Research demonstrates that effect sizes for this kind of tutoring are among the strongest for educational interventions. Perhaps for this reason, the term has become a bit of a buzz-word in the media and political discourse lately. Earlier this year, Secretary of Education, Michael C. Cardona encouraged schools to implement this strategy to help struggling students. Connecticut Education Commissioner Charlene Russell-Tucker endorsed this approach saying, “Few interventions have had such an unequivocally positive impact on expanding learning opportunities and closing equity gaps.”
1. High-dosage tutoring is intensive. It occurs one-on-one or in small groups at least three times a week for at least 30 minutes a session.
2. It’s delivered by a qualified, trained tutor.
3. It happens during the school day just like other scheduled classes. This way, students don’t miss sessions due to schedule conflicts or problems with transportation. This also sends the message that the intervention isn’t an add-on. It’s central, part of the daily curriculum.
4. This tutoring reflects assessment data- both diagnostic and formative.
5. It centers the relationship between the tutor and the student.
Boundless Literacy models our interventions deliberately according to this framework. Sessions occur as close to daily as possible during the school day for thirty minutes or more. Instruction is delivered by teachers with training in the Orton Gillingham approach. Boundless Literacy employs a thorough and comprehensive assessment protocol to maximize student learning. Perhaps most importantly, Boundless Literacy’s teachers value their students, seek to learn as much as possible about them as unique individuals and to connect with them every day.
Knowing the intensity and expertise in instruction necessary for children with persistent reading challenges to learn to read, he wanted to offer this to families who could not afford it or did not have access to it. He shared this idea with Catherine Pamelard and they, with the support of many others- both individuals and foundations-, began to bring this organization forward.
Boundless Literacy’s two-year pilot in New Haven Public Schools has been a resounding success. Over this period, trained Orton-Gillingham reading specialists have helped over 60 children in upper elementary and middle school crack the code. We are delighted with the growth our students have made and the difference this is making for them.
We are indebted to our school partners, our donors, our amazing board and our community for helping us do this critical work. Stay tuned to learn how Boundless Literacy plans to help an even greater number of children in Connecticut’s Districts of Opportunity next year.
Boundless Literacy is a nonprofit organization that provides small-group, evidence-based reading instruction to students with reading deficits in Connecticut's Districts of Opportunity.
Boundless Literacy joins the efforts of public schools and families in furthering literacy education. Literacy is an equity issue; our vision is a world in which every child learns to read regardless of his or her circumstances. Boundless Literacy is the only non-profit organization in New Haven, Connecticut that provides daily, small group, intensive reading instruction to students in the upper elementary and middle school grades who are performing well below the benchmark in reading.
“Boundless Literacy is an amazing program which has helped support a unique group of students in ways we may have previously not been able to. This support is helping shape the educational trajectory of our students' success in great ways!”
“Boundless Literacy has been a great partner in supporting the students at our school.”
Kara Campbell is a Certified member of the Orton-Gillingham Academy. She has provided more than 7,000 hours of structured literacy instruction in one-to-one, small group and whole classroom settings. She has served as a practicum supervisor for the University of Georgia’s Dyslexia Certificate program and as a Remediation Specialist with The Dyslexia Resource. Kara holds undergraduate degrees in English and Public Relations. Her experience as a mom to three children with learning differences led her to be the founding president of the first special education PTA in Georgia. Kara’s passion is supporting teachers as they put their growing knowledge of research-based literacy practices to use with students. Kara lives in Trumbull, CT with her family and is an Instructional Developer, Coach and Trainer with the AIM Institute.
After working in community redevelopment in Washington, DC and commercial real estate development in Connecticut, David became a teacher and then principal in public high schools in New Haven and Hartford, Connecticut. David continues to work in real estate development. He is also collaborating with a Hartford area non-profit to develop career pathways connecting high schools, colleges and employers.
David currently teaches mathematics in New Haven Public Schools.
Heidi Hamilton is a native of California, educated at Wellesley College and the University of California, Berkeley School of Law. Heidi has practiced law for over three decades and is barred in New York and Connecticut. As an attorney, she has held positions in law firms, city and federal government in New York. She moved to Hamden, Connecticut in 1994 to raise a family. Heidi worked with the Grants and Contracts division of Yale's School of Medicine and the University’s Office of New Haven and State Affairs, as well as other Connecticut city and state government agencies, and not-for-profits. While practicing law with a Hartford firm, she was assigned exclusively as counsel to a Connecticut charter school management organization and later joined as their General Counsel and Chief of Staff. In 2015, she moved to Manhattan to join the Amber Charter Schools network as their Chief Legal and Operating Officer. She currently serves as the Chief Real Estate, Facilities & Legal Officer. At Amber Heidi manages the renovation and yearly capital improvements of over 120,000 sq. ft. of commercial school property.
Heather Wachter is a visionary literacy leader with a passion for educational excellence and equity. She is currently the Director of K-12 English/Language Arts for Hamden Public Schools. Leading the district’s work to shift to a Science of Reading driven instructional model, Heather was instrumental in implementing a universal screener for all K-8 students. Prior to joining Hamden Public Schools, Heather served in a variety of literacy leadership roles including; literacy coach for New Haven Public Schools, Managing Director of Elementary Literacy at Harlem Village Academies, and Principal and Academic Dean at Achievement First. Heather holds certifications in Elementary Education, Remedial Reading and Language Arts, and Intermediate Administrator.
Amy Caplan currently serves as Director of Institutional Advancement at Sacred Heart Academy in Hamden. Most recently, she worked in the Office of Development and Alumni Programs at The Foote School, her alma mater, where she helped to coordinate and plan the school's fundraising activities and alumni events around the country. After attending Foote, Amy graduated from Hopkins School and Vassar College where she majored in Anthropology. Before moving back to New Haven in 2006, she lived and worked in Manhattan, San Francisco and Paris. A life-long athlete, having played field hockey since a young age through college, Amy is an avid hiker and skier, practices Kundalini yoga, and loves watching live sports on TV. She also enjoys volunteering her time in the community, including as President of the Hopkins Alumni Association and with Horizons at Foote. She has previously served on the Board of Leila Day Nursery School and was a tutor for New Haven Reads. Amy lives in Hamden with her family.
Boundless Literacy Founder Catherine Pamelard has been working as a reading teacher and special educator for over twenty years.
Catherine lives in Hamden, Connecticut with her husband and two children.
Dawn Bertrand has a Master's of Education Degree with a concentration in literacy from The University of St.Joseph.
She enjoys camping and spending time with family and friends. Dawn lives in Wolcott, Connecticut with her husband, Glenn. She has two grown sons who have both earned their college degrees.
Monique Dewar has a Master’s Degree in Education from Sacred Heart University.
Monique currently lives in Hamden, Connecticut and enjoys reading, cooking and spending time with family and friends.
Rashell Lee holds a Master of Education degree from Ashford University..
Rashell lives in West Haven, Connecticut with her husband Michael and her daughter.
