Staff
Amy Rolfes, Executive Director
Daniel Rubenstein, Development Director
JoEllen Mogelgaard, Reading Specialist
Hillary Baldwin, Social Worker, Program Manager
Charmin Archer, Writing Workshop Teacher
Emalee Maus, U of M Social Work Intern
Annie Kennedy, Parkridge Program Assistant



Gary Maynard, Math Program Manager
Mary Maynard, Finance Assistant
Larry Krueger, Technology Manager
Jennifer Melchi, Graphic Designer
Administrative Volunteers
Karen Chapell, Retirement Income Solutions
Brandy J. Ellison, University of Notre Dame
Jamie Guise, United Bank & Trust
Jeffery D. Harrold (Chair), University of Michigan
Scott Holda, Materialise
Anna F. Jilek, Deloitte, CPA
Gary D. Maynard, M.D., retired physician
Jennifer Melchi, Jennifer Melchi Design Co
Fred Rickelmann, Ivers, Ricklemann & Petersen, CPAs
Cheryl S. Taylor, Washtenaw Intermediate School District
Jean Waltman, Center for the Education of Women, University of Michigan
Board of Directors
Annual Reports
Sponsors
Collaboration & Alliances
Guidestar
The Family Learning Institute (FLI) was created in response to the 1998 Michigan Educational Assessment Program (MEAP) statewide, standardized test. 35% of 4th graders had scored below grade level in reading; among African Americans, 71% did. Concerned citizens formed the Community Academic Success Team (CAST) to support The Ann Arbor Achievement Initiative

In February 1999, several members of CAST met to plan a reading conference, but decided a reading conference was not enough. They left with agreement to create a more sustained, community-based, long-term strategy to help students close the achievement gap.

Doris Sperling, a retired teacher and evaluation expert, and Lefiest Galimore, a community organizer, developed the concept for and established FLI in late 1999. The program design incorporated recommendations from focus groups representing area colleges and universities, the Ann Arbor Public Schools, and diverse members of the community. Recommendations included targeting students in grades 3 through 8, involving students, parents, teachers, and tutors, and providing a curriculum that develops reading, writing, thinking, and contextual interpretation skills. FLI was begun with grants from Washtenaw County and the city of Ann Arbor, and a generous start-up donation from a local entrepreneur.

The essence of FLI's program is to have professional teachers test students on intake, develop individualized lesson plans that target their weaknesses, train volunteer "coaches," pair each student with a coach in a long-term, continuous relationship, and conduct regular follow-up testing to gauge progress and refine lesson plans as needed. Coaching is done in private rooms away from school to maintain anonymity, minimize embarrassment, and remove students from any negative associations they may have with school. FLI has demonstrated consistent success, regularly raising most students' reading levels by one, two, or three grades within one year -- students who, without intervention, would be expected to fall farther behind.

History of Family Learning Institute

JoEllen Mogelgaard, Emalee Maus, Charmin Archer, Hillary Baldwin,
Gary Maynard, Daniel Rubenstein, Larry Krueger