Testimonials of HOPE in Special Education

“Our schools’ administrators and staff have had the opportunity to work with HOPE for the past few years. They are very knowledgeable about special education and are passionate about reaching a win-win with the district and families. Both Suzanne and Katie have been instrumental in creating a special bond between parents and staff. Their philosophy always puts the child first, but they work within the means of the district to see that appropriate services are rendered”.
David E. Axner, Ed.D.,
Former Superintendent, Chagrin Falls Exempted Village Schools

“HOPE is a wonderful resource for children and their families. Suzanne and Katie possess a remarkable ability to use information from medical professionals and therapists, develop meaningful recommendations and communicate with schools and parents. All of this combines to maximize children’s success. I confidently refer families to HOPE knowing the excellent assistance they will receive.”
T. Shawn Sullivan, Ph.D.,
Neuropsychologist, Akron Children’s Hospital

“I went to HOPE for assistance in evaluating my child’s Individualized Education Plan (IEP). Not only did they provide me with information, but they visited his class and met with the teacher to get knowledge of my child’s learning environment. We then worked with the school to develop academic goals and implement new learning strategies for the classroom. HOPE provides meaningful input into the development of a child’s program. Their strong educational background and understanding of children with learning difficulties made our school meeting much more comfortable and productive. I felt prepared and confident that I was making the right decisions about my child’s education.”
Parent and HOPE Client

“…Some time ago, I had the pleasure of meeting Suzanne Wilcox who was moving with her family, inclusive of children with special needs, to our district. I was impressed with her educational knowledge and determination to find the best program for her children. It was only later that I discovered that she was a educational consultant, and what an asset she has been to our district. She has an uncanny ability to foster positive relationships between families and schools, but more importantly, that is her mission. She reverently places children on the top rung of the ladder as a matter of focus and works collaboratively to find reasonable solutions to learning issues."
Missy Gordon
Director of Intervention Studies, Upper Arlington, Ohio

A mother of an eight-year-old boy with dyslexia came to us at the beginning of the year for guidance in planning her son’s program. After she met with us and followed through with some of our recommendations, she called and said, “Until I started working with you, the school didn’t take me seriously. Now they understand me and what my son needs.”

An occupational therapist with whom we consulted wrote:  “After we talked, I had a very nice conversation with (your client). You and (your client’s family) are very educated, proactive and kind. (This child) is lucky to have all of you! Please feel free to call me at any time, as I will continue to work with him next year. Thanks.”

One client’s son has nonverbal learning disabilities and is in the seventh grade. He is an incredibly gifted musician, he is unable to read music, but he can hear music one time and repeat it flawlessly. Being a part of the band is one of the areas that gives him self esteem and success. The band director told his mother that in order to make the special jazz band for eighth grade, he would need to sight read at the audition. We spent several hours conferencing with the mother and doing research to help her substantiate her request to eliminate the sight reading requirement from his audition. We received a message from her that said:  “My son just called me from school and he made the jazz band and I owe it to you for having directed me to have the courage to go forth to this teacher with the information about his NLD. Thank you, thank you, thank you and may God bless you immensely because I really believe He put you into my life to be able to help me do this for my son. I don’t think this would have happened without your urging me to challenge the teacher to think outside the box.”

"This workshop gave us a real desire to be our child’s advocate. I feel more empowered! They were great trainers…please have them come back again and again!"
Parent of a child with special needs, after attending Foundations for Success

”HOPE has been an invaluable resource to the families served by our child and adolescent psychiatry practice over the last two years. Katie and her team provide schools and families with practical and effective strategies to support each child in making the most of his or her God-given abilities. The advocacy of the HOPE team is often indispensable in building channels of communication between parents and teachers; often this removes some of the pressure we face as physicians to find a medical “quick fix” for a child’s academic struggles. When I refer families to HOPE, I often tell parents they will get a better return on investment from the services provided by Katie and her team than any other component of their child’s treatment plan.”
Stephen Grcevich, MD
Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
President and Founder, Family Center By the Falls