Why Should I Consider a School Focused on Educating Students with Learning Disabilities?
We are often asked why a parent might choose a school focused on educating students with learning disabilities as they are considering the best options for their child’s education. After all, many public and independent schools offer wonderful support for diverse learners, such as literacy specialists, training and professional development for their teachers, and even individualized service plans.
The strides that traditional school programs have made in adapting their offerings and curriculums to address the needs of a more diverse set of learners are to be applauded. However, in our experience, attempts to address the needs of a few while also meeting the needs of the many often fall short in providing the focused and consistent interventions that students with learning disabilities need to catch up with their peers and to make the consistent progress they need to reach their full potential.
Below are a few ways in which a school specifically focused on educating students with learning disabilities can uniquely serve the needs of those students:
Specially-trained staff: At Havern, every teacher is trained in Orton-Gillingham, a structured literacy approach that is direct, explicit, and multisensory, and that is proven to be effective in teaching students with learning disabilities. At other schools, some staff may receive this or similar training, but rarely are those programs able to implement this approach with the fidelity required for the student to make significant progress.
Systemic and focused instruction in foundational skills: At a school like Havern that is focused on serving students with learning disabilities, we are able to build a schedule that prioritizes foundational skills, like decoding and reading comprehension. We know that, for our students, developing competency in these areas takes priority over other aspects of a traditional curriculum. We recognize that a student’s ability to access subjects like social studies and science can be limited until their foundational skills are strong.
Accommodations are available in all subjects: In a traditional program, a student may receive accommodations in subjects such as Language Arts or Math, but it is often challenging to carry those accommodations over to other subjects, such as art or social studies. In a program built around students with learning disabilities, accommodations are available in all subjects and teachers in all subjects are trained to adapt their curriculum to the specific needs of their students.
Being among peers who also have learning differences builds confidence: We hear from the parents of many of our students that being among peers who also have learning differences was a huge boost to their child’s confidence. A differentiated approach becomes the norm, rather than the exception, and students see the benefits of perseverance and understand that they can be successful even if something does not come easily to them. As our alumni student, Sabrina, said, “Finding a program like Havern that worked around unique children like myself opened the door for me to LOVE school again and have academic success in the future.”
Students understand and embrace their unique learning profiles: We sometimes hear from parents that they worry that labeling their child with a diagnosis or learning disability will make them feel different or will lead them to underestimate their own abilities. We find the opposite to be true. Any child who is struggling in school already has a sense that they are different or that there is something “wrong” with them. By giving them information about their learning profile, they begin to understand their brain may simply be wired differently. In a school focused on educating students with learning disabilities, they are in a safe and accepting environment and are given the tools they need to find success academically and in life. Our students become powerful self-advocates and learn how to ensure they have what they need to be successful.
Students feel part of the classroom: One of our parents told us recently that they felt like Havern allowed their student to move out of the hallway and into the classroom. In their previous school, they were being pulled out for intervention so often that their child felt like they were attending school in the hallway. In a school focused on educating students with learning disabilities, support is built into the classroom structure, student to teacher ratios are low, and additional help is the norm, rather than something that singles a child out.
Freedom to move at a more appropriate pace: Schools focused on educating students with learning disabilities have the freedom to move at a more appropriate pace for their students instead of feeling pressured to move at a predetermined pace. One of our alumni parents shared, “Havern is an education tailored to your child. It meets them where they are and adjusts to the child rather than expecting the child to adjust to the classroom.”
Small class sizes mean more individual attention: With class sizes ranging from 10-15 students and a student to teacher ratio of 1:4, students do not slip through the cracks. There is the time, space, and staffing to customize for the individual student and ensure that their needs are being met.
Integrated speech-language and occupational therapy: Most students with learning disabilities also need support in the areas of speech-language and fine and gross motor skills. At Havern, those therapies are provided at school and integrated into the schedule and classroom activities. This is a unique differentiator when considering specialized independent schools in the Denver metro area.
Support for the whole family: Our parents tell us over and over again that Havern not only provided crucial support for their child with learning disabilities, but also improved the life of their entire family. Instead of spending hours after school running to tutoring and therapies, family time was restored. Rather than feeling pressured to spend hours doing homework that was disproportionately difficult for their students or re-teaching concepts that had not been grasped during the school day, families could enjoy games or movie nights together again and student schedules were freed up to engage in passion activities like the arts and sports.
Relief from fighting for your child: We stand shoulder-to-shoulder with you in understanding and advocating for your child’s unique learning needs. Many parents report to us that they came to Havern exhausted from fighting for every accommodation and support at their child’s previous school. One of our parents said, “I want parents to know the relief of knowing their kids’ needs are being met. You don’t have to fight for your kids anymore. Havern makes a huge difference in your whole family’s life.”
If any of these topics resonate with you, we would urge you to consider the advantages a school focused on educating students with learning disabilities might offer your child. It is an investment in their future that you will not regret!
If you are interested in learning more about Havern School and whether it might be a fit for your child, please contact Wendi Berardi, our Director of Enrollment, at wberardi@havernschool.org.
Stephanie Evans, M.A. CCC-SLP
Ms. Evans is beginning her second school year as the Associate Head of School at Havern. She holds a M.A. in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of Akron, a M.A. in Educational Leadership from Northeastern Illinois University and a Director of Special Education endorsement. Ms. Evans says, “I am passionate about advocating for students and families of diverse learners, and building the capacity of educational teams to best meet the needs of all students. It is a privilege to work at Havern, where children can come to school each day feeling happy, safe and supported.”
Wendi Berardi, Director of Enrollment
Ms. Berardi is the Director of Enrollment at the Havern School, performing the important role of helping families find the right fit school for their student. Ms. Berardi earned her Bachelor’s degree in Leadership and Organizational Studies from St. Mary’s College. She moved to Colorado from Oakland, California, in the fall of 2020. While in California, she worked at a K-12 independent school for 12 years and discovered that she loved being part of an environment where she was continually inspired by our youth’s ingenuity, developing character, and willingness to try and fail. She is inspired by Havern’s passion for serving students with diverse learning abilities.
