Friday, October 14, 2005

Pesky Center partners with School District

Non-profit educational organization focuses on literacy in reading and math


By DANA DUGAN
Express Staff Writer

The Blaine County School District and Lee Pesky Learning Center have announced a groundbreaking, collaborative public/private partnership in the Wood River Valley.

"This is a powerful tool in improving literacy in the Wood River Valley and is a tribute to the innovative, forward-thinking minds of Blaine County School District," said David Heath, the director of Center Services at Lee Pesky Learning Center.

In January 2006, the Boise-based Lee Pesky Learning Center plans on opening a satellite office in the Community Campus next to the Wood River High School in Hailey. The School District is providing the space to Lee Pesky Learning Center in exchange for teacher training and consultation. This arrangement enables the School District and the Pesky Center to exchange ideas and professional expertise. Pesky Center staff will provide one-on-one evaluation and remedial assistance for students who are struggling with literacy in reading and math.

"The partnership has the potential to strengthen and improve the district's contributions to literacy development in Blaine County, and to make services available locally that were not available before. It's more productive for the county's students and staff to work in partnership rather than in competition," said Blake Walsh, the School District's Student Services director.

"We're delighted to have our first satellite branch in the Wood River Valley. It's evident that there is a need for the services and the support we can offer to students who learn differently. We look forward to supporting Wood River educators who strive to give every child the opportunity to achieve their fullest potential in school and ultimately in life," said Alan Pesky, founder of Lee Pesky Learning Center.

The concept grew out of long range plans that already existed for the Center to have an office here.

Founded by Ketchum residents Alan and Wendy Pesky as a memorial to their son, the Center is a non-profit educational organization.

"We have plans for joining up with the YMCA, and we do have a partnership with the Y. There will be 700 square feet dedicated there for us when it's built," Pesky Center Executive Director Hildegarde Ayers explained. "But Ketchum residents Steve and Janet Shafran wanted to get services earlier. We began work on the process and had conversations with Jim (Lewis) and Blake (Walsh). It just was a natural fit. It's a superb partnership.

"Also we're having preliminary conversations with The Community School. We want to provide services to all students in the whole valley. Those services will be based on the needs of the valley. We will supplement services already provided by school but we are not there to replace anything the schools are already doing. If we work very hard together we can do a very, very good job of educating all our kids."

For more information, visit www.lplearningcenter.org




 Local Weather 
Search archives:


Copyright © 2024 Express Publishing Inc.   Terms of Use   Privacy Policy
All Rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission of Express Publishing Inc. is prohibited. 

The Idaho Mountain Express is distributed free to residents and guests throughout the Sun Valley, Idaho resort area community. Subscribers to the Idaho Mountain Express will read these stories and others in this week's issue.