Beyond Words
Round Rock ISD Dyslexia Newsletter
OCTOBER 2022
Welcome!
The Dyslexia team kicks off our first issue in October as we highlight Dyslexia Awareness Month!
From the Desk of Kimberly Berry-Corie
Welcome to our VERY FIRST newsletter for parents and students, Beyond Words! I am so glad you are here!
Our team’s mission is to provide reliable, intentional support with programming and compliance to ensure student success. This commitment goes beyond our students and campuses to include you, our parent community. It is from this intentional commitment to serve you, that the newsletter was created.
Our goal is to provide high-quality resources, updates, and opportunities in a format that is friendly and accessible for you when you need it!
This month’s highlights include: Dyslexia Awareness Month celebration ideas, up-to-date information regarding dyslexia in our district, major changes made in 2022 regarding dyslexia identification and support, resources to assist and support you and your children and celebrations of good things happening across our district.
My hope is that each time you open our quarterly newsletter you will find inspiration, new learning, and insight into the world of Dyslexia in RRISD. Again, welcome to the Beyond Words newsletter!
~ Kimberly
Meet the District Team
Katie Bryan, Lead Instructional Specialist
Wanda McMillian, Lead Program Specialist
Allie Raney, Instructional Program Specialist
Jessica Abbott, Program Specialist, Round Rock Vertical Learning Community
Cheryl Baker, Program Specialist, Stony Point Vertical Learning Community
Ashli Framjee, Program Specialist, McNeil Vertical Learning Community
Ruthann Gaede, Westwood Vertical Learning Community
Martha Garza, Cedar Ridge Vertical Learning Community
News & Highlights in RRISD
Reading by Design
For special education dyslexia services in Round Rock ISD, the 2022-2023 school year brings an exciting new dimension, and with it, a new program: Reading by Design.
Reading by Design is a systematic, explicit, multisensory, and intensive reading intervention that was created by Texas Region 4 Education Service Center in Houston. It is aligned with research-based practices for developing literacy and meets the criteria for dyslexia instructional programming according to the Texas Dyslexia Handbook. Phonological awareness, sound-symbol association, the six syllable types, written spelling patterns, morphology, syntax, reading fluency, and comprehension are all addressed within the program. Progress monitoring and mastery checks are embedded throughout in order to monitor student growth.
"I am loving Reading by Design. I can't wait to start using it with my students" - elementary special education teacher
"Reading by Design is GREAT! It will certainly help support our kiddos" - elementary special education teacher
Round Rock ISD hosted a Region 4 Reading by Design Trainer over five days in September to train special education dyslexia teachers across 12 of our campuses, as well as our district Dyslexia Program Specialists. Round Rock ISD will utilize Reading by Design for dyslexia direct services in the special education setting.
“Reading by Design allows for the individualization and specialization of their programming specifically in the special education setting, and even offers a training component to support teachers in this work,” said Kimberly Berry-Corie, Director of Dyslexia Services, “We are so excited to bring into our district a viable, different option for our students with dyslexia who require the most individualized service.”
Round Rock ISD's plan to train special education dyslexia service providers in Reading by Design begins this year and will continue over the next 4 years, with the goal to have implemented on all campuses by 2026.
Evaluation Single Pathway
On February 10, 2022, the state of Texas implemented a significant change to dyslexia identification. According to the 2021 update of The Dyslexia Handbook (linked below), all dyslexia and related disorders are evaluated through a Full and Individual Evaluation (FIE) under IDEA.
On November 1, 2021, Round Rock ISD moved all dyslexia evaluations to this single pathway, a full THREE MONTHS before the state expectation! We are incredibly proud of the time, effort, and collaborations our district LSSPs, diagnosticians, and dyslexia evaluators committed to during the move last year.
If you have any questions regarding the FIE process, please reach out to your home campus!
Out & About on our Campuses
What Our Teachers are Saying!
"After working with me and the dyslexia interventionist, one of our students has improved from a Level C (Sept ‘21) to a Level S (Sept ‘22)!" - Elementary campus special education dyslexia support provider
"One of our students was in Resource/Applied classes. After receiving direct dyslexia instruction using the Wilson Reading System. After making great gains, parents along with the ARD committee, found that data showed the student was ready to move to inclusion support classes while continuing Wilson instruction. The student fearfully made the move and has been doing great! Wilson works!!" - Reading Specialist in the Cedar Ridge Vertical Learning Community
October is Dyslexia Awareness Month!
Help Us Spread the Word!
Here are a few fun ways to get involved and support Dyslexia Awareness Month!
Parent & Student Resources
Free Audiobook Resources
Learning Ally
Talking Book Program
Bookshare
Have you seen the Round Rock ISD Dyslexia Guidebook?
Visit the link below to learn about dyslexia services in Round Rock ISD.
Upcoming State & National Events
Texas Book Festival
Visit Texas Book Festival website.
Annual IDA Conference
San Antonio Conference Center
Visit IDA website.
Dyslexia Dash
Register and join virtually by visiting Dyslexia Dash 2022.
Good Reads
Fish in a Tree
For children ages 8-13
Basic Facts About Dyslexia
The Alphabet War
For children ages 4-9
Beyond Words is published 4 times annually, October, January, April, and August.
Dyslexia Services Department
Round Rock, Texas
We are committed to providing reliable, intentional support within programming and compliance to ensure student success.