John Alexander, Groves Academy Head of School
M.Ed., Harvard University
B.A., University of Vermont
Prior to coming to Groves in July, 2005, John was Head of The Greenwood School in Vermont, a boarding school for dyslexic boys. He also headed The Chartwell School, a school for dyslexic students in California. John holds a Master’s degree in Reading and Language Disabilities from Harvard University and has taught graduate-level classes in language structure and in diagnostic-prescriptive teaching. John served on the Minnesota Board of Teaching’s State Reading Task Force and was instrumental in the creation of new reading rules to better prepare teachers to teach literacy skills to struggling and emerging readers. He has recently been asked to serve on a national committee for reading reform.
Colee Bean, Associate Director, Groves Outreach
B.A., University of St. Thomas
Colee Bean is Groves Academy's Associate Director of Outreach. She received her bachelor's degree from the University of St. Thomas. Originally from Fargo, Colee spent seven years in St. Paul and moved to the Minneapolis side of the river to join the Groves Academy staff in 2006. As part of the development team, Colee helped plan and execute events and programs like the annual Scholarship Gala, Grandparents Day, and the alumni program. In June, 2010, Colee began managing Groves Academy's ambitious Outreach effort, and has been responsible for the planning and implementing of all programs offered to the community.
Colee can be reached at beanc@grovesacademy.org or at 952-915-4297.
Ray Boyd, Groves Academy's Director of Diagnostic Services
Minnesota Licensed Psychologist
M.S. in Education, University of Wisconsin – River Falls
B.S. in Sociology, Truman University
Ray Boyd has been working with children and adults with learning disabilities and attention disorders for nearly forty years. As the director of diagnostic services for Groves Academy, Mr. Boyd and his team provide diagnostic testing services to over 300 students each year, making the team one of the largest providers of such services in the Twin Cities. Throughout his career, Mr. Boyd has completed more than 5,000 evaluations. In his work, Mr. Boyd provides psychoeducational assessments of children and adults, and consultation services for parents and educators.
His professional career includes experience with the Minnesota Department of Health’s Minnesota Children with Special Help Needs, the College of St. Thomas, the Roseville Public Schools and the Washburn Child Guidance Center. He is a regular lecturer at local and regional conferences and seminars.
Mr. Boyd can be reached at boydr@grovesacademy.org or 952-915-4252.
Zachary Eakman, Ph.D.
Ph.D. in Psychology, Minnesota School of Psychology
B.S. in Psychology, Iowa State University
Dr. Eakman has worked with children and adults in a variety of clinical settings over the past decade. During his career, Dr. Eakman has worked in hospitals, outpatient medical clinics, schools and private practice. He has extensive experience conducting neuropsychological assessments on both children and adults, and has worked in multidisciplinary environments that provide assessment, diagnosis, and treatment to individuals presenting with a variety of medical and psychological conditions, including ADHD, learning disabilities, and developmental disorders. He is a regular lecturer at local and regional workshops and seminars, and has been interviewed on ESPN radio. He frequently speaks about concussion diagnosis and therapy.
After receiving his Bachelor of Science degree from Iowa State University, Dr. Eakman earned a Doctor of Psychology degree from the Minnesota School of Psychology, where he concentrated in neurological assessment. He completed a pre-doctoral neuropsychology internship at Michigan State University’s Sparrow Level I Trauma Center, where he conducted comprehensive neuropsychological evaluations of children and adults. Later, he was a Post-Doctoral Neuropsychology Fellow at Bancroft Neurohealth in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, where he completed outpatient neuropsychological evaluations and post-acute traumatic brain injury rehabilitation.
Dr. Eakman can be reached at eakmanz@grovesacademy.org or 952-915-4265.
Ellen Engstrom, Director of Teacher Training
B.A., Wellesley College
M.A. in Education, University of Rochester
M.A. in Educational Psychology, University of Minnesota
Ellen Engstrom is the Director of Teacher Training at Groves Academy. She is certified to offer training in the WRS Levels I and II, Fundations®, and Just Words®. Ellen was the Director of the Lower/Middle School at Groves before leaving in 1999 to join the faculty of Landmark College, a school specifically for students with learning disabilities and attention disorders. She was an associate professor at the college and a Lead Education Specialist in the Landmark Institute for Research and Training.
Ellen has given many workshops and courses for educators on the Wilson Reading System®, reading comprehension, writing, study skills, assistive technology, Universal Design for Learning, and executive function challenges.
Ellen can be reached at engstromge@grovesacademy.org or at 952-915-4247.
Jean Hayward, Director of Public School Partnerships, Groves Outreach
B.S., Illinois State University
M.A., St. Mary’s University, Minneapolis
Jean Hayward is Groves Academy's Director of Public School Partnerships. She received her bachelor's degree from Illinois State University, Normal, IL and her master’s degree from St. Mary’s University, Minneapolis, MN. She is a Fellow in the Academy of Orton-Gillingham Professionals and Educators. Jean has been a teacher for thirty-six years.
Originally from the Chicago area, Jean lived in southeastern Minnesota for twenty years before moving to the Minneapolis area in 2005. She joined the Groves Academy staff in 2006. As part of Groves Outreach, Jean has directed projects that take the scientifically researched, evidence-based practices of the Groves Academy Literacy Framework into selected public school settings through professional development, mentoring, and consultation.
Jean can be reached at haywardj@grovesacademy.org or at 952-920-6377, extension 2220.