Since its establishment in 1973, Hill School has grown from a small tutoring service to a full-service educational program serving different learners from kindergarten through their senior year. Its student population includes children with dyslexia, dyscalculia, ADHD, high-functioning autism spectrum disorder, and other learning impairments. The Hill School faculty and staff are committed to ensuring their students receive the support and strategies that will push them to their full potential, all while offering the same extracurricular opportunities as any other traditional school setting. The School offers an enriching fine arts program, 12 different athletic teams, and ample opportunities for social and emotional growth.

“For 50 years, Hill School has been a steadfast leader in the Learning Difference community,” said Roxann Breyer, Head of School. “Our mission has remained to provide a high-quality education to students who learn differently by taking the time to assess and understand the needs of the whole child. This way we can meet them exactly where they are, build their self-confidence, and help them succeed in the classroom and their day-to-day life.”

Hill School kicked off the festivities with a school-wide, 70’s themed birthday bash. The next event in Hill School’s anniversary line-up will be on Tuesday, April 4th, with “Food for Thought,” a speaker luncheon featuring renowned author David Rendall who will speak on how a perceived weakness may actually be a person’s biggest strength.

Tickets for this event will be open to the community beginning March 1st. Other events include an Alumni family weekend in May, a “Summit Soiree” to thank major supporters in October, and a capstone Golden Gala and Auction in January 2024.

“We are looking forward to this incredibly special year as we celebrate the differences that make our students so special, and the difference we’ve been able to make for our families over the past 50 years,” says Breyer.

To learn more about Hill School’s 50^th Anniversary and event line-up, visit www.hillschool.org/celebrating50

The post A Celebration 50 Years in the Making first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

Photo courtesy of Hill School

October is National Learning Difference Awareness month! As such, we sat down with staff members from Hill School to understand the learning differences they address in their students and how they support these learning styles.

Since 1973, Hill School has been helping students with learning differences become lifelong learners. When asked how Hill School works with the myriad of learning differences, Callie Williams, Hill School’s Engagement and Communications Specialist, said, “First and foremost, we equip our students with the materials, technology, and guidance to develop independent learning skills. Learning those skills allows each student to understand their difference and advocate for themselves, which ultimately sets them up for the most success in the classroom and beyond.”

There are many kinds of learning differences. Here are just some of the learning differences that Hill School supports.

Dyslexia and other reading impairments

For students who have been diagnosed with a reading impairment, Hill School implements the Orton Gillingham method, which is a multi-sensory approach to teaching reading, writing, and spelling.To support reading development, Lower School students receive OG instruction daily, while middle and upper school students get a double block of English classes, as well as the option of read-aloud exams and assignments.

Dysgraphia

Students with dysgraphia struggle with handwriting and coherence. Teachers often utilize graphic organizers as a strategy to help students break down writing assignments into manageable pieces, or  take advantage of school-provided technology such as talk-to-text programs. Hill School puts special emphasis on teaching handwriting and cursive through middle school. Students with dysgraphia are also encouraged to take notes usingtheir stylus,tablet or other multi-sensory tools in class to practice..

Dyscalculia and other math impairments

Dyscalculia is a learning difference that makes learning and understanding arithmetic and mathematics difficult. For students with a math impairment, Hill School offers hands-on learning with a variety of manipulatives that help the student visualize the problems.

Photo courtesy of Hill School

ADHD

ADHD is one of the most common diagnosis we see in students, often a secondary diagnosis in conjunction with other learning impairments. Hill School students with ADHD are given opportunities to burn off energy and “reset” throughout the day. This means that Lower and Intermediate students have not one, but two recesses during the day. Classrooms are equipped with bounce ball chairs, standing desks, bounce bands on desks, and fidgets to help with active listening. Students are also given “brain breaks,” which allow them to take a breather and refocus.

Anxiety

More and more children are diagnosed with anxiety disorders every year. Hill School feels that learning social and emotional skills are just as important as learning to read and write, so their counselor leads social skills lessons each week, focusing on topics like stress management, coping skills, and improving executive functioning.The faculty and staff have undergone Social Thinking^TMtraining, and incorporate pieces of this framework in their classrooms for students to learn and apply pro-social behavior.

