Joyce S. Pickering, Hum. D.
Executive Director and CEO of the Shelton School in Dallas, Texas

Joyce’s entire career path has been devoted to helping learning-different students. Her professional career began in the 1960s as a speech pathologist.

Highlights have since included the following:

• Director, Perceptual Development Center and the Early Childhood Program, Natchez, Mississippi. This program received a White House Citation. In Mississippi she also founded the first public school class in the state for deaf and aphasic students.
• Director, Early Childhood Education Program, Natchez, Mississippi. This program was named as one of the top ten by the U.S. Office of Education in 1970.
• Director, Reading Study Foundation, Natchez, Mississippi
• Dean, Early Childhood Program and Primary School, Sao Paulo, Brazil Co-founder, Brazilian Dyslexia Foundation
• Director, Curriculum and Instruction, American School, Mexico City
• Director, Affiliated Programs, dePaul School, Louisville, Kentucky
• Since 1990 Joyce has been the Executive Director, CEO and President of the Board of Shelton School in Dallas. She is now seeing a personal vision for the school realized, with the expansion of the school to include a high school level. Today the school serves 855 students with diagnosed learning differences and is the largest private school worldwide for LD students. A new emphasis is being placed on research, the results of which will benefit students, families and professionals.
• Clinical Assistant Professor, UT Southwestern Medical Center
• Adjunct Professor, Dallas Baptist University

For eight years she was President of the International Multisensory Structured Language Education Council (IMSLEC) and is proud of her role in developing the organization’s accreditation standards. She served 10 years on the board of the International Dyslexia Association (IDA), first as Vice President of Academic Affairs and later raising capital campaign funds. She is past President of the Alliance for Accreditation and Certification of Structured Language Education, Inc. and remains on their board. Dr. Pickering is Vice President (Public Relations) for the Academic Language Therapy Association (ALTA). She also serves on the advisory board of the Scottish Rite Learning Center, Northern Jurisdiction.

Her work has been published in many educational journals, and she has been honored by many professional associations. She was recognized by the Pennsylvania Montessori Teachers Association for her work in the field of early childhood education. In 2009 she was nominated for the 2010 Living Legacy by the American Montessori Society. (View published Montessori articles.)

In May 2002 she received an honorary doctorate in humanities from Dallas Baptist University. In May 2003 she was honored by Exceptional Parent with their Distinguished Service Award. In 2006 she was recognized by IDA for her years of contributions. Dr. Pickering is a frequent featured speaker at state, national and international conferences. Two years ago she addressed the American Montessori Society (AMS) centennial conference in New York City and the International Montessori School of Beijing. (View conference materials.)

One other accomplishment: Joyce is married to Dr. Robert (Bob) Pickering; they have seven children and 10 grandchildren.

Other members of the Shelton staff, highly trained in the field of learning differences, will also contribute from time to time.

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Linda Kneese, M.Ed., CALT,QI
Director of Outreach, Shelton School in Dallas, Texas

B.A. degree in Education/English minor, Baylor University; Master’s in Education, North Texas State University; graduate courses in Education Administration, Dallas Baptist University; Certified Academic Language Therapist (CALT) & Qualified Instructor (QI); Adjunct Instructor at Dallas Baptist University, and presently Director of Outreach at Shelton School and Evaluation Center.

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Nancy Coffman, MS, CALT,QI
Associate Director of Outreach, Shelton School in Dallas, Texas

Nancy holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from The University of the South, a master’s degree in special education from Vanderbilt University, is a Certified Academic Language Therapist and a Qualified Instructor in Alphabetic Phonics. Nancy is a member of the International Dyslexia Association, the Alliance for Accreditation and Certification of Structured Language Education, Inc. (Alliance) and the Academic Language Therapy Association (ALTA). Nancy is currently president of the Alliance and immediate past president of ALTA. Nancy is an adjunct instructor for DBU and serves as the Associate Director of Outreach at the Shelton School in Dallas, Texas.