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William Paterson University’s College of Education is expanding its long-standing commitment to literacy education with the launch of a new Mobile Reading Clinic that will bring reading support directly to first-grade students at Paterson Public School No. 21. The initiative is made possible through a generous gift to WP’s College of Education from the O’Shea Family Foundation, a private charitable foundation in New Jersey that supports projects in education, literacy, and science, among other areas.
Since 1944, the University’s on-campus reading clinic – recently renamed The Dorothy Mae Vernon Lydecker Westdyke Reading Clinic –has served families across northern New Jersey by providing individualized literacy assessment and tutoring for students in grades K-12. The new Mobile Reading Clinic builds on that legacy by eliminating barriers to access: instead of families traveling to campus, University-trained tutors will work with students directly at their school.
This marks the first time William Paterson’s reading clinic has gone mobile – a project spearheaded by College of Education Literacy Program Director Michelle Gonzalez and Program Coordinator Cicile Samiz.
“We’re grateful for the O’Shea Family Foundation’s support, which allows us to innovate in how we deliver literacy services,” says College of Education Dean Amy Ginsberg. “Our goal is simple: Help young readers grow, thrive, and build the strong academic foundation they deserve.”
The program, scheduled to start soon and run through April 2026, will operate three days per week and serve a small cohort of first graders identified by School 21 as needing additional reading support. The instructional team will include two William Paterson education majors / teachers-in-training and one WP College of Education graduate – all trained in effective literacy intervention strategies.
Dean Ginbserg and her team hope that this pilot will serve as proof of concept for future on-site reading support at additional Paterson schools and beyond.
