Classroom Educators' Course: A New Partnership with OpenDoors of Asheville

For the past two weekends, we've taken our Outreach Training Center skills on the road to Weaverville, where we conducted a retreat-style training through a partnership with OpenDoors of Asheville. OpenDoors helps at-risk kids, living below poverty level, with a support network of local families who provide mentoring as well as transportation to sports and extracurricular activities, tutoring, and school events. This network advocates for OpenDoors kids in the their schools and helps them gain access to school resources so they can graduate high school and flourish. The training offered to OpenDoors by our Outreach Center is officially known as the Academy of Orton-Gillingham Practitioners and Educators Classroom Educators' Course. "What we're trying to do," says Camp Spring Creek Director Susie van der Vorst, "is train the teachers, assistants, and exceptional child educators so that when a child needs help, these advocates all have the same language and strategies." This will not only make communication more consistent for the child, but will likewise enhance communication between all the adults in that child's life as they each touch base and work in the best interests of the child.

Eleven participants enrolled in the training, including 8 kindergarten or exceptional child teachers from Buncombe County schools. The other three participants came from across the spectrum: a mother who is also a counselor, a speech and language pathologist, and the new Director of The Augustine Literacy Project.

Part 2 of this training will kick off next year, when the same group gathers to go over assessments and begin their practicums.

Spring 2013 Newsletter

Three cheers! Our Spring 2013 Newsletter went out in the mail this week and we're happy to say that it's also available online. View the entire newsletter by clicking here. This season's issue includes a note from Susie, a book review of Smart but Scattered, camp staff bios, grant funding updates, pics of improvements to the facilities (thanks, Steve!), and a camp counselor photo collage that can't be beat!

Orton-Gillingham Training

Last week, five hard-working homeschool teachers joined Susie at our Outreach Center in Spruce Pine to embark on their Associate Level Training. This 70-hour training empowers teachers to tutor students one-on-one using the Orton-Gillingham curriculum. Following their work with Susie, each will spend the next year completing their practicum. The practicum includes 10 observations and constant contact with Susie. Each teacher can then apply to the Orton-Gillingham Academy for official certification. Co-founder of Camp Spring Creek and the Outreach Center, Susie van der Vorst, is one of approximately 120 certified Orton-Gillingham Fellows in the country. As a Fellow, Susie can train others in these methods and professionally observe and mentor educators as they complete their practicum year. The requirements to become a Fellow have changed over time, but when Susie first began her own Orton-Gillinghman training, the minimum requirement was 10 years of experience in the field. Susie earned recognition as a Fellow in 2003 and has trained countless parents, teachers, tutors, and professionals ever since.

We are very pleased to present our blog readers and supporters of Camp Spring Creek with this debut video, documenting snippets of the Associate Level Training. If you like what you see, subscribe by email to this blog (on the right sidebar) or to our YouTube channel, and you won't miss a beat. Meantime, many congrats to the five teachers who finished the first, major step in a year-long journey!

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yFjyC75hd8]

Spring Cleaning!

We are starting another week here at Camp Spring Creek.  The days are getting warmer which means soon we will be spending some time up at camp organizing and taking inventory.  When we do get up there I will take some pictures of the changes Steve is making so keep an eye out for updated camp shots. I am continuing to post pictures of past years on Facebook so go check them out.  If you were at camp please leave a comment.

We are still searching for a camp cook this summer if you or anybody you know might be interested please email us at info@campspringcreek.org or call at 828-766-5032 for more information.

About Dyslexia

This past month we have attended many camp fairs.  It has been great to meet so many parents and students. The Spring Newsletter is being written.  We have almost all of our counselors for this summer and you will be able to learn more about them in the newsletter.  It is going to be a wonderful summer with lots of energetic people. If you're not on our email list, contact us at info@campspringcreek.org to receive our newsletter.

Susie continues to work in the public schools in Mitchell County and sees growth in the classrooms.  We will be heading back into the schools for post testing starting in April.  It will be exciting to see how much each student has grown this year.

Steve has been busy up at camp changing a few things around for this summer.  One of the new exciting things at camp is some new refrigerators that will help make preparing meals more efficient.

For everybody who was excited to hear about Mimi, camp's new dog, she is growing everyday and is full of energy.  I know when camp comes she will be very excited to greet everyone.

Keep an eye on our website I have been adding some new things.  There is now a place where we will be linking articles it’s under About Dyslexia.  If you have read any articles that you think others might like to read please email them to me info@campspringcreek.org

We are still looking for a cook so if you know of anybody who might be interested please let us know.

Learning Disabilities Association Conference 2013

Susie spent last week in San Antonio at the LDA conference.  This was the first time Camp Spring Creek has attended Learning Disabilities Association which Susie said she would attend again in the future. We are very excited about the number of campers we have for this summer so far.  There are also new inquiries every day.  We are hoping to have a full camp all summer.