Executive Functioning Disorders

Students with executive functioning disorders struggle with organization, problemsolving, and planning. These students are taught social skills, including conflict resolution and collaborations, while learning how to utilize daily planners. Students take advantage of advisory time to layout upcoming work and projects and apply time management skills.

Speech and Language Disorders

Speech and language disorders cover a wide range of learning differences, and Hill School is ready to help your child. Hill School currently partners with TCU’s Speech Pathologist graduate students who work in small groups to develop pragmatic language skills, while classroom time offers opportunities to practice and hone those skills.

High Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder

For students with high functioning autism spectrum disorder, social situations like school can be overwhelming. Hill School understands this and offers creative and social opportunities for students to express themselves, find peer support and camaraderie.Hill School’s commitment to social and emotional learning through the Social Thinking^TM framework also largely benefits students with ASD.

Photo courtesy of Hill School

If your child has been diagnosed with a learning difference, don’t despair. Go to Hill School’s website (hillschool.org) or call 817-923-9482 to see how the Hill School difference can benefit your different learner.

The post Supporting All Learning Styles first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

Research into different teaching methods and pedagogy certainly isn’t new, but in Texas public schools in 1973, the idea that every student can learn was radical. Either a child learned by rote memorization, or they didn’t. Children with learning differences were put into special classes, and it was assumed that they were unintelligent or unteachable. Now we recognize that very few people learn by rote memorization and that there are many ways to learn. Hill School has been helping students learn in different ways for almost 50 years.

What began as a tutoring service to help students who needed extra help in 1973 has grown into “Fort Worth’s only full-service, full-experience school for students with learning differences,” serving over 50 zip codes in the DFW area. The school’s mission states that “Hill School partners with families to provide an education for students who learn differently by addressing the needs of the whole student in a supportive environment.”

“Supportive” is an understatement.

Students with learning differences tend to struggle in traditional learning environments. They can experience frustration and anxiety. Hill School teachers work to create a plan to enhance a child’s strengths and support their weaknesses. Through small class sizes (the lower school’s student to teacher ratio is seven to one, while the middle and upper schools’ are twelve to one) and creative, engaged teachers, students thrive and succeed. In fact, 90% of Hill School students go on to college.

Eileen Bain is a middle school science teacher at Hill School and one of Madeworthy’s Top Teachers of 2019. Her enthusiasm for teaching is typical of Hill School’s teachers. She said that her favorite part of teaching is “figuring out effective strategies to help a struggling student find his/her strengths in learning. Every child is unique, with different talents and struggles. The trick is to find the key to unlock the door and help a student walk into a world full of amazing stories, facts, wonder, awe, and excitement, the world of education… I may have to sing, dance, draw, color, or invent in order to unlock the different doors of my students, but therein lies the challenge and joy in teaching. “

With teachers like Eileen Bain, is it any wonder that Hill School’s students succeed?

Hill School’s creative approach to teaching is even apparent in the school’s playground. Completed in 2020, it stimulates different parts of a child’s brain. There is a covered, outdoor classroom, and a garden. Movement is important for all children, but especially for those with learning differences. In fact, the lower school kiddos get TWO recesses a day, and all students take frequent brain breaks to move.

Callie Williams, Hill School’s engagement and communications specialist, said that she loves that the faculty is a mixture of brand-new teachers ready to flex their wings and teachers who have been at Hill School for decades and love their job. There are even teachers who are Hill School alums. Each teacher is committed to making lifelong learners of their students.

During Snowpocalypse in February of 2021, a pipe burst in the lower school, flooding classrooms and hallways. The pandemic school shutdowns in 2020 showed that students with learning differences typically do not do well with virtual learning, so Hill School scrambled to find a place for classes. They rented out a church down the street to finish the 2020-2021 school year in person – and Hill School Hawk strong.

