The Redwood Story
Redwood exists so that all students with literacy struggles can access their dreams. By cultivating hope and restoring confidence, we help students dramatically improve their literacy skills regardless of socio-economic background or learning differences.
Andre and Kait Feriante, former Chicago Public School & Noble Charter School teachers, founded Redwood Literacy in 2018 with a deep desire to see the evidence-based reading intervention they had seen change the course of many of their student’s lives become more widely available to any student who needed it, regardless of age, geographical location, or socio-economic background. Parents of three children themselves, Andre and Kait know how transformative a positive, inspiring, and effective educational experience can be for kids and also how frustrating it is to watch your child consistently be misunderstood and not given the right support that they need to be successful. Rebecca Sinclair, also a long-time CPS educator, came on as Co-Founder & Head of School at Redwood Day School in 2019. Andre, as an individual with dyslexia, and Becky & Kait, both with over a decade of experience working with dyslexic individuals, wanted to create a place specifically for folks with dyslexia, where they felt like they belonged, were understood, and could be successful. Redwood Literacy was born from that desire and has grown into a beautiful community of educators, parents, and students. It’s a special place and we cannot wait to see the continued beauty it will make in the world.
Hear Kait talk through the Redwood story here.
Redwood Schools Mission:
Redwood schools provide specialized, evidence-based instruction based on the individual needs of each student. We equip each student with the foundation, tools, confidence, and advocacy skills they need to close academic gaps and build the success attributes necessary to successfully transition back into a mainstream educational environment.
Our Core Values:
Justice:
We recognize the value and dignity of each person and operate under the belief that all students with literacy struggles should have access to the reading intervention they need.
Transparency:
We collaborate with transparency, communicating both internally and externally with honesty and respect.
Optimism:
We believe in our students, in our team, and in our mission. We strive for continuous improvement in order to best serve our students and their families.
Results-Oriented:
We deliver results through exceptional individualized instruction, overcoming obstacles to meet each learner's needs.
Sustainability:
We grow our services by prioritizing sustainability for ourselves, our employees, and our clients.
Diversity & Equity & Inclusion:
In all areas of our operations, we value diversity, equity, and inclusion across age, race, gender, socioeconomic background, ability, and life experiences. We define equity as creating a sense of fairness, and inclusion as a sense of belonging, trust, and community.
Affiliations:
We are currently members of the following associations: