Our Services
Reading Evaluations - Test of Dyslexia
The purpose of the evaluation is to determine a student’s specific reading gaps in foundational skills such as phonics, phonemic awareness, spelling, fluency, comprehension, and/or processing speed. The evaluation includes a full phonics inventory (auditory and visual), a Phonological Awareness Screening Test (PAST), Acadience Reading Assessment, a high-frequency word test of reading and spelling, and if needed, a Rapid Automatized Naming (RAN).
Bloom Literacy Solutions offers the Test of Dyslexia, which is a standardized normed assessment that includes all measurements of phonological awareness, vocabulary, reasoning skills, word recognition, phonics knowledge, reading fluency and comprehension efficiency.
Tutoring Services
The newest and very exciting portion of Paul’s Mountain, we recently merged with Foothills Dyslexia out of Colorado and now are able to provide a mentoring program for those that interested in tutoring. Barton Reading and Spelling System is an Orton-Gillingham influenced, scientific-based, evidence-driven, multi-sensory, direct, explicit, structured, sequential, one-to-one tutoring system that addresses the condition of dyslexia through intense intervention. It is currently utilized by US Bureau of Prisons for First Step Act and is on the advisory list of instructional programs for the Colorado READ Act since April 2014. With the more tutors we are able to mentor, the more students we are able to provide evidence based structured literacy tutoring on a sliding scale to help literacy not be a privilege.
Please contact us if you are interested in being mentored as a tutor or receiving tutoring services!
Professional Development
Professional development is available in all areas of structured literacy., whether you are new to the journey and in need of a larger overhaul or are established in structured literacy and additional guidance and system checks are needed.
Hesser Literacy Partners provides: Screening/assessments, Federal Regulations and Wyoming Statutes, MTSS and Structured Literacy (including phonics, phonemic awareness, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, and morphology)
Bloom Literacy Solutions offers a Dyslexia Simulation course
Hesser Literacy Partners
Consultations for Teachers and Administrators
Hesser Literacy Partners
Megan Hesser of Hesser Literacy Partners, LLC provides reading evaluations and tutoring services. She unexpectedly entered literacy and the science of reading after witnessing the struggles her bright son was facing in learning to read. She received a Master’s degree in Reading Science from Mount St. Joseph University and a Structured Lit
Megan Hesser of Hesser Literacy Partners, LLC provides reading evaluations and tutoring services. She unexpectedly entered literacy and the science of reading after witnessing the struggles her bright son was facing in learning to read. She received a Master’s degree in Reading Science from Mount St. Joseph University and a Structured Literacy Classroom Teacher certification from the Center for Effective Reading Instruction.
Megan started working with Paul just a few months into his fifth-grade year. He was at a first-grade reading level and did not know the foundational skills for reading. After twelve Orton-Gillingham tutoring sessions, Paul had advanced to the middle of a second-grade reading level. He was to start receiving this same instruction at school on January 9, 2023, the first day of his Individualized Education Plan.
Ascend Academics
Consultations for Teachers and Administrators
Hesser Literacy Partners
Kristin Vito of Ascend Academics, LLC provides reading and spelling intervention virtually and in person. She has a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Vanderbilt University and a Master of Education in Reading from Regis University. Additionally, she is a certified Dyslexia/Structured Literacy Specialist, Associate Educatio
Kristin Vito of Ascend Academics, LLC provides reading and spelling intervention virtually and in person. She has a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Vanderbilt University and a Master of Education in Reading from Regis University. Additionally, she is a certified Dyslexia/Structured Literacy Specialist, Associate Educational Therapist, and Wyoming teacher with a reading endorsement.
Consultations for Teachers and Administrators
Consultations for Teachers and Administrators
Consultations for Teachers and Administrators
Heather Fleming, Ed.D., Reading Science
Certified structured literacy and dyslexia specialist
Heather is passionate about developing supportive, collaborative partnerships with teachers and administrators. She loves to learn about educator strengths and about what they think they need to move forward on their literacy journey. Heather’s
Heather Fleming, Ed.D., Reading Science
Certified structured literacy and dyslexia specialist
Heather is passionate about developing supportive, collaborative partnerships with teachers and administrators. She loves to learn about educator strengths and about what they think they need to move forward on their literacy journey. Heather’s expertise includes how skilled reading develops, what can impede skilled reading, and the most effective ways to assess and teach reading to all children. She is extremely knowledgeable about literacy training and instructional material resources. Heather can also provide practical insight about how to create effective IEPs and 504 Plans and how to support teachers in their implementation.
