To continue to meet the demand for Wilson Language Training’s literacy programs, we are growing our national network of Wilson®Accredited Partners to expand access to professional learning opportunities for schools, districts, and individuals.
This year, Wilson has licensed four additional organizations to provide professional learning: Drexel University in Philadelphia, PA; Montgomery County Intermediate Unit 23 in Norristown, PA; Banyan School in Fairfield, NJ; and Hyde Park Day School in Chicago, IL. Additionally, the Children’s Health Council/Sand Hill School in Palo Alto, CA, and Southeast Reading Center in Chattanooga, TN, are pursuing accreditation this summer.
Accreditation status affirms that Partner organizations meet Wilson’s rigorous standards of excellence in the delivery of training and implementation of Fundations®, Just Words®, and Wilson Reading System® (WRS).
“We are proud to welcome our newest Partners, who share our high level of commitment to program implementation and fidelity,” said Jay LaRoche, vice president of outreach. “The Partner program is another arm of Wilson that allows us to extend our services even broader. Communities in these areas benefit by having regional access to Wilson’s quality programs and training.”
Since its inception in 2002, the Wilson Accredited Partner program has been embedded at state educational service centers, higher education institutions, private schools, and professional organizations to provide workshops and customized training services within their geographic regions in the programs they are credentialed to teach. With the addition of the newest Partners, the network increases to 21 sites located in Georgia, Illinois, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Utah, and Vermont.
The ability to provide professional learning in WRS and Fundations as an accredited Partner expands opportunities for public and private school educators and districts throughout Montgomery County, PA, explained Amber Molloy, literacy program administrator for Intermediate Unit 23.
“Districts in our area are addressing the need for foundational skills instruction, as well as strong tier 3 intervention,” she said. “We’re receiving positive feedback from teachers and districts. The training helps teachers understand the lesson design and the importance of holding true to the fidelity of both the resource and the implementation.”
Becoming a Wilson Accredited Partner is the realization of a long-term goal for Hyde Park Day School in Chicago, said Executive Director Dr. Casey Crnich. “It reinforces our commitment to providing the best possible education for bright students with learning disabilities and provides support for recruiting and retaining the most qualified faculty possible.”
Established 20 years ago, the school’s “mission to transition” philosophy focuses on preparing students to re-enter their home districts once their learning challenges are rehabilitated. As a new Partner, the private school is interested in providing the public districts with which it works, as well as other private schools in the area, with intensive instruction to further meet students’ needs.
Existing Partners are also experiencing increased demand for training in Wilson’s multisensory structured language programs.
The Robinowitz Education Center in Princeton, NJ, has trained several hundred educators in northern New Jersey, the Jersey Shore, and neighboring states since coming on board as the first Wilson Accredited Partner in 2002. Since then, the demand for professional learning in Fundations, Just Words, and WRS continues to grow, shared Director of Education Deardra “Dee” Rosenberg, a Wilson® Credentialed Trainer (W.C.T.).
“Teachers really want that knowledge. And when parents see how it works, they are thrilled,” she said.
For more information about training opportunities available through a Wilson Accredited Partner, please contact the Partner organization directly. Educational organizations interested in learning more about the Partner program and accreditation process may contact Judy Nicholas, director of partner relations, at jnicholas@wilsonlanguage.com.