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Mary Ann Norris

After teaching intermediate grades (4th, 5th, 6th), I retired from New Mexico Public Schools three years ago, after 30 years, which left me free to reopen the San Juan Scottish Rite Learning Center here at the lodge in Aztec. The program had become inactive due to Covid concerns and we had to begin locating students and interviewing for placement within the program. I began my journey as a Dyslexia Therapist 33 years ago while teaching at Las Cruces Public Schools, not long after graduating from NMSU. My son, who was 7 years old at the time, had just finished 1st grade and could not read, hated reading, and had perfect mirror writing. Fortunately, I attended a workshop that summer given by Judy Carter on the Dyslexia Therapy Program, which addresses reading and written language differences, developed by the Scottish Rite Hospital for Children with Learning Disabilities in Dallas-Fort Worth. She was looking for students to begin therapy at the Scottish Rite in Las Cruces and gladly took my son A requirement to enter the program is to have a diagnosis of Dyslexia or Specific Learning Disability, which my son had. He spent his second through fifth grade years attending Judy’s program after school and had a dramatic change in reading ability, writing ability, and attitude towards learning! I applied to go to Lubbock for therapist training the summer after his second grade year (his progress was amazing!) and was accepted. After completion of training, I began working after school at the Scottish Rite Center in Las Cruces, then later I worked with students privately in my home office. That son just turned 41 and is now a nurse! This is an amazing program which I can honestly say, never disappoints. I have never had a student NOT make progress in this program. Now we are halfway through our second year of being reopened and have five students currently in the program. I look forward to hearing from prospective students and their families.