Roberts Academy will host two upcoming Discovering Dyslexia sessions in February, offering families, educators, and community members an opportunity to learn more about dyslexia and how the Academy supports students with this common learning difference.
The sessions will feature nationally respected experts in dyslexia and reading instruction, along with parent advocates who will share their experiences navigating dyslexia and finding the right educational setting for their children.
The first session will take place Feb. 19 at 6 p.m. in the Roberts Academy cafeteria and will feature Atlanta-based educational psychologist Dr. Leslie A. Stuart. Stuart, who has worked in private practice since 1998, holds a doctorate in clinical psychology from Nova Southeastern University and has extensive experience working with children, adolescents, and families.
Stuart has played a significant role in statewide dyslexia advocacy. She served on the Georgia Senate Study Committee on Dyslexia. She was recently appointed to the Georgia Department of Education’s Dyslexia Task Force, where she is helping advance efforts to screen students for dyslexia and train teachers in evidence-based reading instruction.
Joining Stuart will be parent advocates Emily Elsworth of Macon and Shelby Koehle of Warner Robins. Elsworth is the mother of a third-grade Roberts Academy student, and Koehle is the mother of a sixth-grader. Both children enrolled at the Academy in 2024. The two parents will be available to answer questions and share their perspectives on the Roberts Academy experience.
A second Discovering Dyslexia session will be held Feb. 24 at 10:30 a.m., also in the Roberts Academy cafeteria. That session will feature literacy expert and Orton-Gillingham Fellow Ellen Hill, a longtime educator at The Schenck School in Atlanta.
Hill has taught at The Schenck School since 1987 and has held various leadership roles, including Lower School principal, admissions director, and director of community engagement. She holds a bachelor’s degree in learning disabilities from Mercer University and a master’s degree in learning disabilities from Georgia State University.
Hill has trained hundreds of teachers in effective reading instruction and has presented at conferences hosted by the International Dyslexia Association, the Orton-Gillingham Academy, and the Georgia Independent School Association.
Parent advocates Trey Lyon and Allison Hawkins will also participate in the Feb. 24 session. Lyon is the father of a fourth-grade Roberts Academy student and works as an instructional technologist at Mercer University’s Tift College of Education. Hawkins is the mother of a second grader at the Academy and is an occupational therapist with experience working with neurodivergent children in classroom settings.
Roberts Academy serves students in grades 2–6 and is Georgia’s only school for dyslexic students outside of Metro Atlanta. The Academy uses the Orton-Gillingham Approach, an evidence-based method of reading instruction designed specifically for students with dyslexia. Roberts Academy is also the most affordable school of its kind in the state.
Both Discovering Dyslexia sessions are open to families, educators, and community members interested in learning more about dyslexia and evidence-based instruction. To RSVP for one or both sessions, click here. To learn more about Roberts Academy or to schedule a tour, visit the Academy’s website.
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