We just had our academic awards ceremony. The countless tears of joy are evidence of the fact that Barton System is working at Flippin Elementary.

We watched students, who have struggled with dyslexia, accept numerous academic awards including honor roll, classroom awards and even a Presidential Academic Award!

It works! Lives are changing for the better!

I am currently using the Barton Reading & Spelling System at the middle school level with several students who have reading difficulties related to dyslexia. Our school district has been trying hard to find ways to address the needs of our special education and non-special education students with reading delays.

Thankfully, because of the progress our “pilot” students have made, our superintendent has given permission to purchase the program for all of the schools in the district.

Two years ago, Michael came to our school as a sophomore. He was very quiet and uncooperative. He sat in the back of the class and did not participate. His grades were terrible.

I began tutoring Michael in January. A month later, his literature teacher brought me his paper and wanted to know how to grade it. It contained only two lines. The first line had no punctuation, capitalization or spaces. The second was easy to read: “What’s the point?”

The following year she brought me his paper. It was five pages long! He had become such an animated and self-assured young man that he was an absolute joy to have in class.

In October, he had to take the Washington Assessment of Student Learning test. Level 1-well below standard, Level 2-below standard, Level 3-meets standard (average to above average), Level 4-exceeds standard.

Michael shared his scores with us: 3 in Math, 3 in Writing, and 4 in Reading!!! He was very proud, and we were dancing on the rooftops!