Speaking of the pandemic school shutdowns…

When Fort Worth students didn’t go back to classes after spring break in 2020, parents got to see how their children learn. You might have been one of those parents who realized that your child needs more support than they are receiving in their traditional school. Hill School offers that support for students and their families.

If you are interested in learning more about Hill School, go to their website (hillschool.org). You will not be sorry that you did.

The post Making Lifelong Learners first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

Photo courtesy of the Fort Worth Business Press

Hill School said it exists to make the lives of students with learning differences better.

Hill School called on Fort Worth-based advertising agency, PAVLOV, to create a website that would encompass just that.

With the help of their forward-thinking design, Hill School’s website now showcases every facet of the school through vibrant and composed landing pages categorized clearly in a menu at the top of the homepage, the news release said.

Additionally, bright graphics, as well as photos of actual students and staff members, are featured to infuse the personality of Hill School throughout the website.

In addition to the site’s aesthetics, technological advancements such as a dyslexic font toggle were incorporated into the site to help users with dyslexia. When turned on, the entire website’s text is transformed into a typeface that possesses unique shape sizes that are easy for dyslexic users to digest.

A “Bulletin Board” section was also incorporated into the site to serve as a resource for parents, students and the community. It will be regularly updated with content focused on achieving success in and outside of the classroom, with educational articles, blogs, tips and advice, multimedia, events, and general news about what is happening at Hill School.

Hill School parents can also access their student’s school account more efficiently through the “myHillSchool” tab, a new password-protected feature where parents can customize what resources, events and news they see by selecting categories applicable to their student.

“When we decided to create a new website, we wanted it to embody what a day in the life at Hill School is like,” said Roxann Breyer, Head of School at Hill School. “We believe that each of these advancements to our website will provide an immersive and personalized experience for our parents, students, staff and potential Hill School families.”

Hill School is a college preparatory, full-service school for students with dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, ADHD, high-functioning ASD and other learning differences. Hill School’s 40 faculty and staff members teach grades kindergarten through 12.

The post Fort Worth’s Hill School Launches Website for Learning Differences first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

My name is Brayden Reeves and three months ago the path to my future changed! I was going to attend a junior college until my dream of swimming for the NCAA came true. The journey has not been an easy one but I never gave up and I’m so glad I didn’t.

I received my autistic diagnosis at the age of four. And because I was not ready for kindergarten my mom had me attend TCU speech clinic and PPCD for 1 year. I attended public school through the fifth grade. However, public school was not a fit for me as they were puzzled on how to help me learn the way I could. My elementary school never challenged me. They dummied down the schoolwork as if I needed it. My friends would get 20 words on a spelling test but they would only give me 10. I knew them all! They had me reading the “The Three Little Pigs” in the 5^th grade not having me read to my potential. My mom constantly attended meetings asking them time after time to push me to climb “Mount Everest” and not continue to play in the sandbox.

At the end of my elementary career, my mom, being a social worker began to look for a school for children with learning differences. It was called Hill School. This was a specialized school and was very expensive. She is a single parent who has sacrificed her savings in order for me to get the best education. This school not only offers an outstanding education but also offers sports, drama, music, and technology. I’ve tried many sports. They weren’t physically demanding but were mentally demanding. When you have autism you go through many periods of sensory overload.

Swimming has truly been my life saver. Swimming by far gave me a sense of purpose and was quite calming. There was one drawback with Hill School however. They did not have a swim team. Our school delegation did not offer it. But my mom and I did not give up hope on my dream. I became the “The Lone Swimmer”. My mom contacted the local public high school coach and told him about my situation. For the last four years he has allowed me to practice with his swim team. We also contacted private schools and received their swim meet schedules. My meets consisted of 5 public school meets and 5 private school meets. But I swam under the title of my school, Hill School of Fort Worth. I represented my school proudly. Above all, I love competing in swimming the most. I get up at 4:50 am and swim 2 hours every morning before school even starts. I take my sport very seriously. I continue to work hard so that I can be the best swimmer that I can be. This year was my best year ever. I have beaten many of my records and also competed with 5A schools and won.

