About us

Welcome!

Our committee consists of several volunteers who are all in some way connected to Dyslexia. Most of us work during the day.

 

Chair person:

Ruth Smith, Learning Support teacher at St Michael's School and private tutor for children and adults. 

Ruth has taught at four different Secondary schools and worked as the Special Educational Needs Coordinator at Highlands College. 

She has been teaching for thirty five years and has the Hornsby Diploma in teaching students with Specific Learning Difficulties (Dyslexia). She is a member of the College for teachers.

Ruth runs the Help Line for the JDA.

 

Secretary: 

Sarah Peel is the Senior Orthoptist at the General Hospital. Sarah's special interest is in dyslexia and in particular helping people who have problems reading.

 

Treasurer and Membership Secretary:

Judy Gardener, is a full time mum of two teenage boys one of whom is dyslexic.  She would be happy to speak to parents about her experiences and offer advice where needed.

 

Specialist Clinical Psychologist: 

Dr Alessio Agostinis is a Specialist Clinical Psychologist currently working with chronic health conditions in Jersey. Alessio has varied experience in a variety of settings including extensive experience in psychometric assessments in neuropsychology departments. 

More recently Alessio has become interested in dyslexia in adults. He has attended specialist training with the British Dyslexia Association and currently offers formal assessment of dyslexia in adults, as well as workplace assessments and recommendations for reasonable adjustments.

 

Committee members:

• Cath Brown. Retired Special Needs teacher and School librarian, now teaches children privately from home.

 

• Myrtle Bellée. Retired Head of Special needs at les Quennevais School and more recently De La Salle College where she still does assessments in both the primary and secondary areas.

          She holds the Hornsby Diploma.

 

•  Danielle Colback. Danielle is the mother of three teenagers one of whom is dyslexic, who she feels is well supported by his secondary school.
  
  Danielle is happy to talk to parents of her experience of working with the school to best support the child.

 

• Anne Kent. Severely Dyslexic, Anne only learnt to read eleven years ago. Since then she has gone on to achieve a BA Hons in Social Sciences and has received numerous awards. 
  
  She has had a chapter published in the "Employment and Dyslexia Handbook" by the British Dyslexic Association and advises dyslexic students and adults on how technology can assist their learning.

 

• Annie Lezala. Specialist teacher in Learning Needs at Le Rocquier School and assesses students with Specific Learning Difficulties at Victoria College, Hautlieu and Les Quennevais School. 
  
  She is also the assessor for the Jersey Disabled Students Allowance. Annie holds the Hornsby Diploma.

 

• Fiona Picot. Special Educational needs Coordinator (SENCO) at St Michael's School, Learning Support and English Teacher. Fiona was primary trained and has many years of working with children with special needs.

 

• Muffy Sinclair. Taught at St Michael's School for many years and has attended many courses in dyslexia. Muffy is now a private tutor for pupils aged seven to eleven.

 

• Denise Waller. Director of a local building firm, dyslexic and mother of a dyslexic daughter.  Denise founded the Jersey Dyslexia Association over thirty years ago and has worked with education and many parents to raise awareness in schools and in the community about dyslexia.