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Eagle Hill School
Hardwick, Massachusetts
Erin Winn, Admissions
413-477-6000
Visit November 20, 2002
By Claire Law, M.S.,
IECA, CEP
[C.
Claire Law, M.S. IECA, is a Certified Educational Planner
(C.E.P.) She helps families find the right college and boarding
school for their child. If you have any questions
or comments you may e-mail
her directly.]
[This article replaced the original Visit Report from
the January 2003, #101 print edition of Woodbury Reports,
to correct inaccuracies.
–
Loi
Eberle, Editor]
I just returned from Eagle Hill School in
Hardwick, MA and discovered that they no longer offer
6th and 7th grade. This information is still in the
literature because they are waiting for the Board to approve
the change. Apparently the school does not have a peer group
for 6th and 7th graders and has not been successful in the
past, in mainstreaming them with the rest of the students in
the higher grades. Thus, Eagle Hill will focus on grades
8-12, which does not help me in placing an NLD girl who will
be entering 7th grade next September. She has a sweet
personality, a sparkle and better social skills than would
be anticipated from reading her evaluation. Well, she’ll
have to wait one more year before going to this wonderful
school.
Eagle Hill has excellent support for students with learning
disabilities as well as non-verbal learning disabilities. It
offers very small classes with teacher-student ratios of
4:1. They use whatever method of instruction is best for the
child, such as Orton-Gillinham, Linda Mood Bell and
multi-sensory teaching approaches for NLD students. Thus the
instruction is very individualized to the child's needs.
This is a school for the student with the usual
organizational and executive function deficits and is
kind-natured, cooperative, polite, funny and "preppy". You
will not find hyperactive or destructive kids at this
school.
The tests required for admission are the WISC III and
some other academic testing such as the Woodcock Johnson.
Eagle Hill School accepts students with an average to above
average IQ. They will take students with skills within two
to three years of grade level. The school makes sure that
there is a peer group for the incoming students so that
newcomers make friends and fit into the system easily
without disrupting the routines of the students already
enrolled.
This school is on a four-year attendance philosophy because
the belief is that these students are best served by staying
in one consistent place the entire length of high school.
Eighth graders are accepted so that they may better prepare
themselves for the transition to high school. The summer
program also facilitates this transition since students are
making friends with teachers and other students while they
are exposed to an introductory academic program and many
fun-filled extra-curricular activities such as swimming and
soccer. In the fall, student life and academics start off in
a structured manner and gradually give students more rein to
make their own decisions and develop their independence. By
the time students graduate they are able to be more
independent and make their own decisions.
The social aspects that are so important in adolescence are
not ignored here. The teachers and staff observe the
students and write their comments into a technologically
private computer program. This way, the teachers and staff
know what is happening to each student daily, by sharing
observations, all teachers are on the same page and
understand how a student is behaving today, and so they can
address social and developmental issues as they happen. This
feedback is given to the student and provides a way for them
to understand how they come across to adults and can improve
their behavior as the day goes on.
The Pragmatics program is offered to all students. The
school found that all students, regardless of their type of
learning disability, benefit from learning to practice
better social skills, understanding social cues and
conventions, balancing checkbooks and keeping budgets.
Eagle Hill School looks great. One side of the campus is
where all the classrooms are located. They have a new
graphic arts building and a longer, single-story classroom
building. Four more houses will be built for the Faculty and
teachers. The dorms have been renovated and look fresh and
functional, and have clean and cheerful common lounges on
each floor. EHS offers lots of extracurricular activities
for these students, from private voice and guitar lessons to
the regular list of sports (soccer, basketball, track/cross
country, wresting and tennis). There was snow on the ground
today but the sun was shining on this school so it was
picture perfect. I found it rather convoluted to drive up
there, especially if you try to take any short cuts. It's
only 100 miles from my home but it took me 2.5 hours to get
there. It’s best to take the Mass Pike rather than to take
190 North and then try to weave through Worcester MA.
The tuition is $38,575. They have no
financial aid. Students deposit about $2,800 in the student
bank for laundry services and other allowances. There is a
school store that sells snacks and such items that is manned
by students and is open after study hall hours. |
