Our Story

I am a Master's Level Certified Barton tutor and have been an educator for over 20 years. My passion is to rescue kids that are drowning in a sea of reading and spelling struggles. I specialize in students with dyslexia or SLD and have extensive experience with ADHD.

I will teach them the way that they learn and give them the lifesaving skills to successfully read and write. It is my privilege to bring back the joy of learning and to see their frustration turn into confident smiles.

As a licensed Behavior Specialist, I specialize in working with children who have autism in clinical, home, and school settings. My focus is on helping kids achieve various goals, ranging from functional communication to daily living skills.

With a master's degree in Applied Behavior Analysis, I bring a strong educational foundation to my tutoring role. I'm deeply passionate about teaching and helping children acquire new skills and reach their full potential.

I am a homeschooling mom of three and have 18 years of experience raising multiple kids with numerous learning differences. I firmly believe that every child deserves an education tailored to their individual strengths and challenges.

When we found Reading and Spelling SOS, it was such an answer to prayer. It has been life-changing for our youngest. It has helped him to overcome his obstacles and gain a new level of confidence. Fueled by the impact that the Barton system had on my own child, it is my goal to help provide the support and guidance needed to unlock the full potential within each child.

I have seen how much the Barton program has helped our students. I want to see the same progress in all who struggle with reading and spelling. The reward from seeing a student surpass their own expectations is what drives me to tutor.

Hi, my name is Valerie Neff, and I am an experienced elementary teacher with 20 years in the classroom. Teaching isn’t just my career—it’s something I truly love. I’m passionate about helping students build confidence, develop strong foundational skills, and achieve their personal learning goals.

I specialize in supporting students as they learn to spell and read, and I have hands-on experience using the Heggerty reading program to strengthen phonemic awareness and early literacy skills. There is nothing more rewarding than seeing that “light-bulb” moment when a concept finally clicks after hard work and perseverance. I believe every child can succeed with encouragement, patience, and instruction tailored to their unique learning style.

Outside of teaching, I’m a mom of two, have a lovable black lab, and my husband is also a teacher—so education is very much a part of our family life. I’m excited to begin this new adventure in online tutoring and look forward to helping even more students grow into confident, capable readers and learners.

Helping children learn has been my passion for more than 20 years. This passion started with
15+ years teaching elementary and special education, while also working in Early Intervention
as an Infant Toddler Developmental Specialist before beginning a career as a Dyslexia
Reading & Spelling tutor. (I continue to hold active teaching certifications in elementary and
special education in two states) I've had the privilege of working alongside children with a
wide variety of learning styles and developmental needs. Through continued education I
have focused heavily on helping children with ADHD, Dyslexia, Sensory Integration and
Autism.
My journey into dyslexia intervention is both professional and personal. When my own two
sons were struggling in school it became clear that they had dyslexia and ADHD. After
multiple school changes, many meetings and failed interventions, we chose to homeschool
them using a structured literacy approach. Watching them grow from struggling readers into
confident learners showed me just how powerful the right instruction can make. That
experience continues to inspire the work that I do every day. It is where my professional
training, personal experience, and passion for education come together. My goal is to help
children build strong foundations and to support families with practical tools,
compassionate guidance, and hope.

Karina and Reese play a crucial role by greeting all students who come through the door. They love meeting new people and are sure to give you a warm welcome. They often will hang out in the office and encourage kids to do their best. Often times when a student is struggling, they are able to cheer them up with dog kisses and love!

With a background in Speech-Language Pathology, Danielle brings strong organizational and communication skills to her role at Reading and Spelling SOS. Danielle is responsible for scheduling and ensuring efficient communication between tutors and clients.