Our professional tutors are hand-selected and matched to your student’s individualized needs.
Our professional tutors typically have a minimum of ten years teaching experience in local schools. They bring their many years of classroom teaching experience and educational training to the job of tutoring. They are dedicated to giving each student personal attention. They work with each family to develop a program that works best for the student’s individual needs. Your hand-selected teacher:
- Focuses on your student exclusively
- Builds a trusting relationship for optimal learning
- Customizes each lesson to boost learning
- Uses researched, scientifically proven instruction
- Utilizes multisensory approaches to keep lessons engaging
- Reflects on your student’s progress and connects with you as parents
RITES professional tutors work with students in communities all across Rhode Island and southern Massachusetts. Your child will not only become a better student but will also better understand his/her learning style for lifelong learning success.
We have over 40 professional tutors in different divisions. The following is a sampling of some of our teachers:
Lisa Bigney, M.A., M.Ed.
RITES Co-Director
Subjects and specialties: Orton-Gillingham, Reading, Writing, Spelling, Visualizing and Verbalizing, Project Read, Math, Study Skills
Years teaching: 20+
Education: M.Ed. Teaching, Curriculum and Learning Environments, Harvard University; M.A. Computers in Education, Lesley College; B.S. Elementary and Special Education, Boston University
Certifications: Elementary and Special Education
Additional Training: Orton-Gillingham, Project Read, Lindamood-Bell: Visualizing and Verbalizing, Beyond the Basics Advanced Multisensory Training, Semple Math, SOAR Study Skills, Study Smarter, Test Preparation
Awards: Pi Lambda Theta Honor Society, President’s Volunteer Service Award
Locations served include: Learning center in Pawtucket
Jeanne Bolden, M.Ed.
Subjects and specialties: Orton-Gillingham, Reading, Writing, Spelling
Years Teaching: 25+
Education: BA, Sociology, Emmanuel College; M.Ed. Elementary Education, Boston College
Certification: Elementary Grades 1-6
Additional Training: Orton-Gillingham
Locations served: Barrington, Cumberland, Woonsocket, RITES Learning Center
Tony Buco
Subjects and specialties: Math (Grades 1-6)
Years Teaching: 25+
Education: B.S., Elementary Education/Special Education, Rhode Island College
Certification: Elementary Grades 1-6
Awards: Finalist, Exeter-West Greenwich Teacher of the Year, 2014
Locations served: Coventry, Cranston
Janet Burnham
Subjects and specialties: Orton-Gillingham, Reading, Writing, Spelling
Years Teaching: 25+
Education: B.A., Elementary Education/English, Alderson Boraddus University
Certification: Elementary grades 1-6
Additional Training: Orton-Gillingham
Locations served: Cranston
Jeanette Caldarone, M.Ed.
Subjects and specialties: Orton-Gillingham, Project Read, Reading, Writing, Spelling, Handwriting, Math
Years Teaching: 20+
Education: M.Ed. Learning Disabilities/Emotional Disturbance, Lesley University; B.A. Psychology, Art, Clark University Certifications: Elementary K-8, Special Needs K-8
Additional Training: Resource Specialist, Orton-Gillingham, Beyond the Basics Advanced Multisensory Training, Project Read, Six Traits of Writing, Semple Math, Everyday Math, Empowering Writers
Locations served include: Cumberland
Maura Cenci-Meiser, M.A.
Subjects and specialties: Orton-Gillingham, Study Skills
Years Teaching: 10+
Education: BA, Psychology, Fairfield University; M.A., School Counseling, Fairfield University
Certification: School Counseling
Additional Training: Orton-Gillingham
Awards: Fairfield Leadership Award
Locations served: East Greenwich
Mary Cope, M.Ed.
Subjects and specialties: Orton-Gillingham, Wilson, Project Read, Reading, Writing, Spelling, Handwriting, Math, Study Skills
Years Teaching: 20+
Education: M.Ed. Education, Lesley University; B.S. Education, Boston College
Certifications: Elementary Education
Additional Training: Orton-Gillingham, Project Read, Wilson, Literacy, SOAR Study Skills, Study Smarter
Locations served: Cransto, Warwick, East Greenwich, Learning center in Pawtucket
Linda Giordano
Subjects and specialties: Orton-Gillingham, Reading, Writing, Spelling, Handwriting
Years Teaching: 20+
Education: B.S. Elementary, Special Education Rhode Island College
Certifications: Elementary Education
, Special Education
Additional Training: Orton-Gillingham, Project Read, Telian Multisensory Techniques, Lindamood-Bell: LIPS, Beyond the Basics Advanced Multisensory Training
Locations served: Cumberland
Rosemary Hayes, M.Ed.
