About Our Journey...

Meet Ava White

Ava White has a passion about assisting students to learn to read and to become accomplished in their studies. She knows what it does for a child’s self-esteem to be able to achieve and feel successful in his or her school work . . . and how that radiates into all aspects of his or her life.

Ava White’s Background

Graduated Peabody College for Teachers (part of Vanderbilt University System). B.S. Elementary Education and Special Education.
Griffin Child Development Center (schools for emotionally disturbed children). Lead Therapist.
Snellville Middle School. Special Education Teacher serving students through a Resource room delivery model.
University of Georgia. Masters of Education in Special Education.
Alpine Psychoeducational Center in Gainesville, GA. Coordinator of Psychoeducational Services. Was responsible for supervising 18 teachers, managing the academic and behavioral challenges of 9 classrooms for emotionally disturbed children who were housed in different locations in Northeast Georgia.

Ava’s business began as a result of her private tutoring of special needs students, which was requested by a child psychiatrist who practiced at Emory University, noticed the special learning needs of children with emotional disturbances and behavior disorders. In 1982, she began a private tutorial service as a single individual tutor. As the demand for tutoring began to grow, Ava realized that she could not meet all of the needs of the children that were referred to her. So, she began hiring other teachers to help in subjects like geometry and Spanish, as well as remedial areas such as reading and math in the elementary years.

Her business has grown from just 2–3 tutors to a staff of 25 or more. Ava H. White Tutorials is now a state-approved Supplemental Educational Services Provider, service local students who are enrolled in the No Child Left Behind program. To date, her staff has helped 2 middle schools and 2 elementary schools meet their Annual Yearly Progress goals, and some of these schools have been able to exit the Needs Improvement list.

Ava has developed and taught seminars on Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorders, Learning Disabilities, Enhancing Self-Esteem, Classroom Management Skills, Study Skills, Parenting Power, Child Management Skills for Foster Parents, and Test-Taking Skills for students, parents and teachers.

Ava started training for the certification process with the Wilson Reading System in 2002. Over the last several years, she completed all levels of certification and became a certified Wilson Trainer in 2006. She is now a Partner in the Wilson Reading System, and is one of 12 Partners in the United States honored with this designation.

The Academy began because several parents asked Ava to open a school for their children who have learning disabilities. Ava’s years of working with children all over the Northeast Georgia area . . . turning their struggles into success . . . was the model and foundation for the Academy.