I started SAZES because I am passionate about providing services to individuals in the dyslexia and related learning-challenged community. There is a great need for services that bring about real change, and we endeavor to provide those services.
I am currently able to continue tutoring a few students which enables me to connect in real-time with our tutors and student needs. I can continue to survey the needs of students from their early school experiences to their working needs as employed individuals.
I love seeing the positive impact tutoring brings to the student and their parents, the confidence that is built, and the hope that is born for their future!
Owner/President, Southern Arizona Educational Services
Cheryl Anthony is the owner/president of Southern Arizona Educational Services LLC and was owner of Successful Learning Educational Services for 17 years. Cheryl’s expertise has provided assessments for dyslexia, direct services for reading, spelling, math, handwriting, and time-management difficulties. She has helped to coordinate IEP services through contracts with schools, provided teacher trainings, and instruction in time management and resilient living, and provided advocacy support in schools.
Cheryl began her journey into the realm of dyslexia as a classroom teacher. As her concern for students who had difficulty achieving literacy grew, Cheryl began to pursue additional instruction beyond her educational master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction. She had focused much of her studies in literacy instruction and assessment but found she did not have enough background to help those struggling to achieve literacy; until she learned about dyslexia. Once she became knowledgeable about the underpinnings of dyslexia and the science-based instructional methodologies to provide intervention, and how to assess for foundational literacy skills, her passion to provide those services led her to leave the classroom and pursue providing more support for those with dyslexia in her region.
Cheryl began tutoring students in her home. Shortly thereafter, she was approached to take a job in a nearby private school. She accepted the position and provided leadership at this school for 1.5 years, implementing screening and services for students with reading challenges. She next was approached by another private school to work with their population of struggling students. She worked in this position, as Academic Support Director, for 5.5 years. There Cheryl implemented screenings using the DIBELS and DIBELS Next assessments for all K-6 students, additional screenings for students who indicated at-risk factors, directed service plans and implementation of direct services. Finally, she committed growing Successful Learning Educational Services from an in-home business to a brick-and-mortar business which continues to service students and families from around the USA. The business recently sold, and Cheryl has formed Southern Arizona Educational Services LLC to service students from her new location in Arizona.
Cheryl has also served as a president of the Oregon Branch of the International Dyslexia Association. She was active on this board for six years. She also helped to introduce legislation in Washington State regarding dyslexia in 2011. She has served on several Oregon legislative advisory rule committees regarding dyslexia legislation in that state. She continues to monitor the dyslexia legislation and to provide some advocacy support for parents, working in a collaborative mode between school staff and parents to ascertain appropriate support for students with dyslexia.
Cheryl recently joined forces with author Yasmin John-Thorpe and business owner, Nikole Haumont, to form Reading Is Fun, a publishing company focused on providing decodable books for students who are beginning readers and students who may struggle with reading due to dyslexia. These books will provide reading practice for students. The books are embedded with specific symbol-to-sound patterns that when systematically and incrementally taught, take the guessing out of reading, and provide great success to readers. These readers will soon discover that Reading Is Fun!
Cheryl remains passionate about advocating for those who learn differently and believes that with support, these individuals can lead successful school and work lives.