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Mrs. Gail Kurtz
The Kurtz Center for Cognitive Development
1201 Louisiana Ave.
Winter Park, FL  32789

Dear Gail and Denton:

I wanted to fill you in on Monique's outstanding progress and than you and your 
staff for making her success possible.

When Monique came to the Kurtz Center in 6th grade, her reading skills were at 1st grade level. Monique had been in the XXXXXXX Public School system (XXXXX Elementary School) and had been diagnosed by the "school psychologist" as ADD and Dyslexic.  After three years of frustrating "conferences" and inadequate SLD (specific Learning Disabilities) assessments in the public school system, Monique could not read or write at grade level yet her I.Q. tested at 140 and her verbal vocabulary was at high school level.

The public school SLD system was a disaster, taking her out of class putting her in a program with children who not only have learning disabilities but mental and emotional issues, only making things worse (she came home twitching like one of the other kids).  The regular class "pod" system was even worse as Monique could not hear the teacher and the blackboards between the "pods" would fall down regularly.  How could anyone learn in a "pod" with 3 teachers and 70 kids in one room?

During a "conference" her homeroom teacher, Ms. XXXXXX stated "maybe this isn't the environment for her, you have the resources, maybe you should consider another school for her".  Cruel words, but true.  The public school system regularly fails kids by their inability or ineptitude to develop curriculum and programs for the "kids that don't fit".  Monique was a "system buster" and the public school system would not and could not fit her learning style.

In 3rd grade we placed her at XXXXXXXXX where she learned to read adequately but still only at a 2nd grade level.  On the recommendation of Mrs. XXXX, the director of the school, we brought her to you and Denton for an evaluation. 

Your Center changed our lives!

After a thorough evaluation and intensive testing, you and your staff designed an "immersion" program to bring Monique up to grade level and help her develop skills for enhancing her reading skills.  This program could only have worked with your hard work and commitment to "fix" Monique. 

After 6 months, Monique was at grade level and excelling in school!

You rekindled her learning light and taught her to love reading and writing.

I am writing to report that Monique is now attending a private college preparatory school (XXXXX, Winter Garden, FL) and graduates 8th grade in May.
She is reading at 12th grade level and writing at college level.

Monique's G.P.A. is 3.2 and she will be taking advanced placement Science, Honors History, Classical Literature and Creative Writing.  Her math skills also improved and she is currently studying Geometry and Algebra I (high school level) and was a finalist in the School Science and Engineering fair.  She is being considered for a Magnet Fine Arts program next year!

We could not have done it without you!  You and your staff have our permission to share this letter with the world!  We recommend your Center to everyone we meet with kids that "don't fit".  You have a way of making the puzzle pieces work and the child learns to love school and enjoys learning!

A am also by means of this letter giving the Kurtz Center permission to use my letter as a recommendation and endorsement of the Kurtz Center and to provide copies and/or a web page copy for others to read.  I place no restrictions on the Kurtz Center's use of my letter.

I hope my letter will help others "get it" that these "system buster" kids can excel and the "learning environment" is the problem, not the child.

Thank you,
Monique and Pattie Hackley.