HOW WE GOT STARTED
Meet Sara
Founding Director - Your Co-Captain
Sara Gallagher, M.ED., is the founding director of Rising Tides Educational Services and brings 25 years of working in independent and private schools as a learning specialist.
Working with bright children who see the world in unique ways is Sara’s passion. With an emphasis on taking a team approach, she works to foster a high level of communication and support with each family! Having worked with a wide range of neurodiverse students in multiple settings, Sara is able to assess needs through both informal and formal assessments, build and implement learning plans, provide tutoring for individual students, and provide ongoing support to your family around all of your child’s educational services.
Sara holds master’s degrees in elementary and special education, with a focus on students with ADHD, Dyslexia and Level 1 Autism. Sara is well-versed in using Orton-Gillingham methodologies to teach foundational reading and writing skills. The use of multi-sensory instruction lies at the core of Sara’s teaching while working to cover all areas of learning through the science of reading research.
Sara feels that one of the greatest rewards of working with children and families is seeing the students' self-esteem increase through success in the classroom. This then translates to children trying new and unexpected things with their newfound confidence out in the world.
Sara lives with her husband of 20 years in Annapolis, along with their kitty Momma Hazel Pearl. When not on the job, she enjoys anything that takes place on the water, taking long walks, cooking, listening to music, and hanging out with her family in Philly.
Deanna Walls E.MD
IEP Specialist
Deanna Walls, M.ED., has been a teacher for over 30 years, working with children with mild to moderate learning differences. My experiences include working in Texas, Washington state, and Maryland. I have worked in private and public schools with grades Kindergarten to 8th grade. I hold a Master’s Degree in Special Education with a minor in Diagnostics. I have been trained in various reading programs (Orton-Gillingham, Wilson Reading Systems, Failure Free Reading, Visualization & Verbalization). I also complete academic assessments with students to identify their strengths and weaknesses. Currently, I am working as an IEP Facilitator, making sure students’ Individual Education Plans (IEPs) are correct and benefit the student. I'm here to help you understand how an IEP is created from diagnostic testing, what should go in it, parent and student rights, who else is involved, and the timelines involved in both developing and maintaining an IEP. I'd love to support you as a parent as you advocate for your child in the classroom. I believe all children can succeed. Each child has a unique way of learning, and we, as educators, need to identify and enhance a child’s unique learning process. My greatest reward as a teacher is to see the growth of learning in students.
Justin Smith
Reading Intervention
Justin has been an educator for 14 years, having taught K-5 various subjects as a teacher, tutor, and after-school counselor. He specializes in working with children identified as having disabilities/exceptionalities under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Justin holds four associate’s degrees (one in education), two college-level certificates (one in counseling), a bachelor's degree (psychology), and a master’s degree (special education). Justin is trained in social-emotional and artistic learning (SEAL), Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), and Guided Language Acquisition and Development (GLAD), a program to help multilingual learners understand English-based curriculum. Justin is also certified in Orton-Gillingham, which is a reading intervention program designed to help students below grade level close the academic gap. Justin has provided 1:1 tutoring using specially designed instruction for elementary and middle school students, offering direct support/explicit instruction to address academic needs. As relationships build, target areas are identified, and plans are followed through with fidelity, Justin helps students close academic gaps.
Payton Buss
Online Math Tutor
Hello! I’m a former math teacher with years of experience teaching students from around the world, including the U.S., Sweden, and Colombia. I’ve taught everything from 5th grade math to AP Statistics and have tutored elementary to college math. I love breaking down problems to make math clear, approachable, and even fun.
My background in cybersecurity and curriculum design helps me create engaging, real-world lessons that build confidence and problem-solving skills. Whether you’re catching up or aiming to excel, I’m here to help you succeed.
