Having provided more than 3,300 boys an outstanding education since 1949, PDS now opens its exemplary educational services to children and teenagers of all ages in the Memphis community through our Tutoring and Enrichment Center. Designed to serve boys and girls who may be struggling in school or who need additional enrichment and challenges, the center will help each student to learn to his or her potential. In a variety of subjects and with a program customized to each learner, the center will help students move from skill novices to skill masters, giving them the confidence to navigate the waters of the 21st century.

The PDS Tutoring and Enrichment Center offers individualized tutoring  in a variety of subjects, ranging from math and English to world languages and science. It also offers customized tutoring in a range of specific skills, including reading comprehension, reading fluency, decoding, vocabulary enrichment, and study skills. In the area of math, the center offers a variety of services that range from math fact tutorials to advanced problem solving. The center will also provide homework tutors who can offer individual assistance in the completion of daily and long-term homework assignments and projects. Services will also be offered for students preparing for standardized tests, including the ISEE, ACT and SAT. The center serves girls and boys from kindergarten through high school.

The Center offers the following individualized services:

• Support for children with a diagnosed specific learning disability 
• Tutoring for children who need an academic boost outside the regular classroom
• Remediation or reinforcement in any subject or skill
• Study skills and learning strategies
• Homework services
• Standardized test prep
• Enrichment and extension, including academically talented and gifted students

Professional Evaluations, Software and PDS Resources - The Tutoring and Enrichment Center utilizes a variety of assessments and evaluation instruments. These instruments enable our professional staff to pinpoint areas of strength and areas that need improvement, and they will help the center in crafting a personalized plan for each child. On a student's initial visit, the center will conduct an appropriate academic evaluation as determined by the Director, and the professional staff will then develop a customized tutoring or enrichment program tailored to the specific learner. Throughout the tutoring or enrichment process, parents will receive weekly updates about the child's progress via email, and, to the extent possible, the center will conduct testing prior to and at the conclusion of the services so that the parents, child and tutor can see progress. As appropriate, the center also uses special software programs to assist in the tutoring/enrichment process. The center draws upon and benefits from the extensive, cutting-edge resources, experience and expertise of PDS.    

Homeschooling - The center welcomes homeschooling boys and girls who may need learning services, support and enrichment that may be challenging to find.

Times and Location - Tutoring and enrichment services are provided from 3:00-6:00 each school day and from 9:00-3:00 in the summer. Sessions are held in the state-of-the-art facilities at PDS.

The Staff - The tutors/learning coaches are carefully selected by the Director of the PDS Tutoring and Enrichment Center. They are selected for their educational training, experience and expertise, and they must meet the high standards that PDS sets as an institution for those talented individuals it hires. The Director will carefully match students and tutors/learning coaches.

The Director - Alice Parker serves as Director of the Tutoring and Enrichment Center. With 27 years of experience as a teacher, tutor and curriculum designer, she has training and expertise ranging from students with learning disabilities to those who are gifted/academically talented. She attained her undergraduate degree in the fields of elementary and special education. She earned her master's degree in education, specializing in the diagnosis and educational programming of the learning disabled and gifted populations. In recent years, she has twice studied at the Harvard Graduate School of Education under the leadership of Howard Gardner and David Perkins.  She has served the students at PDS since 1997, as a 2nd grade teacher, reading specialist, and Director of Academic Support, and her students achieve at very high levels academically. At PDS, Alice is a contributing member on  the Teaching and Learning Committee and the Reading Committee.  She wrote and presented the critical and creative thinking framework that is currently utilized by the PDS staff. Prior to working at PDS, she taught in the CLUE (gifted) program for the Memphis City Schools and worked in the Shelby County Schools as an elementary reading teacher , as well as serving as a learning specialist for middle school aged children with specific learning disabilities. During her tenure in the Shelby County Schools, Alice served on a committee that initially wrote and developed the APEX (gifted) program for the county. Additionally, she was an instrumental part in launching the APEX program at Dogwood Elementary School (K-8) in the Shelby County Schools. Her work with children of many ages and grade levels adds a unique perspective when developing and implementing customized programs for children who enroll in the tutoring and enrichment center.

About PDS - PDS serves approximately 630 boys in grades PK-6th grades. With a mission of striving to glorify God by developing boys in wisdom and stature and favor with God and man, the school takes a holistic approach to education, nurturing the heart, soul, mind and body of each boy. The PDS academic program centers on the development of critical and creative thinking skills. The school trains boys to research, analyze, synthesize, and connect ideas and subjects, as well as to develop the important skills of collaboration and teaming. With 80% of its teachers having studied at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, PDS teachers are committed to aligning teaching and learning with the opportunities and challenges that the 21st century presents. While the academic program is rigorous and the expectations are very high, PDS recognizes that individuals learn in unique ways, and the school provides significant learning resources, so that the school can bring out the best in every boy...and love and celebrate every boy. PDS classrooms are active places of learning, with frequent movement, much small group work, and extensive technology, including laptop carts and SmartBoards in all classrooms. PDS boys consistently and significantly outperform their peers in all subjects at our nation’s leading independent schools in all subjects, and nearly all graduates matriculate at Memphis University School (MUS). PDS is located on a 29 acre campus with facilities which are among the largest and finest for an elementary school in the country and include $20 million of very recent expansion. PDS alumni constitute a large portion of the leaders in the Memphis community and beyond, and they include FedEx founder Fred Smith and Autozone founder J.R. “Pitt” Hyde.

Contact Us - For more information about services for your child or to apply to be a tutor/learning coach, contact Director Alice Parker.


Academic Boost + Skill Development + Enrichment + Homework Help + Test Prep + Gifted + Remediation/Reinforcement