Moyes College of Education

Jerry & Vickie Moyes College of Education

Anticipating a Brighter Future

91��Ƶ junior Jeni Claudio is proud to report that her five young children have made great strides in their educational achievement since she began reading to them regularly. That’s quite an accomplishment, considering she was raised by parents who couldn’t read.

The Claudio family is just one of 2,000 Weber County families that 91��Ƶ’s Family Literacy Program has served since its inception in 2006.

The program, housed in the Jerry & Vickie Moyes College of Education, provides in-home literacy and parenting support to families, most of whom participate in Head Start and come from lower-income backgrounds. Parents in the program gain skills for engaging in literacy with their children and learn parenting strategies like setting goals and establishing positive discipline practices that avoid yelling or spanking.

In 2014, the American Academy of Pediatrics called for pediatricians to talk to parents about the importance of reading to children from infancy, stating that it stimulates optimal patterns of brain development and strengthens parent-child relationships, while building language, literacy and social-emotional skills. In addition, studies show that children who engage in literacy at home are more likely to graduate from high school and pursue higher education.

Claudio said her family dynamics changed significantly following the help and guidance of facilitator Ana Carlin, a 2006 Weber State child and family studies graduate.

“Reading to my kids is going to help them in the future,” Claudio said. “Having that family time with a book, or having my son on my lap and teaching him his letters is really nice. Now, all of my kids are doing great in school.”

Carlin met with Claudio for nine months, and although the formal visits ended in 2013, they continue to stay in touch.

“At the beginning, I could see that Jeni felt alone and needed help from the community,” Carlin said. “Now, wow, what a change. She is focused, and she wants to improve her life and improve the lives of her children.”

The Family Literacy Program operates in partnership with 91��Ƶ’s Department of Child & Family Studies, Ogden-Weber Community Action Partnership (Head Start), Elizabeth Stewart Treehouse Museum, George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Foundation, Ally Bank, Stewart Education Foundation and the Weber State Boyd K. and Donna S. Packer Center for Family and Community Education.

The Ogden Deseret Industries Thrift Store has donated 4,500 books and educational games to the program, and the Glasmann family, represented by Myrene Glasmann Temple, is the program’s primary donor.

“Research shows that a larger vocabulary in kindergarten is a strong predictor of later academic success,” said Paul Schvaneveldt, Family Literacy Program director. “The goal of the program is to empower families to build literacy skills with their children to better prepare them for success in school and life.”

Changing the Stars

Blaine Richards’ family history included five generations of miners, doing backbreaking work underground and in dangerous conditions. Born in a coal mining camp in Carbon County, Blaine was on track to join them, but, as his granddaughter, 91��Ƶ Master of Education program director Louise Moulding BS ’89, MEd ’95, likes to say, “Blaine changed the stars.”

Instead of mining, Blaine moved to Ogden and became a sign painter and owner of Richards Sign Co. The move helped usher in a new family legacy at Weber State.

“My father, James Richards, was the first in the family to attend college (at Weber College). His younger brother, Richard Richards, followed,” Moulding said. “Most of my siblings and their spouses have degrees from 91��Ƶ. We are a proud Weber State family.”

Moulding and her brother, David Richards, pay tribute to their grandfather by ensuring that students who want to change trajectories, like Blaine did, can, through the Blaine B. Richards Scholarship in Art & Design.

It’s one of many scholarships the siblings have created, which also include the following:

The Mary N. Hill Scholarship in Music, in memory of their maternal grandmother
The Ralph F. Hill Scholarship in Teacher Education, in memory of their maternal grandfather, who, like Moulding, was a science teacher
The Violet G. Richards Scholarship in Interior Design, in memory of their paternal grandmother
The Jim and Maurine Richards Scholarship in the Master of Education Program, in honor of their parents
Scholarships associated with 91��Ƶ’s Richard Richards Institute for Ethics, named for their uncle, former Weber alumnus, political activist and Republican National Committee chairman.

“My grandfather, Ralph Hill, was sure I’d be a principal,” Moulding said. “I’m happy to say that didn’t happen, because I love being at Weber State.”

New Dean for College of Education

Kristin Hadley officially began her role as dean for the Jerry & Vickie Moyes College of Education on July 1, 2019, adding to her extensive background in education, ranging from kindergarten to graduate school.

“I felt like I had something to contribute as a woman in a leadership position,” said Hadley. “I started out teaching elementary school, and I want students to know if they take advantage of leadership opportunities as they come along, they can continue to grow and progress.”

Hadley taught in public school in the early ’80s after earning her bachelor’s degree in early childhood and elementary education and master’s degree in infancy and early childhood. In 2005, she earned her doctorate in curriculum and instruction and began her teaching career at Weber State. She became chair of the teacher education department in 2013.

As dean, Hadley will focus on the college’s commitment to serve and collaborate with others to make improvements to Utah’s educational system.

Ready for School

91��Ƶ’s Department of Child & Family Studies and the United Way of Northern Utah hosted Spring Into School Readiness, an event for children under age 5 and their parents, at Newgate Mall in April 2019. Children enjoyed story time, performances and activities, and 91��Ƶ students helped parents complete a questionnaire to help them assess their children’s development in areas like communication, problem solving and gross motor skills to make sure they will be prepared to begin school.

Meeting Education Industry Needs

Weber State students earning a master’s degree in education now have four options for climbing the education career ladder.

91��Ƶ’s Master of Education program launched three new emphases in educational leadership, family life education and higher education leadership for the 2019–2020 academic year. The program also offers a classroom curriculum and instruction emphasis.

The new emphases are expected to meet education industry needs and increase enrollment. “We already have high interest and more applicants than we can accept for fall 2019,” said Louise Moulding, Master of Education program director.