Unlocking Literacy for All: School Administrators and the Neuroscience of Learning Difference

About the Presenters

Kerri Larkin brings more than 20 years of special education experience to her role as Senior Education Advisor. Kerri began her career teaching secondary language arts and special education at Anacostia High School in Washington, DC Public Schools (DCPS). She left the classroom to become the director of her teacher preparation program, which prepared and evaluated special education teachers in partnership with the George Washington University. Based on her leadership in teacher preparation, Kerri was hired back into DCPS by Michelle Rhee through the Master Educator program. From there, Kerri led special education as the Director for Academic Programs and then Senior Deputy Chief of Specialized Instruction until March 2021. Kerri leverages her experience in partnership with other district leaders to increase educational equity through meaningful inclusion, evidence-based practice, and sustained professional learning. She is a passionate anti-racism advocate with an emphasis on meaningful inclusion and systemic change.

Ashlee Ciccone is Principal at Pinehurst Elementary in Pinehurst, North Carolina. With over 25 years of experience, Ashlee has served as a secondary teacher, instructional coach, elementary and middle school-based administrator, and district curriculum specialist. Her particular passions include effective implementation of professional learning communities (PLCs), the successful transition to literacy instruction based in the Science of Reading, and the organization of robust Multi-Tiered System of Supports processes across all tiers. Ashlee has been recognized as the first recipient of the North Carolina True Trailblazer Award for her impact on the implementation of the Science of Reading in a system of schools. Under her leadership, Pinehurst Elementary School has been designated as a North Carolina “A-Rated” school and achieved the top 1% growth of all North Carolina schools in 2023. The school has also been recognized as a North Carolina Promising Practices school for Learner Mindset.

Ashlee serves on the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction English Language Arts Consultative Committee (ELACC). She has presented at state conferences and served as a member of a panel of literacy leaders at the North Carolina State Board of Education. Her presentations have included the implementation of effective PLCs and the implementation of a shift to the Science of Reading. She has earned a bachelor’s degree in communication from North Carolina State University, a teacher certification from Campbell University, and a master’s degree in school administration from North Carolina State University.

Dr. Gigi Luk is a Professor at McGill University. Her research on the cognitive consequences of bilingualism extends across the lifespan. In addition to investigating the science of bilingualism, Dr. Luk has examined how to harness scientific findings on bilingualism to improve the educational experience for children from diverse language backgrounds. In particular, she has established a research program with a scientific goal to understand the cognitive processes and their underlying neural mechanisms relevant to bilingualism; and a practical goal to promote a culturally responsive environment in educational settings, cultivating respect and inclusion for linguistic diversity.

These two goals guide her research program in three directions: (1) characterizing bilingualism beyond English proficiency in schools and in communities; (2) examining bilingualism and cognitive skills supporting language and literacy outcomes; and (3) establishing the neural correlates of learning new information in learners with diverse language experiences. Her work is currently supported by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and Fonds de recherche Société et culture (FRQSC). Dr. Luk obtained her Ph.D. in Developmental and Cognitive Psychology from York University in Toronto, Canada. She then completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Rotman Research Institute at the Baycrest Center in Toronto. She was at the Harvard Graduate School of Education between 2011-2018. She joined the Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology at McGill University in 2019.

Allison Caldwell has spent 18 years in public education, serving in roles such as speech and language therapist, literacy interventionist, instructional coach, and school administrator. Her dedication to ensuring all children learn to read led her to earn a Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in Elementary Reading, certification as a special education teacher (PreK-12), and licensure as a school administrator. She also holds a Structured Literacy Dyslexia Specialist certification from the International Dyslexia Association.

With experience as a classroom teacher, reading specialist, administrator, and state-level structured literacy coach, Allison supports teachers and students through collaborative conversations and evidence-based literacy practices. She began with IMSE as an Orton-Gillingham instructor and practicum supervisor, and now serves as the Instruction Team Lead. She is also the founding president of The Reading League New Mexico. Outside of work, Allison enjoys spending time with her husband, four children, and granddaughter.

About the Host

Cassandra Wheeler is a proud “Poet” of the 1990 graduating class at Sidney Lanier High School of Montgomery Public Schools (MPS) in Alabama. In 1994, following undergraduate studies at the University of Alabama at Birmingham where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Early Childhood Education, Cassandra returned home to MPS and began her career as an educator at Morningview Elementary School. After earning her master’s degree and administrative certification, Cassandra joined the Alabama Reading Initiative, where she authored Alabama’s Reading First Initiative grant and managed Alabama’s statewide DIBELS pilot. In 2004, after serving the children of Alabama for ten years, Cassandra expanded her outreach to impact the life trajectories of students everywhere by joining the (then) Voyager Expanded Learning organization. Now, at Lexia, Cassandra serves the organization as Director of LETRS State Success.