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Wheeling Country Day School soon will be offering free literacy assessments to both children and adults who are struggling with reading or math skills.
The Edge Center for Fearless Learning at Wheeling Country Day School will conduct the screenings in November in honor of Dyslexia Awareness Month. The assessments are for children and adults who experience issues with reading, spelling and writing, as well as those impacted by dyslexia or dyslexia effects, according to Luke Hladek, assistant head of school for culture and advancement,
"We have found that people either struggle with dyslexia personally -- or know somebody who is struggling - and they've had the structure of their life determined by their skill sets."
Typically symptoms of dyslexia -- which denotes issues with reading skills, and dyscalculia -- which involves problems with math skills, are identified in second or third grade, he explained.
Experts have observed the educational gaps grow over the years between those diagnosed with dyslexia or dyscalculia who receive extra educational help from teachers, and those who do not, according to Hladek.
The free assessment consists of a 30-minute session using an informal battery of assessments that focuses on word recognition, the ability to identify and manipulate individual sounds in spoken words, and the ability to read distinct letters to signify a sound or sounds.
Assessments will be conducted in-person at Wheeling Country Day School (WCDS) located at 8 Park Road, Wheeling, or virtually via Google Meets, by appointment only.
In-person assessments will take place from 3-6 p.m. on Nov. 1; from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Nov. 2-3; and from 9-11 a.m. on Nov. 4. Virtual assessments, meanwhile, can be scheduled from 3-6 p.m. on Nov. 1; 3-6 p.m. on Nov. 2-3; and from 9-11 a.m. on Nov. 4.
For more information and to schedule a virtual or in-person assessment, visit www.wcdsedu.com/free-structured-literacy-assessment/, or contact Kevin Berrios at kberrios@edgefearlesslearning.com. Wheeling Country Day School can be reached at 304-232-2430.
The Edge Center for Fearless Learning at Wheeling Country Day School is a continuation and expansion of existing structured literacy programs that have been at the school for more than a decade. But now those programs are going to be available to others outside the school via a virtual platform, Hladek explained.
"Our programs will stay the same and will still serve our Country Day students," he said. "We will still have our assessments, summer intensive programs and after school programs."
The Edge Center will be housed at WCDS, but plans call for it to eventually spin off and be a stand-alone company. WCDS staff continues to develop additional programs that will be available online. Meanwhile, learning and support will continue at the brick and mortar school facility, Hladek said.
"This is the first of many things like this we will try," he continued. "We want the Edge Center to be an inclusive member of the community. We want to impact the community in real ways that don't impact everyone's bottom line.
"We have the experience now -- after over a decade of having this program in school," Hladek added.