SAN ANTONIO – A new school opening later this year aims to expand access to quality education for students with dyslexia.
“It’s a space where our students who traditionally struggled can breathe and have a nontraditional classroom and have their education come to life,” Jasmin Dean, founder of Celebrate Dyslexia Schools said.
Celebrate Dyslexia Schools is the first charter school in San Antonio dedicated specifically to students with dyslexia.
“Dyslexia is an unexpected difficulty with reading, writing and spelling,” Dean said.
The tuition free charter school will be housed inside the DoSeum.
“Every teacher on our campus will go through the certification pathway to become an academic language therapist,” Dean said.
Dean hopes this school offers a nurturing space for students to thrive and celebrate their unique abilities.
“This school is so important for me because I am the parent of three dyslexic young men and have seen the struggle,” Dean said. “I’ve had the experience of a son who did not have access to proper dyslexia intervention, and I know what it was like as a parent to try to find it.”
Dean said UTSA students studying education will have the opportunity to visit the new school and learn the different structured literacy concepts, do research and get hands on learning experience.
Flor Gutierrez is also bringing her experience as an educator to her role as superintendent.
“I was a teacher for 10 years and then stepped into the dyslexia space after my daughter was diagnosed. I became an academic language therapist to provide therapies for her and what I realized was this was a need in our city,” Gutierrez said.
Gutierrez is honored to lead the new school.
“Knowing it’s an option for other children and families that have gone through our journey that is really, really exciting,” Gutierrez said.
Enrollment is open for the fall 2024 academic year for kindergarten, first and second grade students.