-Brown Operating Co.
Mr. and Mrs. Ewing Werlein, Jr.
Mrs. Sue Trammell Whitfield
Mr. and Mrs. James F. Wiggins
Dr. and Mrs. W. Daniel Williamson
The Windham Foundation
Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth F. Womack
Mr. and Mrs. Michael Young
The Edith & Robert Zinn Foundation
NNEWS Spring 2012 PAGES TO PRINT 4.24.12_Layout 1 4/24/12 10:09 AM Page 8
Non-Profit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
Houston, Texas
Permit #2139
W. Oscar Neuhaus Memorial Foundation
4433 Bissonnet
Bellaire, Texas 77401-3233
www.neuhaus.org · 713.664.7676
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
Office Hours
Monday - Friday · 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Closed
We will be closed in observance
of Memorial Day on May 28,
Independence Day on July 4 and
Labor Day on September 3, 2012.
Simply go to
www.neuhaus.org/donate
to make a contribution
on our secure server.
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OUR MISSION
Neuhaus Education Center, dedicated to preventing reading failure, provides teachers professional development in
research-based methods of literacy instruction.
OUR VISION
Neuhaus will be the premier source for solutions, support, and successful reading instruction for every educator.
BOARD OF TRUSTEES 2011-2012
Elizabeth B. Wareing,
Chairman Emerita
Patricia Calnon-Allen,
Chairman
Blanche S. Bast, M.A.T.
Leslie D. Blanton
Adrienne Randle Bond
Marie Burns
Bo Butler
Martin Debrovner
Trina Fowlkes
David Hanse
Mary Farish Johnston
Katherine Kardesch
Robert W. Kirkland
Cathy Lorino
Lori S. Machiorlette
Amy A. Melton
Edward K. Neuhaus
Robert P. Palmquist
Josephine P. Smith
Ellen Wagnon
W. Temple Webber III
FOUNDERS/LIFETIME TRUSTEES
Marilyn Beckwith
Margaret H. Ley, CALT*
Mrs. Russell McFarland
Mrs. W. Oscar Neuhaus
Mrs. James L. Noel*
William D. Noel
Mrs. Briscoe K. Parker, Jr.*
Lenox Reed, M.Ed., CALT
Nancy Collie Reed*
Kay McGibbon Werlein, M.Ed.
* deceased
ADVISORY BOARD
Omana Abraham
Echo Alexander, M.Ed., CALT, LDT
Helen H. Allen, Ed.D.
Ben B. Andrews
Dr. Jenifer Ben-Shoshan
Cynthia S. Birdwell
Mrs. John R. Butler
Lydia Chao
Hiram A. “Art” Contreras
Connie Cooper, M.D.
F. Carter Crain
Kelty Crain
Michael P. Cullinan
Elena Denis, LCSW
Nancy W. Dickason, M.D.
Wendy C. Fatjo
Ruth Flournoy
Cathy Frank
Clara Kilgore Gilchrist
Joanie Haley
Peggy Dun Haney
Suzanne S. Harter
Jennifer W. Hazelton
Gayle Hightower
Curtis Hutcheson
Marjorie C. Hutcheson
Jenny Roman Johnson
Mrs. John W. Johnson, CALT
Vivian M. Kraft
Christina LeDoux
Carolyn C. Light
Cecilia McCann
Julie Wareing McIlheran
Jennifer L. Medearis, M.Ed.
Mrs. William James Miller
Rob Neblett
Walter Negley
Charlie W. Neuhaus
Graham Neuhaus, Ph.D.
Laurence B. Neuhaus
Karen Noel
Pat Noel
Melinda Overstreet
Robert W. Paddock
Nancy J. Peiser, M.A., CCC/SLP
Heidi Perry
Carroll Robertson Ray
Joel R. Scott
Barbara Sklar
Kathryn Sacco Smith
Pat Prior Sorrells
Charlotte Taylor
Paul C. Van Slyke
Mrs. Katherine E. Veletsos
Marina Ballantyne Walne, Ph.D.
Elizabeth Bronson Wiggins
W. Daniel Williamson, M.D.
PRESIDENT & CEO
Marybeth Flachbart, Ed.D., CALT
VICE PRESIDENT
OF PROGRAMS
Suzanne Carreker, Ph.D., CALT-QI
NATIONAL
ADVISORY COUNCIL
Marilyn Jager Adams, Ph.D.
Judith R. Birsh, Ed.D.
Benita A. Blachman, Ph.D.
Susan A. Brady, Ph.D.
Elsa Cárdenas-Hagan, Ed.D.
David Chard, Ph.D.
Susan L. Hall, Ed.D., M.B.A.
Marcia K. Henry, Ph.D.
R. Malatesha Joshi, Ph.D.
Diana Hanbury King, M.A.
Louisa Cook Moats, Ed.D.
Betty B. Osman, Ph.D.
Sally E. Shaywitz, M.D.
Ruth Strudler, Ph.D.
Thomas G. West, M.A.