Time and again we hear that one of the very special strengths of The Reading Group is the outstanding qualifications and caring attitudes of our instructors. Most specialists hold at least a bachelor's degree, many with master's degrees and/or additional training in a particular area of instruction.

Camille Caldwell
A reading specialist, Camille joined the teaching staff specializing in her work with upper elementary and middle-school students. She recently retired from the Rantoul School District after teaching in the district since 1973. In addition to the teaching of reading, she has experience working in the areas of technology education as well as training in gifted education. Camille provides testing and assessment services for the Reading Group.

Rita Young
Rita was a Student-Teacher Supervisor for the MECA Montessori Teacher Training Center and was a Teacher and the Director of the Montessori School of Champaign-Urbana for 20 years. At the Reading Group, she specializes in working with preschool and kindergarten children using multisensory instruction and is the Early Childhood Coordinator for the Building Blocks to Literacy Program.

Michael Marks
Michael provides teacher training programs and specializes in working with preschool and kindergarten children who are gifted and at risk for school learning problems. He was the founder and director of the Creative Discovery School in Champaign for 12 years as well as served as an early childhood teacher at University Primary School in Champaign.

Liza Brubaker
Liza recently retired from teaching after 35 years. She graduated from Ball State University with a B.S. degree in elementary education. Liza also has an additional 16 hours in reading courses from Eastern Illinois University. She was nominated for the Golden Apple award while teaching first grade at St. Matthews School. Liza taught in public schools for twenty five years and private schools for the last ten years. Liza's philosophy focuses on the belief that everybody learns in different ways and at different rates. She believes that learning should be positive and fun and she likes to use a lot of hands on activities across the curriculum units.

Simone Frame
Simone is a certified speech-language pathologist. She has a B.A. in Linguistics from the University of Michigan, a n M.A. in Speech and Hearing Sciences from the University of Illinois, and has completed coursework toward a doctoral degree focusing on childhood language and literacy development and disorders. Simone is pleased to be able to offer speech and language services at The Reading Group to individuals with communication disorders such as articulation disorders, expressive and/or receptive language impairment, and social communication difficulties. In addition, she has worked in the Chicago area with children with reading disabilities and provides multisensory, language-based literacy instruction and intervention services.

Mary Rhodes
Mary has had over 20 years of teaching experience in Champaign, Mahomet and Monticello as well as assessment experience with the Carle Child Disability Clinic. She is currently a Cross Categorical Teacher in Special Education with the Monticello School District and also teaches Special Education/Reading Methods at Millikin University and provides Assessment Services at the Reading Group. Mary has a Bachelors Degree in Special Education from Illinois State University and a Masters Degree with an emphasis in reading from the University of Illinois.

Sandy Beherns
Sandy is an independent educational consultant. She works in schools throughout Illinois and Indiana to help teachers, students and parents implement differentiated instruction, data analysis, response to intervention, early intervention services and problem solving. Her background includes being a former general education teacher, educational diagnostician and most recently the Illinois State Board of Education ASPIRE Grant Director for Central Illinois. She received her Bachelor's Degree from Eastern Illinois University and her Master's Degree in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Illinois.

Sherri Bolen
Bolen taught kindergarten, first and second grades in the public schools for fifteen years before joining the staff at Holy Cross Elementary School as Library/Media Director. At the Reading Group, she specializes in working with small groups of primary level children in a variety of subjects, with a focus on literature and grammar.

Rachael McMillan
Rachael graduated from Eastern Illinois University in 1997 with a bachelor's degree in English. She moved to Los Angeles and became a caseworker for an agency that assisted families in the American Indian community. There, she tutored children who needed academic as well as social assistance. Rachael also taught English and other subjects for the special education program at Rantoul Township High School for four years and has a short-term special education certificate. Currently, she is spending time at home with her two wonderful children, Jack and Kate.

Lynn Holland
Lynn has twenty years experience as a classroom teacher and private tutor for dyslexic students. She has a MA in educational psychology and teaching certificates in secondary language arts and preschool/kindergarten Montessori methods. At The Reading Group, Lynn specializes in a multisensory method of teaching literacy skills to young children.

Patty Cetin
Patty worked in the field of speech and language development for more than 13 years. She is an instructor and clinical supervisor for the Speech and Hearing Science Department at the University of Illinois. At The Reading Group, she specializes in the acquisition of language awareness and literacy skills. Patty provides training and Building Blocks to Literacy workshop services.

Carol Bergeson
Carol was a former reading teacher and now serves as a part-time social worker at Holy Cross School in Champaign. At the Reading Group, Carol provides tutoring in the area of reading, composition, and grammar.

Jennifer Bell
Jennifer has joined The Reading Group after 34 years as a special education teacher in Urbana School District 116. She has a B.A. in Special Education from Michigan State University, an M.ED. in Educational Psychology from the University of Illinois and an M.A. in Psychology from Eastern Illinois University. While working in the Urbana schools, she has taught students with Learning Disabilities, Emotional/Behavioral Disorders (E/BD) and as a School Psychologist and E/BD consultant.

Marilyn Kay
Founder of the Reading Group, Marilyn specializes in working with K-8 children with attention and memory problems, and provides in-service training and consultation in reading and learning disabilites for public and private schools. Kay also has been a national presenter on multisensory instruction, phonemic awareness and working with children and adults with dyslexia, attention-deficit disorders and other learning disabilites.

Alice Osborne Alice is a reading specialist with experience working with K-5 gifted students with learning disabilities. She is a former gifted program coordinator and longtime classroom teacher for Villa Grove schools.

Office Manager: Brenda Blager

Brenda brings over 25 years of financial and business experience to The Reading Group. She handles financial transactions and records. She also assists the Executive Director with daily operations.