Dear Families, 

Welcome back! I am looking forward to a great year with your children. For those of you who are new to Canyon Ridge, welcome!

I wanted to take a moment to introduce myself and share a little information about how Dyslexia classes will work at Canyon Ridge. Reading instruction has always been my passion. Before becoming a specialist, I taught Kindergarten, First Grade and Third Grade.  When I am not teaching, I enjoy reading, walking, and spending time with my family. I have three children: Jayme, Brady, and Connor. Brady is a senior at Baylor University studying International Business. Jayme is a Fine Arts Performance and Choreography Dance major at Texas State University. Jayme is also dyslexic, which helps me remember what you as parents are going through. I enjoy hearing her perspective as a young adult now. Connor attends Reagan High School and is a senior. He is the President of the Ronald Reagan Marching Band and plays the trumpet.  I started getting lonely when my children began moving to college and now have 2 cats and 2 dogs. Mr. Hammond says I have exceeded my limit on pets. Maybe I will sneak a goldfish up to school this year. ;) 

Dyslexia Instruction

Your child will be working with me in a small group for 45 minutes daily. The students will learn through a systematic, explicit multi-sensory phonemic awareness program. NEISD is currently moving forward with Dyslexia instruction and I was fortunate enough to spend time this summer in extensive training. This is my 23rd year as a teacher and I still love learning how to help my students. 

All students with Dyslexia will be receiving the Take Flight Curriculum this year. Take Flight is a unique curriculum specifically designed by Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children for teaching reading. The program is comprehensive, cumulative, and sequential - ideal for teaching students with dyslexia how to read, spell, and write.

Students taught through this program will learn how words are constructed and why. They learn about the history of language and how it has influenced the spelling of words. Decoding and spelling become easier for dyslexic students when they learn the rules and situations associated with words.

There is homework that accompanies the Take Flight curriculum as well as additional information, materials, and resources parents may find effective in teaching children with dyslexia. As we begin the new year, I will be sharing more information about how you can help at home.

I always invite your comments, questions, and suggestions. Please reach out with any concerns anytime. Dyslexia numbers have grown tremendously in the past couple of years with early identification. I do have nearly 40 students at this time and promise I will get back to you as soon as I can.  Email is the best way to reach me, and I can always follow up with a phone call after the school day. 

I am looking forward to partnering with you as we watch your children succeed and read! 

Sincerely, 

Amy Hammond 

Canyon Ridge 

Dyslexia Intervention