Heather’s literacy journey began in 2015 when her 3rd-grade son was diagnosed with dyslexia after four years of struggling to learn to read and write. Heather subsequently pursued and holds master’s and doctoral degrees in reading science and a dyslexia certificate from Mount St. Joseph University. She taught at a school and camp that specialize in supporting students with dyslexia. Heather successfully advocated for numerous amendments to Wyoming’s K-3 reading assessment and intervention legislation. She has had the opportunity to consult with educators, advocates, legislators, and departments of education around the country.
Our Future
Consultations for Teachers and Administrators
Consultations for Teachers and Administrators
We are committed to continuing our important and impactful work until every child is taught how to read to prevent suicide. There are many ways to support the climb of Paul's Mountain. If you would like to support by donating your time or other resources please reach out. If you are looking to financially support you may make a donation
We are committed to continuing our important and impactful work until every child is taught how to read to prevent suicide. There are many ways to support the climb of Paul's Mountain. If you would like to support by donating your time or other resources please reach out. If you are looking to financially support you may make a donation via Zeffy. Thank you for your support as we climb Paul's Mountain.
PAUL'S MOUNTAIN - ADVOCACY FOR LITERACY
Paul was a son, a big brother a best friend who completed suicide in fifth grade at his rural school on the first day of his Individualized Education Program. Paul’s Mental health struggles stemmed from reading difficulties, even after being held back in kindergarten and receiving interventions each year. Paul was diagnosed with ADHD in the second grade, this diagnosis was blamed for each and every struggle Paul had in school. After the first quarter of Paul’s fifth grade year, Paul's parents, Paul and Chandel learned that Paul was scoring at first grade reading level. Chandel then hired Hesser Literacy Partners to evaluate and tutor Paul, in the twelve sessions of evidence based structured literacy Paul had advanced from a first-grade reading level to the middle of a second grade reading level. It is a tragedy that he did not learn how to read until after an inpatient stay for suicidal ideations and the last three months of his life. After Chandel spoke of Paul’s struggles to the Joint Education Committee for the Wyoming Legislator in November 2023 she learned that Paul was not a minority who struggled with reading, in fact a majority of Wyoming Students struggle with reading, only 48.75% of third grade students are at a third grade reading level the end of third grade. In fourth grade students are no longer taught how to read, instead they read to learn. Chandel was in absolute shock, as she thought her son and her family were so alone in the struggles of watching a child being left behind their peers, cousin's and younger sibling and not knowing why. Paul and Chandel founded Paul’s Mountain Non-Profit Organization, a 501(c)3 in November 2023 to help the struggling students who are like Paul. It is possible to teach every student how to read, and teaching children how to read will help prevent suicide and ensure the child has a brighter future.
Merger with Foothills Dyslexia
Foothills Dyslexia began in September 2018. After fifteen years of experience tutoring children with dyslexia and witnessing the benefits, Mary Candeo wanted to address the shameful lack of awareness about dyslexia and lack of intervention services for most children.
Originally a physical therapist working in Africa, Mary was homeschooling her children and was shocked to discover that her bright young son couldn't seem to learn to read, in contrast to his sisters who learned easily. It turned out that was the definition of dyslexia: a surprising difficulty learning to read in a child with normal intelligence and the usual instruction.
Although she knew nothing at the time about the science of reading, Mary learned quickly about dyslexia and applied the principles of physical rehabilitation to the skills necessary for reading and writing. There were no dyslexia specialists near her home in Lesotho, Africa, so the only option was to become one herself. Mary became trained in the Barton Reading and Spelling System, a dyslexia remediation training program for individuals having no prior special education skills. As Mary began working with her own son in the small international community, it was soon apparent that every classroom had children who needed this specialized instruction. In the next several years she tutored over a hundred more students and reached hundreds more by training more tutors in each country. This is in line with the fact that one in five individuals are dyslexic.
Despite needing five years of daily tutoring, her son eventually caught up with his peers and earned an engineering masters degree. Upon her return to the United States, Mary obtained a graduate degree in special education and continues to tutor children with reading disabilities in private practice and schools.
Chandel and Mary met one another and discovered they shared the same vision, helping children learn how to read and decided to join their efforts in changing the world by advocating for literacy for each child. In February of 2025 Foothills Dyslexia and Paul’s Mountain Non-Profit Organization merged creating Paul’s Mountain – Advocacy for Literacy. This is a beautiful merger as it is forces and resources coming together to ensure that every child is taught how to read.