The AIM Institute for Learning & Research is pleased to announce an important addition to the organization’s administrative team who will help advance literacy instruction and the Science of Reading among educators and administrators nationwide. Cindy Hadicke, a former teacher and principal, most recently served as an elementary education consultant to the Kansas State Department of Education. She assumes her role as AIM’s Director of Client Success and Implementation on July 12.

“We are delighted to welcome Cindy Hadicke to AIM Institute for Learning & Research,” said AIM Institute Associate Director Dawn Brookhart. “Her wealth of knowledge in the area of literacy and experience at the state level will expand AIM’s mission of advancing the Science of Reading at a national level and better support our State Department of Education Partners.”  

Many state departments of education around the country are navigating the same path that Hadicke and her colleagues in Kansas did as state legislators increasingly mandate early literacy screening of students and literacy training for all teachers. Hadicke’s experience as work rolling out Kansas’ literacy initiative around struggling readers, dyslexia and structured literacy, will provide her a unique perspective as she assists other departments of education as they engage in the work of training teachers and administrators on the importance of structured literacy.

"Working with teachers and leaders across the state of Kansas has been invaluable to me as a leader and learner,” said Hadicke, who spent more than 10 years as a classroom teacher and four years as a school principal herself. “My work at the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) has been the springboard for my passion for literacy instruction. During my time at KSDE, I was fortunate enough to learn about AIM Pathways to Proficient Reading professional development. In the first few minutes of exploring the course, I knew that I wanted Kansas teachers to experience this tremendous class. I am passionate about literacy instruction and aspire to use my new position at AIM to create relationships with leaders in other departments of education."