Subjects and specialties: Math (Grades 1-6)
Years Teaching: 25+
Education: B.A., Spanish/Elementary Education, Salve Regina College; M.Ed., Bilingual Education, Rhode Island College; M.Ed., Mathematics Education K-8, Lesley University
Certification: Elementary Education
Locations served: Cumberland, Lincoln, RITES Learning Center
Sandra Kaufman
Subjects and specialties: SSAT/ISEE Prep, Orton-Gillingham, Project Read, Visualizing and Verbalizing, Reading, Writing, Spelling, Handwriting, Math, Study Skills
Years Teaching: 15+
Education: B.S., Elementary Education, Pennsylvania State University
Certifications: Elementary and Middle School Education
Additional Training: Orton-Gillingham, Telian, Project Read, Responsive Classroom, Schools Attuned, Everyday Math, Beyond the Basics Advanced Multisensory Training, Lindamood-Bell: Visualizing and Verbalizing, SOAR Study Skills, Study Smarter, Test Preparation
Locations served: Barrington, Learning center in Pawtucket
Maria Keil, M.Ed.
Subjects and specialties: Orton-Gillingham, Wilson, Reading, Writing, Spelling, Handwriting, Math, Study Skills
Years Teaching: 20+
Education: M.Ed. Special Education, Rhode Island College; B.S. Elementary/Special Education, Rhode Island College
Certifications: Elementary and Special Education
Additional Training: Orton-Gillingham, Wilson, SOAR Study Skills, Study Smarter
Locations served include: Cumberland, Lincoln, Learning Center in Pawtucket
Wendy Lapuc, M.Ed.
Subjects and specialties: Orton-Gillingham, Reading, Writing, Spelling, Math
Years Teaching: 10+
Education: B.S., Elementary Education/Special Education, Rhode Island College; M.Ed., Teaching English as a Second Language, Rhode Island College
Certifications: ESL, Elementary Education, Special Education
Additional Training: Orton-Gillingham
Locations served: RITES Learning Center
Halley Lavenstein
RITES Co-Director
Subjects and specialties: Orton-Gillingham, Reading, Writing, Spelling, Math
Years Teaching: 10+
Education: A.B. Brown University, Literature & Society
Additional Training: Orton-Gillingham, Project Read, Lindamood-Bell: Visualizing and Verbalizing
Awards: Cum Laude Society Former Rhode Island Branch of the International Dyslexia Association Board member
Locations served: Learning center in Pawtucket
Shayna Mariotti, M.A.
Subjects and specialties: Reading, Writing, Math, Study Skills
Years Teaching: 15
Education: M.A. Elementary Education, Quinnipiac College; B.A. Quinnipiac College
Certifications: Elementary Education
Additional Training: SOAR Study Skills
Locations served include: Cranston
Claudia Martin, M.A.
Subjects and specialties: Reading, Writing, Spelling, Math, Study Skills
Years Teaching: 15
Education: M.A. Literacy Education Providence College: Elementary Education, Rhode Island College
Certifications: Elementary Education, Reading Specialist
Additional Training: ESL Education, ADD, Study Smarter
Locations served include: Greenville, Learning Center in Pawtucket
Jean McCormack
Subjects and specialties: Orton-Gillingham, Lindamood-Bell, Reading, Writing, Spelling
Years Teaching: 10+
Education: BA, English/Special Education, University of Massachusetts
Certification: English, Special Education
Additional Training: Orton-Gillingham, Lindamood-Bell- Visualizing and Verbalizing
Locations served: Dartmouth, Portsmouth, Tiverton
Pamela Meunier, M.Ed.
Subjects and specialties: SSAT/ISEE Prep, Reading, Writing, Spelling, Math, Study Skills
Years Teaching: 20+
Education: M.Ed. Counseling, Rhode Island College; B.S. Elementary Education, Rhode Island College
Additional Training in: Special Education Inclusion, Project Learning Tree, Project Wet, SOAR Study Skills, Study Smarter, Test Preparation
Certifications: Elementary and Middle School Education
Locations served include: Seekonk, Learning center in Pawtucket
Meredith Miller, M.S.
Subjects and specialties: Orton-Gillingham, Lindamood-Bell
Years Teaching: 10+
Education: B.S., German/Music, University of Rhode Island; M.S., Speech-Language Pathology, University of Rhode Island
Certification: Reading Specialist
Additional Training: Orton-Gillingham, Lindamood-Bell Visualizing and Verbalizing
Awards: Fulbright Scholarship
Locations served: Coventry, South Kingstown
Lisa Murdock, M.Ed.
