About Me
About Jess
Hi, I'm Jess, founder of The Phonics Framework and a NYS Certified Literacy Specialist with more than 22 years of experience helping children become stronger readers and spellers.
I specialize in reading intervention, dyslexia support, and structured literacy instruction for children who need more targeted support than traditional tutoring can provide.
My background includes a Bachelor's degree in Psychology and Elementary Education, dual certification in General and Special Education, and a Master's degree in Literacy. I'm trained in Orton-Gillingham and Speech-to-Print approaches, which inform the way I teach reading and spelling.
How It All Started
When I was hired by the NYCDOE in 2004, I was assigned to teach Kindergarten in an ICT classroom.
I panicked.
Here I was, a brand-new teacher, responsible for teaching a room full of little ones how to read. On that first day, I seriously considered running out of the classroom.
Little did I know, teaching literacy would become my greatest passion.
I spent years teaching Kindergarten before moving into SETSS and reading intervention. That's where I really fell in love with small-group instruction, intervention, and figuring out what individual students needed in order to make progress.
And that question has stayed with me ever since:
What's actually getting in the way?
Because two children can struggle with reading for completely different reasons.
One child may need stronger phonics and decoding skills. Another may read the words accurately but struggle with fluency or comprehension. Another may know the sounds but have a much harder time spelling them.
That's why I don't believe in simply giving kids more practice or following the same plan for everyone.
I want to understand the child in front of me, identify the skills that need attention, and teach from there.
Why I Do This Work
I believe kids deserve reading instruction that makes sense to them and helps them become capable, confident, independent readers.
That's what led me to create The Phonics Framework and build a practice focused on individualized literacy support for families.
Today, I work with children through online 1:1 reading intervention and dyslexia support, as well as small-group literacy programs and other reading support options for families.
Whether your child is just beginning to learn to read or has been struggling for years, my goal is the same: understand what they need, teach the skills that matter most, and help them move forward.
I'm so glad you're here.