Steve is working on selecting the counselors and finding a cook.

Let us know if you want more information about camp or if you know somebody else who might. info@campspringcreek.org or call 828-766-5032.

International Dyslexia Association

Susie went to GA IDA in Georgia this past weekend where she had many inquiries about camp.  We are very much so looking forward to this summer and working with all of our returning campers as well as meeting new faces. It has been a little quiet around here because our weather has very unpredictable.  Hopefully the rest of the week will be back to normal so Susie can get back into the schools to work with the teachers.

Go and check out our Facebook page we have been posting pictures of camp from the past.

It's A Puppy!

We have a new member to Camp Spring Creek!!!  Her name is Mimi and she is a golden retriever.  She is a little ball of love and so far everybody has fallen in love at first sight.  We can’t wait for everybody to meet her this summer.

We did not receive any snow last week like everybody had hoped for but we do have the wintery freezing cold.  If we could just have a little bit of white on the ground it would not just feel like winter but look like it.

Susie has started training the teacher assistants so they can better help the kids and the teachers Susie trained in the fall.

Go and check out our Facebook page as I will be adding more pictures from the past years.  See if you know what year they are from.

Diana King to Speak on Dyslexia

This article was originally published by the Mitchell County News-Journal. On Saturday, April 14, from 4-6pm, Diana Hanbury-King will speak about the importance of early diagnosis of dyslexia and intervention at Mountainside Wine on Upper Street in Spruce Pine.

King is an internationally renowned advocate for people with dyslexia and author of several books on language and dyslexia. She came to this country from England in 1950 and began working with dyslexic students at the Sidwell Friends School in Washington D.C. She became involved in a program supervised by Anna Gillingham, author of the text on which the Orton-Gillingham approach to reading instruction is based.

In 1955, Mrs. King established a summer program for dyslexic students--the oldest of its kind in the country. In 1969, together with Kurt Goldman, she founded the Kildonan School for dyslexic children, now located in Amenia, NY.

During the past five decades, she has devoted her efforts to teaching as well as writing and training teachers. She serves on the board of Camp Spring Creek, a summer camp in Bakersville that combines tutoring with fun for dyslexic children. With early identification and proper instruction, dyslexia does not have to be debilitating.

Join Diana King as she presents the whys and how-to's of early identification of and intervention in dyslexia. The lecture is free, and the public is encouraged to attend this informal talk. If you are a parent of a dyslexic child or a teacher with concerns, be sure to come on Saturday, April 14 from 4-6pm, and hear what Diana King has to say. For more information, visit www.campspringcreek.org or contact Camp Spring Creek at 828-765-5032.

Dispelling the Myths of Dyslexia

This article was originally published in the Mitchell County News Journal.

If you drive out Cane Creek on a summer morning, you can almost hear the laughter of kids playing off in the distance. Camp Spring Creek is a place where children with dyslexia can hammer bottle caps to create a musical instrument, work on a paintball shield, inner tube in the pool or down the creek, practice tumbling routines, hike up the mountain, learn about local birds and build a house for them to live in, scavenger hunt, singe songs, roast marshmallows, and sit by the campfire at night listening to stories told by staff members.

Camp Spring Creek is also a place where, every day, these children receive one-on-one tutoring using the Orton-Gillingham approach of teaching the structure of language; spend an hour reading aloud, another studying their newly learned language skills; and yet another developing their writing skills on the computer. Their days are filled from mornign to evenign when they drift off listening to the next chapter of their favorite book.

Co-founder Susie van der Vorst offers, "So many people with dyslexia are misunderstood...they are often mistaken for slow learners or just not trying hard enough. Reality is that dyslexic kids can learn very quickly if they are taught the information using a method they can understand." And the Orton-Gillingham approach is the one Camp Spring Creek uses.

Developed by Samuel Torrey Orton and Anna Gillingham back in the 1920's, the O-G approach, as it is called, teaches kids the structure of language in a way that leads them to see, hear, and write out a concept all at the same time. Each child is treated as a unique learner, each requires and receives the individualized teaching necessary to help that child succeed.

"Because of the dedication of our excellent staff, and the power behind the Orton-Gillingham approach, we often see students make two to three years worth of progress during a six-week session. The kids love it, and they learn." However, Camp Spring Creek is seasonal and there are over 6,500 students, 20 percent of them living with some sort of language challenge, in Mitchell, Yancey, and Avery counties. All reasons for Susie van der Vorst's push to educate more people in the area.

On Thursday, February 16, from 5:30-7pm, Susie will present an explanation with demonstration, entitled, "Dispelling the Myths of Dyslexia" at Mountainside Wine in Spruce Pine. The hour and a half discussion will broaden public knowledge surrounding dyslexia, a hidden disability.

Few know that there are 15 myths about dyslexia, the one out of five people who live with it, and the condition that sometimes hides away in the edges of their day. Come find out what these myths are, how to notice them, and what we can do about them!

