|
New Perspectives - June,
1994 Issue #28
|
ST. CHRISTOPHER ACADEMY
Kent, Washington
Darlene Jevne, Director
206-852-1515
This private day school for learning disabled and academically at-risk students (including
those diagnosed A.D.D.) in the Seattle area, Grades K-12, has 61 students. They take students who are failing regular schools, both
public and private, and bring them up to speed academically by providing "support personnel to provide one-on-one instruction, diagnostic
testing, language therapy, and visual perceptual therapy."
The heart of the curriculum is an approach called Direct Instruction. "Individual student
needs are met through ability groupings wherein each child is placed in a group designed to meet his or her needs. Direct Instruction
programs cover several academic areas including reading, math, language, and spelling.... The instructional design of this curriculum
is unique. Skills are broken down into component parts so as to make the acquisition of skills easy. Students are highly engaged with
no time to be off task. Feedback is provided for students at every step. Consistent reinforcement of previously acquired skills is
provided."
The school also runs a summer working ranch for boys in the vicinity of Sun Valley, Idaho.
Working with the same academic at-risk students the day school in Kent does, the "Ranch is a junior leadership program for campers
with diverse abilities and backgrounds. The cornerstone of this program is to instill a sense of responsibility and leadership by
continually challenging the campers in an outdoor western setting."
Copyright © 1994, Woodbury Reports, Inc. (This article may be reproduced
without prior approval if the copyright notice and proper publication and author attribution accompanies the copy.)
|