Subjects and specialties: Orton-Gillingham, Wilson, Project Read, Reading, Writing, Spelling, Handwriting, Math
Years Teaching: 15
Education: M.Ed. Special Education, Providence College; B.S. Special Education, Rhode Island College
Certifications: Special Education
Additional Training: Orton-Gillingham, Wilson, Project Read
Locations served: North Kingstown
Debra Nassau, M.A.
Subjects and specialties: Orton-Gillingham, Project Read, Reading, Writing, Spelling, Handwriting, Math
Years teaching: 15+
Education: M.A. Education, American University; B.A. English and American Literature, Brown University
Certifications: Learning Disabilities
Additional Training: Orton-Gillingham, Project Read
Locations served: Barrington
Deborah Phillips, M.Ed.
Subjects and specialties: Wilson, Reading, Writing, Spelling, Math, Study Skills
Years Teaching: 20+
Education: M.Ed. Reading, Rhode Island College; B.S. Elementary Education, Rhode Island College
Certifications: Elementary, Reading Teacher/Specialist, Reading Consultant
Additional Training: Wilson Reading System, SOAR Study Skills Program Published: Working with a Writer’s Notebook
Awards: National Council of Teachers of English
Locations served: East Providence, Learning Center in Pawtucket
Amy Resnick, M.S.
Subjects and specialties: Reading, Writing, Math (Grades 1-6)
Years Teaching: 5+
Education: B.A., Elementary Education/Communication Studies, University of Rhode Island; M.S., Human Development and Family Studies, University of Rhode Island
Certification: Elementary Education
Awards: Kappa Delta Pi Honor Society in Education, 2014-2015 Golden Apple Award Recipient
Locations served: East Providence, RITES Learning Center
Rebecca Rhoads, M.A.
Subjects and specialties: Spanish, Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry, Calculus, PSAT/SAT Prep
Years Teaching: 5
Education: M.A. Spanish Linguistics and Literature, Florida State University; B.A. Spanish Florida State University
Additional Training: Study Smarter, Skills Paths
Awards: Professor of the Year
Locations served: Learning Center in Pawtucket
Marilyn Salisbury, M.A.
Subjects and specialties: Orton-Gillingham, Reading, Writing, Spelling, Study Skills, PSAT/SAT/ACT Prep
Years Teaching: 20+
Education: M.A. Literacy Providence College; M.A. Teaching Rhode Island College; B.A. Social Work Rhode Island College
Certifications: Reading Specialist, Elementary Education, Early Childhood, English as a Second Language
Additional Training: Orton-Gillingham, Literacy and Writing, Research and Dissemination, Reading Comprehension, Test Preparation
Locations served: Johnston, Learning Center in Pawtucket
Karen Seal, M.A.
Subjects and specialties: Elementary and Middle School Math, Pre-Algebra, Writing, Study Skills
Years Teaching: 10 years
Education: M.A. Special Education Providence College; Elementary Education Bridgewater State College
Certifications: Elementary and Special Education
Additional Training: Study Smarter
Locations served: East Providence, Barrington
Janet Shansky, M.S.
Subjects and specialties: Biology, Chemistry, Algebra, Geometry Education: B.S. Biology, Tufts University; M.S. Biochemistry, Cornell
Additional Training: Mentoring high school and college students in research labs Published: Bioartifical Muscles in Gene Therapy; Tissue Engineering Human Skeletal Muscle for Clinical Applications, Angiogenesis Enhances Factor IX delivery and persistence from retrievable human bioengineered muscle implant; Differentation, Transplantation and Survival of Human Skeletal Myofibers on Biodegradable Scaffolds
Locations served: Bristol, Warren, Barrington, Learning Center in Pawtucket
Pamela Stokinger
Subjects and specialties: PSAT/SAT/ACT Prep, SSAT/ISEE Prep, Pre-Algebra, Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry, Calculus
Years Teaching: 10+
Education: B.S. Mathematics; Minor in Secondary Education, Framingham State College Certifications: Middle and High School Mathematics
Additional Training: Test Preparation
Locations served: Mansfield, Learning center in Pawtucket
Allyson Villari
Subjects and Specialties: Orton-Gillingham, Reading, Writing, K-5
Years Teaching: 15+
Education: A.B., Sociology, University of Rhode Island
Certifications: Elementary Education
Additional Training: Orton-Gillingham, Project Read
Locations served: East Greenwich, Learning Center in Pawtucket
Bruce Weller
Subjects and specialties: Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Earth Science, Algebra, Geometry
Years Teaching: 20+
Education: B.A. Geology, University of Rhode Island
Certifications: Middle and High School Science
Locations served: North Kingstown, East Greenwich, Warwick and Learning Center in Pawtucket