By The People’s Paper MS Staff
Families in Simpson County and surrounding communities will soon have a new local resource to help students with dyslexia succeed.
The Magee Chamber of Commerce will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony Tuesday, July 28, at 9 a.m. to celebrate the opening of Pine Belt Dyslexia Services, located at 117 First Ave. NW at the Chamber office.
Owned by educator and retired U.S. Coast Guard veteran Tim Busch, the new center will provide dyslexia therapy for learners ranging from kindergarten through adulthood. Busch also plans to offer monthly educational meetings to support parents and raise awareness about dyslexia throughout the community.
Busch brings decades of teaching and educational experience to his new business.
A native of a small town south of St. Louis, Missouri, Busch served 25 years in the U.S. Coast Guard before retiring in 2005. During his military career, he spent six years teaching at the Coast Guard Electricians School in Yorktown, Virginia, where he discovered his passion for education.
That passion eventually led him into the classroom full time.
Busch earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and a master’s degree in English from Bradley University before completing a Master of Education degree focused on dyslexia at Mississippi College.
He became certified to work with students with dyslexia in 2010 through The Children’s Dyslexia Centers in Peoria, Illinois, and later operated his own dyslexia therapy practice for six years before relocating to Mississippi.
Since moving to the state, Busch has served students at Choctaw Tribal Schools in Philadelphia, New Summit School in Jackson, Way Maker Dyslexia Center in Brandon and Simpson County schools.
Now, he’s bringing those years of experience to Magee.
Pine Belt Dyslexia Services was created to provide specialized, research-based dyslexia therapy while making those services more accessible to families across the Pine Belt region.
Looking ahead, Busch hopes to establish the organization as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and eventually open the Pine Belt Dyslexia Academy in Simpson County.
In addition to one-on-one therapy, the organization plans to host monthly informational meetings designed to educate, encourage and support parents navigating the challenges of dyslexia with their children.
“He is planning to have monthly meetings for parents to help with dyslexia awareness also,” said Susan Walker of the Magee Chamber of Commerce.
Community members are invited to attend Tuesday’s ribbon-cutting ceremony and welcome Pine Belt Dyslexia Services to Magee.
