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About Us

Thrive Tutoring is a boutique service in Tennessee for one-on-one, in-home academic tutoring, academic intervention, and test preparation. We also offer advocacy/IEP support, homeschool teacher matching, and group classes.

Here’s what sets us apart:

HIGHLY QUALIFIED EDUCATORS

Thrive tutors are almost all current, certified teachers and almost all have a minimum of a master’s degree in their field of study. They have diverse pedagogical and academic backgrounds. Across the team, we use a wide variety of academic curricula and intervention programs. Many of our team members have experience using Orton-Gillingham or similar multi-sensory programs for literacy intervention (i.e., SPIRE, Wilson, Barton). We have educators with experience teaching Singapore Math, Reading Mastery, Seeing Stars, Read Naturally, Saxon Math, Words Their Way, i-Ready, Math Wise, Leveled Literacy, Step Up to Writing, Lucy Calkins, Moving Beyond the Page, and many others.

PERSONALIZED LEARNING

Our teachers have diverse skill sets and have been trained in a variety of intervention programs. That said, we do not use a single pre-determined curriculum for all students because there is no single program that will meet the needs of all learners. Tutors start by assessing your child to get a sense for his/her strengths and areas for growth; then, we develop a learning plan that is 100% unique for your child—the plan includes specific academic goals, learning objectives, and metrics of success. We tailor every lesson to meet the needs and goals of your student. Additionally, we provide families with a post-session notes that summarize what was covered during the session, as well as recommended practice and next steps.

PERFECT TUTOR MATCH

Finding the right educator for your child’s learning goals and learning style is absolutely essential. We take the guesswork out of this process and match every child with the best fit tutor. We start with a thorough (and free) consultation where we better understand the student’s academic goals, needs, and learning style. From there, we connect each child with the best tutor to help them excel.

FLEXIBLE SCHEDULING

We do not have a physical office location. Instead, we meet you where it’s most convenient; many families prefer to meet in their home, and some families prefer to meet a public location, like a nearby library or coffee shop. We also don’t have fixed business hours—we tutor students all days of the week, most hours of the day, so scheduling is very flexible to meet your needs. Additionally, you are not locked into a contract for a minimum number of tutoring hours. Families are charged bi-weekly based on services provided during the previous two week pay period. We make a plan that works for your child and your family’s busy schedule.

EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING SKILLS

Executive functioning skills take a student from good to great or help a student who is on the edge of failure get back on track. These skills include being able to prioritize and manage time appropriately, chunk big assignments into smaller pieces and backwards plan from a deadline, and start and complete a project. We focus on these soft skills that undergird success in school and career.

meet the team

Katy Schmitt
Founder
katy@thrivetutoring.org

Katy is a passionate educator with a wealth of experience in the field of education. Over the past 15 years, Katy has worked tirelessly to empower students and teachers alike—helping them achieve their goals and reach their full potential. As a high school English teacher, Katy gained firsthand knowledge of the challenges facing students and communities. She worked tirelessly to create a safe and supportive learning environment where students could grow academically and personally. After several years of teaching, Katy took her passion for education to the nonprofit sector at Teach For America and later to the Tennessee Department of Education where she led internal communications and other statewide initiatives. Katy founded Thrive Tutoring in Nashville in 2018 as a way to connect students with the best and brightest teachers in the community. Her dedication to education is fueled by her belief that every student deserves the opportunity to succeed. She is committed to providing students with the tools and resources they need to thrive, and she is constantly pushing herself and her team to find innovative ways to foster student success.

Lizzie Rider
Director of Talent & Development
lizzie@thrivetutoring.org

Lizzie is a dynamic and talented individual who brings a wealth of experience and expertise to her role as Director of Talent and Development. With a background in Special Education instruction and school administration, Lizzie has spent over seven years working in education, helping students and teachers reach their full potential. As the Director of Talent and Development, Lizzie is responsible for identifying and recruiting exceptional teachers and staff to join the Thrive team. She loves getting to know the talented teachers of Tennessee and is passionate about hiring the highest quality humans who are dedicated to making a positive impact on students and the community. Outside of work, Lizzie is an avid performer and is dedicated to community theater.

Picture of Mallory Lamers chief of Staff
Mallory Lamers, M.Ed, BCBA
Chief of Staff
mallory@thrivetutoring.org

Mallory is originally from Wisconsin and moved to Nashville 5 years ago. Mallory received her bachelor’s degree in elementary and middle school education from the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse. Then, when she moved to Nashville, she received her masters from Vanderbilt in Special Education and also became a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). Mallory has been on the Thrive team for 4+ years – first as a tutor, and then transitioned into a full-time role supporting our team of tutors and connecting with families to match them with a best-fit teacher. Mallory loves collaborating with families to learn about their educational journey and to create a unique learning plan to support each and every child. Mallory is a firm believer that all children can be successful and is passionate about finding ways to ensure that all children have access to high-quality instruction.

Stephanie Lee
Operations Manager
Stephanie@thrivetutoring.org

Stephanie is the Operations Manager at Thrive Tutoring, where she leverages her expertise in operations and accounting to streamline the organization’s day-to-day functions. Her passion for optimizing processes and solving complex problems is reflected in her work, where she has successfully led numerous initiatives to improve efficiency and productivity. Stephanie holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and philosophy and a master’s degree in accounting. While numbers are her love, her interdisciplinary education has equipped her with a unique skill set that allows her to approach problems from different perspectives and find innovative solutions. Apart from her work, Stephanie is an avid reader and always has a book on her bedside table. She also enjoys catching up on the latest movies and TV shows.

“Intelligence plus character, that is the goal of a true education.”

-Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.