History and Staff

Trained in the Orton-Gillingham approach by Orton Academy Fellows, Dawn Nieman and Susie van der Vorst and in Multi-Sensory Math by Marilyn Zecher, LaTonia is a dedicated, hard-working, and talented teacher. She has been in education for four years. Extensively trained to educate dyslexic minds, she aims to cultivate creativity and critical thinking skills in all students, irrespective of their abilities. LaTonia graduated from Palm Beach Atlantic University with a degree in Organizational Leadership and a minor in Entrepreneurship. She is now taking classes toward a Master’s in the Science of Reading to advance her strategic skills further. LaTonia loves her job and enjoys teaching and interacting with the students. Her classroom embodies a structured environment where the students develop a growth mindset and discover their dyslexic superpower. 

Alexis Boldin earned a B.S. in Science from Florida Gulf Coast University. Her passion for inspiring kids led her to enter the education field more than seven years ago. During those seven years in the classroom, she motivated young minds to achieve, honed her teaching skills, and discovered a love for teaching Math. Excited about the opportunity to do even more for her students, she joined the Bilgrav team last year. At The Bilgrav School, she received Orton-Gillingham training from Orton Academy Fellow, Susie Van der Vorst, as well as Multisensory Math training from Marilyn Zecher. She is in the process of becoming an Orton Academy certified tutor. She believes that all kids are capable of growing and thriving; therefore, she’s in the right place at the right time. 

Katie was first trained in Orton-Gillingham by Orton Academy Fellow, Diana Hanbury King in 1997. She taught and tutored at one of the America’s first OG based schools for dyslexic students, The Kildonan School in New York. After two years there, she earned a Master's in Cognitive Science in Education from Columbia University-Teachers College. In 2007, she was founding faculty at Joyce Bilgrav’s third OG-based school, the Liberty School in Durango, CO, where she tutored and helped design the interdisciplinary curricular program for twice-exceptional students, the Film program, and the Outdoor Pursuits program. At Bilgrav, she tutors, teaches all subjects, oversees the OG tutoring, trains teachers, does Admissions, and strives to become an Orton Academy Fellow herself. Helping dyslexic children unlock their potential is a vocation for her, and she is grateful to have been able to help found another OG based school for dyslexic students here in West Palm Beach. 

Sara completed her undergraduate studies in Social Work/Anthropology at the University of the West Indies, Kingston, Jamaica and Florida International University, Miami, FL. After graduation, Sara worked as a community health educator for several years, during which time she discovered her passion for teaching. She went on to complete a CELTA certification allowing her to teach English across the globe in places such as Spain, Chile, India, and Dominica. Upon her return to the U.S., Sara worked as a bilingual tutor in several CT public school systems while completing a M.A.T. ESOL and obtaining K-12 ESOL teaching licensure in both CT and MA. While searching for ways to help her struggling readers, Sara discovered Brain Friendly Reading (an Orton-Gillingham-based program). Subsequently witnessing profound improvement in her students’ literacy skills, she became inspired to learn more about the OG approach. Sara recently completed her OGA coursework and is in the process of obtaining her Associate Certification with Orton-Gillingham Academy Fellow, Janet George.

Pam earned a Bachelor of Arts in Exceptional Student Education from Florida Atlantic University in 1988. She began teaching in 1988 in the public school system as a “Resource Teacher” in Palm Beach County at the elementary level. She has worked and volunteered in varied school environments, including with home schoolers and a Montessori school. She retired from teaching to pursue other passions for a while, such as Yoga, Nutrition, Nonviolent Communication, and Conscious Discipline for Parents. Now she has returned to what she loves best: teaching children! She is very excited about the Orton-Gillingham approach to reading instruction and is dedicated to teaching and learning this way. 

Carla graduated from Florida Atlantic University with a B.S. in Psychology. She
also has Associate’s of Science in Medical Sonography, specializing in
Echocardiography & General U/S from Cambridge Medical Institute & Technology located in Delray Beach, FL.
Carla is a dedicated professional who is available to help in all areas of The
Bilgrav School. She oversees human resources, operations and serves as the
scholarship coordinator. If you have any questions about the school, she will find the answer or direct you to the appropriate person.

With a B.S. in elementary education and M.S. in psychology, Cassi has taught fifth grade in Florida (in-person and remote) for the past five years. Cassi holds a Florida teaching certificate in elementary K-6, with ESOL & Reading K-12 endorsements, and has worked extensively with students with dyslexia and other disabilities in the classroom.