Camp Spring Creek will provide appetizers and sweat tea; Mountainside Wine will offer a variety of wines. Call CSC at 828-766-5032 or go to the Facebook page, Camp Spring Creek, for more information.

Unique Camp for Dyslexic Children

This article was originally published in the Mitchell County News Journal. Camp Spring Creek is an academic and recreational summer camp supporting dyslexic children ages 6-14. The camp facility is located in Bakersville and was founded by Steve and Susie van der Vorst.

Susie and Steve met at a camp for children with dyslexia in New York in the late 1980s. In 2002, Steve and Susie went to work for a similar camp in Colorado; it was there that they decided to start Camp Spring Creek.

"There are currently only two other camps in the entire country that can be compared to ours," said Susie. "What these camps and Camp Spring Creek have in common is that we are all residential camps that strictly adhere to the Orton-Gillingham philosophy of teaching in a one-on-one setting. We are one of only three residential camps accredited by the Academy of Orton-Gillingham Practitioners and Educators. We're very proud of that fact!"

Dyslexia can be a real challenge to overcome, yet some of the most successful people in history had dyslexia, including Winston Churchill, Thomas Edison, and Walt Disney. Some modern day people who have dyslexia are Robin Williams, Tom Cruise, Henry Winkler, and Charles Schwab. This is proof that with enough understanding and support, people with dyslexia can lead lives of accomplishment.

"It is for exactly this reason that it's so crucial kids have access to programs like the one offered at Camp Spring Creek," said Susie.

Camp Spring Creek is active in training educators, parents, and community members who express an interest in becoming more effective in their efforts to help all children, but especially those with dyslexia. Visit www.campspringcreek.org or on Facebook for more information about this uinque camp and how it's changing the lives of children and families all over the world.

Walmart State Giving Program Grant

This article was originally published in the Mitchell County News Journal.

Camp Spring Creek received a grant from the Walmart State Giving Program to continue working towards closing the reading gap in Mitchell County. Camp Spring Creek originally received funding from a local organization to train three Mitchell County teachers in the Orton-Gillingham philosophy and with the success from that first training, Camp Spring Creek applied for and received a $25,000 grant from the Community Foundation of Western North Carolina to further the teacher training program in 2010. This summer, Camp Spring Creek was awarded the $25,000 grant from Walmart to continue working with local teachers to help students become better readers, writers, and spellers.

The Orton-Gillingham approach is personalized, diagnostic and prescriptive, recognizing each student as a unique learner. There is no "one size fits all" solution nor is it a packaged program for method. The Orton-Gillingham philosophy complements and enhances many research-based curricula.

Teachers that utilize this approach, adding it to their instructional methods, are able to tailor the program to meet the needs and learning styles of each student or small group of students.

In addition, flexibility is built into the approach. Practitioners know that each child will reach different stages at different times. As a result, the students flourish and learn at a speed that is right for them and in a way that is right for them.

Deyton Elementary School exceptional children's teacher Priscilla Dunn stated, "We've never seen gains in reading skills like we have in 2011, with so much mentoring. Multi-sensory language instruction enhances the curriculum we have and allows us to differentiate instruction to meet the needs of all children. My students love the fast pace and the multiple ways to show their skills and the patterns they are discovering in words."

A sixth grade student at Bowman Middle School said, "This is the first time I've ever heard a teacher explain how language works...now I get it!" Another student, a third grader at Gouge Elementary stated, "I like the personal spelling lists. I can take as long a I need until I get a word and fly through the ones that are easy for me!"

Camp Spring Creek Outreach Training Center is hosting an Orton-Gillingham Associate Level Training Course Oct. 10-Dec. 19, on Monday and Thursday afternoons from 4-8pm. This associate level course is funded by the Walmart State Giving Program and is open to any interested Mitchell County teacher who would be able to implement the Orton-Gillinghamn curriculum in their classroom. This is the basic course in the Orton-Gillingham approach that enables you to instruct with better understanding of the structure of language and multisensory teaching.

The course includes an in-depth introduction to phonology, structure of English, characteristics of dyslexia, multisensory teaching, assessment tools, grammar and written expression and interactive demonstrations, and activities to use the approach.

A practicum can be arranged to a limited amount of teachers wanting to implement best practices in reading instruction, along with opportunities for team teaching, demonstration, and teacher observation.

This training will be hosted at the Outreach Training Center in Spruce Pine. Interested teachers may join the training on any day but in order to receive course completion, participants would need to attend each session. There is a limit of 10 teachers on any given day. Light refreshments will be provided.

To register, visit Camp Spring Creek's website at www.campspringcreek.org to download the registration form or call the camp office at 828-766-5032. A complete registration form is required to reserve your spot in the training. Also, you can find out more about Orton-Gillinghamn or Camp Spring Creek on the camp website.