DIVERGENT ACADEMY
Where Divergent Thinking & Neurodivergence Collide
Based in Denver, serving all of Colorado. Provides student evaluations for homeschoolers, coaching for parents, and one-on-one tutoring for ages 5-14.
DEBRA WEISSMAN
Debra has worked with children almost her entire life and loves helping people bring out the best version of themselves. She knew from a very young age that she wanted to be a teacher and encourage children to love and embrace their uniqueness.
Debra is a licensed Colorado teacher with a decade of professional teaching experience, 12 years of tutoring experience, and she is currently homeschooling her own neurodiverse children while also being a homeschool resource for Colorado families.
She has worked in many different learning environments including public schools (K-12), a Reggio-Emilia private school, and the Colorado juvenile detention system.
Debra received a bachelors in education from Judson University and has experience working in special education.
IN-HOME STUDENT EVALUATION
Evaluation completed in the comfort of your own home. I will review work samples, parent descriptions of the various content areas being taught, and conduct a short parent interview. In most cases, I wont need to interact directly with the child. These are meant to be stress free, and there will be no testing during the evaluation. This evaluation legally meets the Colorado testing requirements if you choose to not utilize standardized testing for your child. $45 for one in-home evaluation. Additional children: $25 each during same session.
VIRTUAL STUDENT EVALUATION
Virtual evaluations are a great option for busy families and/or for children with diverse needs. As the parent, you will digitally share student sample work, descriptions of what the student is able to do over various content areas, and be a part of a quick parent interview either by email, Zoom, Skype, or Facetime. In most cases, I wont need to interact directly with the child. These are meant to be stress free, and there will be no testing during the evaluation. This evaluation legally meets the Colorado testing requirements if you choose to not utilize standardized testing for your child. $35 for one virtual evaluation. Additional children: $25 each during same session.
PARENT COACHING
Parent Coaching is an option for families who are new to homeschooling or who want additional guidance. I can offer anything from student advice, curriculum guidance, assistance with lesson planning, observation, additional assessments, resources, etc. Please don’t hesitate to reach out and book a session. I truly enjoy being helpful and love teaming up with other parents to solve any problems that might be occurring. Sessions are $45/hr.
ONE-ON-ONE TUTORING
Each child has unique gifts and learning styles. Unfortunately, because of large classroom sizes, a teacher doesn't always have the ability to meet each student where they're at, both academically and socially/emotionally. Your child will build their self-confidence with 1-on-1 tutoring with Debra, all while working on specific content areas of current struggle. This service can also be utilized by homeschoolers who need extra support. Sessions are typically one hour, but can be flexible based on the needs of the child. Sessions are $45/hr.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
WHAT DO I NEED TO PROVIDE FOR AN EVALUATION?
As the homeschool parent, you will share student work that you feel best represents where they’re at in various content areas showing they are making adequate progress. You will provide descriptions of what your child has been learning. We will have a quick chat about how everything is going, and you can include your child if you’d like (but not necessary in most cases).
DOES THIS EVALUATION MEET COLORADO STATE LAW REQUIREMENTS?
Yes! According to Colorado law, as a homeschool family, you can either participate in standardized testing OR you can complete an education evaluation by a qualified profession such as a state licensed teacher.
CAN A CHILD WITH SPECIAL NEEDS BE EVALUATED?
Absolutely! I evaluate each child at the level they are at.
