About Me

Certified Academic Language Therapist

What I do

My therapy utilizes a variety of multi-sensory techniques designed to meet students' individual needs and distinctive learning paths. I am committed to providing a warm, engaging learning environment that promotes self-advocacy and self-confidence.

Experience:

  • 40 plus years in education - 1st grade, 2nd grade, Reading Recovery, Learning Specialist, K-5 Reading Specialist

  • International Dyslexia Association director and board member-Austin, TX

  • Hamlin Robinson School’s Learning and Curriculum Director

  • English as a Second Language (ESL) certified

  • Certified Academic Language Therapist (CALT)

  • Orton-Gillingham Basic Language Skills training and certification - Neuhaus Education

  • Slingerland Basic Training-Hamlin Robinson School

  • B.S. in Elementary Education - The University of Texas at Austin

  • M.A. in Reading Education - Texas State University

ALTA Certified Academic Language Therapists provide diagnostic, explicit, systematic Multisensory Structured Language intervention which builds a high degree of accuracy, knowledge, and independence for students with written-language disorders, including dyslexia.

Who I am

Mary embraces her life in the Pacific Northwest with her loving, supportive husband of 40 years. She enjoys being outdoors and engaging in hiking, camping, and kayaking activities. In the summer of 2024, Mary and her husband moved to the beautiful Kitsap Peninsula. They bought their dream home and property in Bremerton, Washington, and could not be happier. Mary has one daughter who resides in Austin, Texas, and is a successful businesswoman in technology sales.

Testimonials

  • My son struggled with basic reading skills and was unable to participate in any reading activities in his third grade class. Working with Ms Cook improved not only his reading skills but greatly impacted his confidence in his abilities. For the first time, he believed that it was possible for him to be able to read, just like other kids.

    Jennifer Trygstad - Parent

  • "Miss Cook, Thank you for helping me learn to spell better and be neater."

    Mason - Student

  • Academics can be frustrating for our daughter and with the time she spent with Mary and the process of breaking things down – we started to see light bulbs going off that we had not seen from our daughter before. It is often challenging to keep our daughter's attention during a session and Mary was excellent in tailoring the lesson plans around her and being fluid in finding the best approach for that day.

    Kim Nisbet - Parent

  • "He is different today than he was a year ago and you, your skills and the experience you gave him are a big part of his change."

    Jennifer Ayers - Parent, Rawson Saunders School, Austin, TX

  • "At her core, Mary believes in her students and deeply cares about developing them into effective and confident readers and writers."

    Jamie Nettles - Director of Dyslexia Services, Rawson Saunders School, Austin, TX

  • "Mary Cook is a true child advocate! She is dedicated, dependable, organized, and hard-working. She has been extremely effective in enhancing the language and literacy development of many students."

    Debbie Sansom - Former principal, Cook Elementary, Austin, TX

  • "We seek the absolute best of the best, and Mary is exactly that. Her commitment to excellence and education and her desire-and ability- to connect with her students is inspiring."

    Laura Steinbach - Head of School, Rawson Saunders School, Austin, TX

  • "Mary enjoys creating engaging lessons to address the varied needs of her students instead of blindly following a more anemic approach."

    Perry D. Stokes - Dean of Instruction, Rawson Saunders School, Austin, TX