Meet The Literacy Lady Team

"Teenagers do not have standardized minds, yet they must take standardized tests. It is the responsibility of educators to adapt traditional teaching approaches to meet the needs of the individual child."

- Carva King from DYSTINCT article, "More Than Just a Number"

Carva King, Ed.S., LDT

Founder, The Literacy Lady, LLC

Adolescent Reading Specialist
Licensed Dyslexia Therapist
ACT Test Prep Expert

Carva King is a 24-year veteran teacher with Mississippi AAA teaching certifications in Dyslexia Therapy, English, Reading, Library Media Science, Career Technical Special Populations, Special Education Mild-to-Moderate Disabilities, English as a Second Language, and School Administration. Carva earned both Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Secondary Education with an emphasis in English from Mississippi State University. In 2022, she completed an Educational Specialist (Ed.S.) degree in Reading from Arkansas State University, where she also earned Graduate Dyslexia Certification. She is a graduate of the Mississippi Alternate Route to Quality School Leadership and has completed training in Orton-Gillingham reading methodology through the Institute for Multi-Sensory Education.

Carva has spent the majority of her career teaching and coordinating services for populations of adolescent students who face potential challenges in their journeys to academic success. These populations include students with specific learning disabilities (including dyslexia), students with ADHD and other behavioral concerns, English language learners, pregnant teens/teen parents, students in high-poverty rural communities, students placed into the Multi-Tier Support System (MTSS), and students with Autism Spectrum Disorder who are able to participate in the general education curriculum. As an adolescent reading specialist, she is passionate about providing innovative, research-based instruction for older struggling readers. Carva is equally as passionate about helping high school students achieve their post-secondary goals. In fact, she asserts that she is on a mission to help students attend college without the burdensome debt of student loans. Her vision for The Literacy Lady is to offer highly-specialized services designed to meet the unique needs of adolescent learners.

Samantha Franco

Instructional Team

Samantha is a Spanish I-IV high school teacher where she serves as the chairperson of the Electives Department and coordinates services for students who are English Learners. In her 12 years of teaching, she has been selected as her department's Teacher of the Year five times and the Teacher of the Year once! She has begun graduate level coursework in the Teaching of English as a Second Language (TESOL) and the Teaching of Foreign Languages. Samantha is the lead teacher for The Literacy Lady's "Aventuras en Español” summer camp. Future plans include Spanish and ESL classes for adolescent and adult learners.

Katie Walker

Instructional Team

Katie is a graduate of Mississippi State University, where she was a Mississippi Excellence in Teaching Program (METP) Scholar. In her first year teaching at an elementary school in the Gulfport School District, she was responsible for developing an innovative curriculum for a new hybrid 5th grade social studies/writing class. Her dynamic approach to teaching this class led to her being selected as her school's "Novice Teacher of the Year"! Katie is the lead teacher for The Literacy Lady's "Magnificent Mississippi" summer camp. She also offers tutoring in 5th-8th grade writing and social studies.

Maggie Koenig

Instructional Team

Maggie is a 7th grade math teacher. She holds a BSBA in Marketing from the University of Southern Mississippi and an MBA from Mississippi State University. She has a Mississippi AA teaching license with certifications in 7th-12th grade math, social studies, marketing, and business education. Maggie is joining our instructional team as a 6th-9th math tutor. She will also lead summer classes on resume writing, job interviewing, and employment skills.

Alice Bellanger

Instructional Team

Alice is a 24-year veteran educator who is currently serving as 6th grade special education inclusion teacher. She holds a B.S. in History, a M.Ed. in Elementary Education, and has completed postgraduate studies in Special Education, Reading, and Gifted Education. Alice has AA Mississippi teaching certifications in Elementary Education (all subject areas), with additional endorsements in Social Studies (7-12), Mild/Moderate Disabilities (K-12), and Reading (K-12). She is also trained in Orton Gillingham reading methodology. Alice is joining our instructional team as a 4th-6th grade tutor.

Caroline Turcotte

Training Team

Caroline is a high school special education inclusion teacher where she has co-taught with Carva King for the last three years. She has a B.S. in Special Education and an M.S. in Child and Family Sciences from USM. Caroline has taught for 21 years, with experience and certifications in Elementary Education, Special Education Mild-to-Moderate Disabilities, Special Education Fundamental Subjects, and Middle School Language Arts. She will be leading professional development with Carva, including “The Art of Co-Teaching” and “Interactive Literacy Centers in the Secondary Classroom.”

Tosha Dewitt

Consulting Team

Tosha is currently a Special Education Behavior Modification Paraprofessional. In that role, she provides support for students with emotional and mental health disabilities, as well as those on the Autism Spectrum and those who have experienced physical and/or emotional trauma. As the parent of four children with dyslexia, including one who also has ADHD, she is a self-educated advocate for parents and students with dyslexia. She is joining our team in a consulting capacity.

Ashley McDade

Assessment & Intervention Team

Ashley is a licensed school psychometrist with over 25 years of experience in public school, special purpose school, and clinical settings. She holds a Master of Science degree in School Psychometry from Mississippi State University. Her extensive experience includes conducting comprehensive evaluations and providing individualized recommendations for parents as well as classroom accommodations for teachers, for the following disabilities: specific learning disabilities (including dyslexia), orthopedic impairment, emotional disturbance, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, hearing impairment, visual impairment, multiple disabilities, autism, speech/language, traumatic brain injury, and developmental delay. The addition of Ashley to our team will now allow The Literacy Lady, LLC to offer dyslexia evaluations and additional support services for parents & students.

Lena Garcia

Instructional Team Member

Lena is a graduate of the University of Mississippi, where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Education (K-12) with certifications in special education, theatre, English, and history. She has been teaching drama and dance for 11 years in both school and community theater settings. Lena is currently the Hancock High School Theatre Director. She has also been involved in over 30 theatre productions in a variety of roles, including acting, directing, set design, lighting, publicity, and choreography. Lena joins our instructional team as the lead teacher for our ““Curtain Call” summer drama camp!

Deana Saucier

Office Manager

Deana has 17 years of experience in our local school district in a variety of roles, including serving as a substitute teacher, librarian assistant, student services clerk, administrative assistant, registrar, receptionist (high school, transportation & votech), and attendance clerk. 15 of her 17 years were spent in student services. Outside of the schools, she has operated an in-home daycare (3 years) and was a shift leader/assistant manager of a large chain convenience store (2 years). Currently, she owns a small business floral shop called Love You More Creations, LLC. She is also the treasurer and acting president of The Kind Hearts Organization, a 501c3 nonprofit organization that serves those who have fallen on hard times or have experienced a recent tragedy. Deana joins The Literacy Lady team as our part-time office manager.

We Moved! The Learning Studio is now at 4454 Leisure Time Lane, Diamondhead, MS 39525

Meet The Literacy Lady Team

Carva King, Ed.S., LDT

Founder, The Literacy Lady, LLC

Adolescent Reading Specialist Licensed Dyslexia Therapist ACT Test Prep Expert

Samantha Franco

Instructional Team

Katie Walker

Instructional Team

Maggie Koenig

Instructional Team

Alice Bellanger

Instructional Team

Caroline Turcotte

Training Team

Tosha Dewitt

Consulting Team

Ashley McDade

Assessment & Intervention Team

Lena Garcia

Instructional Team Member

Deana Saucier

Office Manager

We Moved!
The Learning Studio is now at 4454 Leisure Time Lane, Diamondhead, MS 39525

Adolescent Reading Specialist
Licensed Dyslexia Therapist
ACT Test Prep Expert