Interventions

Math Intervention

Hi, I am Genevieve Brown but go by Genny, Mrs. Brown or Mrs. B to my students. I’m delighted to be the math interventionist at Birch! I am passionate about math intervention and I am thrilled to take on this role. Before becoming the math interventionist I was a general education teacher in grades 2-5, starting my teaching career in 2010. 

In preparation for this position, I earned my Master’s Degree in Curriculum and Instruction in Math from CU Boulder. I’ve also completed BVSD’s Mathematical Practice Standards course and Marilyn Zecher’s Multisensory Orton Gillingham Approach to Mathematics. I’m eager to bring all I have learned to support our Bulldog community! 

I’ll be using a variety of diagnostic tools to discover areas of need in conceptual and procedural math skills. I will be focusing on supporting number sense (which is considered the “phonics” or building blocks of math skills). I’ll be working with small groups of students in grades K-5. 

Want to know more about this important math topic? Check out this article! How Important is Number Sense? (Turns out, Very)

Outside of school, I love exploring the mountains with my family. We enjoy mountain biking, hiking, and skiing together—my husband Tyler, our kids Cora (7) and Danny (4), and our doggo Pearl. You should see Pearl on skis, lol.

Reading Intervention

Hi! I am Kelly Anderson and I am so excited to be returning as Birch’s reading interventionist this year. I get to work with students from kindergarten all the way through 5th grade to support them in improving their reading skills. Prior to moving into an intervention role I taught 3rd grade for several years at Birch as well as in St. Vrain Schools. I have my Master’s Degree in Curriculum and Instruction in Literacy from CU Boulder which allowed me to earn my Reading Teacher license for K-12. I am very passionate about helping children learn to read and love spending each day in small groups.

The main program I use for intervention is Orton Gillingham (OG). OG is a structured, sequential, multi-sensory approach to teaching phonics and spelling which will in turn support a student’s overall reading growth.  OG based  instruction is effective for students at all ability levels, including students with dyslexia.  I have been trained in two different OG programs and consistently see amazing growth from students in my OG groups. As my students grow in their skills and have mastered these foundational reading skills, I typically transition them into an OG based Morphology program. This program uses the same routines and structures but focuses on vocabulary and the make-up of words including prefixes, suffixes, Latin bases, and Greek bases. This program not only builds vocabulary skills, but also improves comprehension and fluency.  To learn more about this curriculum and programming please visit this website. 

I am an outdoor enthusiast who enjoys hiking, camping, and paddleboarding with my husband, Ben. When I’m not exploring nature or teaching, you can find me immersed in a good book, practicing yoga, or traveling the world to discover new cultures and experiences. I can’t wait to get to know your students and am looking forward to an amazing year!