I am Mary, Special Education Teacher/Literacy Specialist
in San Diego
Mary Sullivan Roark MA, MFA
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Specialization in teaching literacy skills to students with dyslexia and language based disabilities.
Bio
Greetings and Salutations!
I am Mary, a special education teacher and special education curriculum specialist at a Southern California charter school system. With over 20 campuses and 10,000 enrolled students, my school is fast growing and is known for its teaching excellence and high academic standards. For example, in 2020, my school was one of 10 schools nationwide to receive an “Above and Beyond” award from the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools.
Born and raised in Southern California, I studied at University of California at Santa Cruz, where I graduated with Honors in the Major and College Honors. I earned a Masters in English and a Masters of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from San Francisco State University. ​I had two-year additional Special Education training after I earned my master degree and received teaching credentials in English Language Arts and Special Education. I have been teaching for the past 15 years, including elementary, middle and high school, and adults. The past a couple years I have been focusing on using Wilson Reading System (WRS) to help my students.
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I'd like to offer my effective English literacy tutoring service using WRS to a very limited number of students in person in San Diego, California, and/or remotely to students Grades 2-12 with dyslexia and language based learning disabilities. To qualify and be considered to be in the program, parents must be committed to work with students for best results.
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Mary Sullivan Roark MA, MFA
Highlights
Wilson Reading System (WRS) Certification
I am the principle trainer of Wilson Reading System (WRS) for all special education teachers the entire campus of special education. I also provide WRS trainings for all general education teachers for my whole charter school system across 20+ campuses. I also do limited teaching of special education students (case management) and mentor some new special teachers. I have been using WRS intensively to improve my students' reading and writing scores with great success.
Curriculum Specialist /Teacher Trainer in Literacy Skills
Currently, I am the principle trainer for WRS across all 20 or so campuses of my school system.
Exemplary Reviews from Teachers/Parents
My most recent highlights include that students from my most recent classroom teaching (academic year 2024-2025)
for California charter schools received the highest test scores in entire California. My co-teacher, the general education teacher who taught the class, won the 2025 Hart Vision Teacher of the Year, for the most outstanding charter school teacher in entire California.
Many of my other team members at school, including the general education teachers and administrators, who I work with have all praised my teaching in helping their students move up in their reading and writing skills, and make progress in the general education classroom.
The students who regularly attend my classes with supporting parents all show marked growth in reading and writing skills. The parents and families of the students I teach have been thrilled with their children's progress as well. When I moved from one school to another, some parents transferred their children to the new school that I worked just so that I would continue to be their children's teacher. I look forward to working together with you to full develop your children's' academic potential.