About Us

Our Mission is to provide expert instruction to all students, helping them grow into successful life-long learners.

We provide a model of academic intervention that is specific to each student's unique learning strengths and needs.  We design instructional interventions based on diagnostic assessments, and use strategic interventions that are the best research-based practices available.  We are not bound by a franchised program, but are free to use whatever instruction will really match the learner.

Additionally, we are a resource center for parents, teachers, and administrators.  We provide short-term and long-term consultation, teacher development opportunities, and private assessment and tutoring services.

Our methods are...

• Personalized - We develop and provide learning services for students, parents, teachers and administrators that are based on what the client knows, values, and needs.
• Collaborative - we build relationships between teachers, parents, students, and other stakeholders that strengthen the students' learning opportunities.
• Comprehensive - We work with all aspects of the learner:  social, emotional, artistic, cognitive, affective, and strategic to encourage learning in academic and out-of-school contexts.

EnCourage Institute Director

Dr. Mary Rozendal (BA, Calvin College; MA, Michigan State University; PhD, Michigan State University) brings 22 years of teaching experience in early childhood, elementary, secondary, special education and university settings to the Institute.  She specializes in assessing and remediating reading/writing difficulties and learning disabilities, inclusive education, and teacher development.  She has worked in numerous schools as a consultant for inclusive education and literacy programs, and provided mentoring to novice and experienced teachers.  She is  an award-winning researcher and has published in professional journals.  Dr. Rozendal is also on the Central Michigan University Graduate Faculty. 

EnCourage Institute Tutors and Intervention Specialists

All tutors at EnCourage Institute are certified teachers.  They implement the instructional plan developed by Dr. Rozendal and the student's parents during the Diagnostic Evaluation and consultations.

Dr. Rozendal is available for tutoring but has a limited number of openings.

Ellen Murray is a certified teacher in K-8 General Education, K-12 LD, EI & CI (special education). She has a BA and MEd from Grand Valley State University and 32 years of teaching experience in Elementary and Middle School General Education, and K-12 Special Education. She is an experienced private tutor and is currently a Field Coordinator for the College of Education at Grand Valley State University.

Susan Harrell is a certified teacher in K-8 General Education, K-12 Special Education (LD), and is a certified Reading Recovery teacher. She has a BS in SPecial Education and MEd in Learning Disabilities from Calvin College. She has over 17 years of teaching experience in elementary and special education and in one-on-one reading interventions.

Rebecca Zwart is a certified teacher in K-8 General Education and Middle School Math and Language Arts.  She has a Bachelor of Arts degree from Hope College and a Master of Education degree in Reading and Language Arts from Grand Valley State University.  She has taught 5th grade and 8th grade math and has been an Education Intervention Specialist at EnCourage Institute for two years.  In addition to one-on-one interventions in reading and math, she is one of the instructors for the summer Reading Clinic and has also helped students prepare for the ACT and GRE.

Dean Fritzemeier is an Education Intervention Specialist.  He attended Olivet College and Grand Valley State University, receiving a Bachelor's in Mathematics and Business and a Master's in Educational Technology.  He is secondary certified in Mathematics and Geography.  He also has two years of experience teaching mathematics to high school students, besides 2.5 years experience teaching adults receiving their GED.  His experience at Encourage lies with helping students learn Math, ACT Test preparation, and helping them use technology for further learning benefits.

Tara Sebolt is a certified Elementary Education Teacher as well as a certified K-12 Special Education Teacher. She has endorsements in Autism Spectrum Disorders & Cognitive Impairments. At EnCourage, Tara leads the Puzzles and Play program as Austism Intervention Specialist.

Chelsea Gajadhar is a graduate from Calvin College with major degrees in Psychology and Therapeutic Recreation, and a minor degree in Dance.  Chelsea has been teaching dance and practicing Recreational Therapy for one year, and is a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist.  Her expertise area is movement as a therapeutic forum, using this art form to help all ages.  Chelsea is also a member of MTRA, Michigan Therapeutic Recreation Association.  At EnCourage, Chelsea is the movement therapist, and offers this therapy for both clinics, and one-on-one interventions.