Dr. Jodi Mahoney

Principal, Greenbrook Elementary School

From Mandate to Mission: Becoming a Dyslexia-Friendly District

This presentation will help parents and school administrators identify key aspects of their ability to support students with dyslexia as well as identify the next steps to becoming dyslexia-friendly. Using a rubric designed to help assess readiness, participants will identify where they are in this process and how they can improve. 

Dr. Jodi Mahoney is both an educator and a parent of a child with dyslexia and therefore understands what it feels like to be on both sides of the table related to supporting students with dyslexia in the school setting. Whether it be at an intervention meeting, requesting a 504, or understanding the IEP process, Dr. Mahoney can help parents navigate through the process in order to best partner with the school. 

Additionally, as an educator with more than 20 years of experience, Dr. Mahoney is highly experienced in navigating the intervention and referral process at the school level and therefore can also serve to consult with or assist schools in developing plans to partner with parents, train teachers, or build district-wide plans to better meet the needs of the students and families in the district related to learning differences and learning obstacles. 

Dr. Mahoney's dissertation "Both Sides of the Table: Schools and Families Aligning Expectations for Students with Dyslexia" (Proquest, 2020) explored students with dyslexia and the family and school experiences they had in New Jersey public schools. Her research highlights the need for schools and families to come together to support students. 

Dr. Mahoney also helped to co-create her district's "Team Dyslexia" which has become a model for other districts in training teachers annually, fulfilling the mandates of the state as they pertain to dyslexia, and building a district-wide committee that continues to advocate for students with dyslexia. Advocating for the right support for your child can be frustrating, challenging, and overwhelming for families. With Dr. Mahoney's expertise, she can help mitigate those feelings while also partnering with educators to create the optimal learning plan.

Track: Serving Students with Dyslexia

Audience: All Audiences

Level: Beginner