Cassi was born and raised in Florida and is highly dedicated to providing students with the utmost support and enthusiasm. Believing all students can learn is a pillar of their teaching philosophy in and out of the classroom. Combining this belief, classroom experience, and positive attitude, they provide support to students, family, and faculty. 

Marcy Reed has a Master of Arts in English, and she is certified Dyslexia Practitioner 1, by the International Multisensory Structured Language Educator Council (IMSLEC).    

Marcy trained in dyslexia interventions to give other children the same advantage her dyslexic son received when he was tutored. She arrived at The Bilgrav School from Chicago, where she taught students ages 4-22, most recently in a private school for students with learning disabilities.  

Prior to entering the education field, Marcy worked in publishing and public relations. In her free time, she enjoys writing and spending time with her three college-aged children. 

Mary Beth Rosebrough has taught in a variety of settings and to people of all ages. While raising five children (one born and homeschooled during her college years), she completed two Bachelor of Arts degrees and a certificate in Ethnic Studies from Florida Atlantic University. Her degrees in Humanities (focused on English, History, and Philosophy) and Anthropology (focused on Archeology) led to a position as Research Coordinator at the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Seminole Museum, where she edited a book used in universities around the country: We Come For Good: Archaeology and Tribal Historic Preservation at the Seminole Tribe of Florida. She has also developed curriculum for and taught classes in adult education in Palm Beach County but has found teaching kindergarten and first grade to be her true calling!

Kevin has earned his Master's Degree in Linguistics. He is trained in the Lindamood-Bell method with over 4 years of experience working with students struggling with reading and comprehension. He moved to Florida in 2015 and studied at Florida Atlantic University where he graduated with my Master’s degree in Linguistics and a TESOL certificate. For 4 years, he worked at a Lindamood-Bell learning center where he worked one on one with students struggling with reading fluency and comprehension. He has also worked with many students online and taught math. In his free time, he enjoys board games, watching new shows, and reading articles. He also likes to travel during the summer and hopes to visit Hawaii next summer. 

Julia graduated from The University of Florida with a Bachelor’s of Science in Advertising and a minor in Psychology in 2019; and hopes to pursue a Master’s degree in education in the near future. She also earned her Cambridge diploma, and was in the top 10% of her class. She loves spending time with children and has years of experience being both a camp counselor and a dance teacher. She also used to babysit and tutor young kids and enjoyed it very much. In her free time she likes to spend time with family and friends, and doing outdoor activities like bike riding, roller skating, and jogging. Her main duties here will be assisting during lunch/recess, administrative duties, helping around the school with anything that anyone may need, and subbing in classes when teachers are not available. She is very excited to continue a path in child care/education at the Bilgrav School.

Leah was raised in Central Florida, and moved to West Palm to attend Palm Beach Atlantic University. She is currently studying Pre-Law, hoping to continue to law school post-graduation. She is an older sister, and has years of experience helping to homeschool her siblings, one of whom may also be dyslexic. Additionally, she assisted with childcare and baby sitting on many occasions while in middle and high school, and enjoys spending time with children. More recently, she was employed as a concierge/administrative assistant. Leah hopes to combine her office knowledge with her love of children while at The Bilgrav School.

​In the 1950's, Joyce enjoyed life as a mother and homemaker. However, three of her four children struggled to learn to read in school. Unwilling to accept that they were "slow," Joyce researched on her own (without the internet!) and discovered dyslexia. She became trained in the multi-sensory, phonics-based, explicit, diagnostic/prescriptive, individualized, cumulative approach to teaching reading called Orton-Gillingham, a program designed by Drs. Orton & Gillingham to teach a dyslexic child to read. She taught her children herself, and after years of study became a "Fellow" of the Orton Academy. In the early 1970's, she began starting Orton-Gillingham-based schools and summer camps that have allowed thousands of dyslexic learners to achieve their potential.

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Joyce is also the Founder of these fine schools:

• Jemicy School & Camp Glencoe (Baltimore, MD)
• Rawson-Saunders School (Austin, TX)   
• Liberty School & Durango Mountain Camp (Durango, CO)     
• Rocky Mountain Camp (Evergreen, CO)  
• Wolf Creek Camp (Fredericksburg, TX)

"I am privileged to have spent over ten years being mentored by Joyce. She is an inspirational teacher and a pioneer in the US in dyslexic education. We are honored to name the school after her."
~ Katie Cashette, Head of School