One day, a recruiter from McMurry University came to my school and asked if I would like to swim for them. It’s a D3 school and doesn’t offer athletic scholarships but I could not pass this opportunity up. It’s what I wanted to do since I was 7 years old.

Swimming is one of my passions. But I also have another passion that is dear to my heart and that is information technology and helping students with disabilities find their calling. I look forward to the opportunity to improve on technology for video games for those with learning differences. I have thoughts about creating a sort of “starter-kit”. Start at ground zero on letting a person learn basic gaming knowledge geared for decreasing sensory overload. As they improve and can tolerant the game, they move up to the next set. This gives the person with sensory overload the ability to improve at their own pace. There could be many starter kit idea possibilities. They could be based on a child’s interest, hobbies, and their intellectual strengths. These starter kits could even assist therapists, schools, hospitals, clinics, and colleges.   In my short 18 years, I have gone through hours and hours of therapy, tutoring and sensory overload. I want to help the generation after me so they don’t have to go through all those struggles. Technology has a way to connect with kids who have disabilities and I want to be part of that bright light.

I encourage students with disabilities to find their passion whether it be movies, comics, a video game, or even a sport. I plan on being the next Michael Phelps while changing the lives of our future superheroes.

The post “Despite My Struggles with Autism, I’m Now Swimming at the College Level” first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

The phrase “summer school” can’t seem to shake the negative connotation that it carries. Summer school is often associated with poor academic performance or something to be endured indoors while other kids get to spend the warm months outside.

What most parents don’t know is that learning-free summers cost students two to three months of learning, according to John Hopkins School of Education, meaning it takes 8-12 weeks in the fall to relearn everything taught the previous spring. This can be especially stressful when your child is trying to balance countless activities and the looming pressure of college.

To prevent the dreaded “summer learning slide,” experts recommend students to participate in summer school programs, such as credit recovery classes, academic camps, and college/career exploratory initiatives. These educational programs help children stay focused, develop new social skills, instill confidence, and prepare for their future.

Photo courtesy of Hill School

During the school year, most students are involved in numerous extracurricular activities and are constantly having their attention pulled in many different directions. Balancing all these commitments can be overwhelming and stressful for your child, which can lead to their academic work suffering. With most summer programs, students take one class at a time, meaning they can devote 100% of their attention to a particular subject, such as English, World History or Geometry.

Students also have the chance to build up their confidence and develop their social skills during summer programs. Due to smaller class sizes in the summer, your child can benefit from more one-on-one time with teachers and small-group time with their peers. For students who keep to themselves, academic camps that incorporate fun group activities offer a comfortable setting for them to make friends and gain confidence when communicating with their peers.

Summer school can also prepare your child for college and future careers. Whether they are taking a class to get ahead or making up a credit, summer classes help students stay on track for graduation. In addition, many schools offer camps and initiatives that develop skills and training to help your child achieve their future college or career goals, such as practicing interviewing or researching college degree options.

Regardless of academic record or what age your child is, summer school programs are a positive experience and give you the opportunity to invest in their future. There are a wide variety of summer programs for you to choose from, so do lots of research to ensure you pick the one that’s the best fit for your child! At Hill School, we strongly believe that summer school programs will help your child grow and learn, not only academically, but also personally.

Photo courtesy of Hill School

Hill School is a college preparatory, full-service school for students with dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, ADHD, high-functioning ASD and other learning differences. Hill School is launching its new-and-improved summer school programs in June 2019, which will be open to Hill School and non-Hill School students entering K-12 in fall 2019.

Located in southwest Fort Worth, Hill School’s 40 faculty and staff members teach grades K-12. Hill School focuses on intensive small-group instruction in core subject areas to ensure that all students have an opportunity to reach their full academic potential. Students also explore interests and affinities through athletics, fine arts (drama, visual arts, music) and a wide variety of community involvement activities. For more information, visit www.HillSchool.org or www.Facebook.com/HillSchool.

Second-grade teacher Sarah Naumann is in her second year of teaching at Hill School of Fort Worth, a college preparatory, full-service school for students with dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, ADHD, high-functioning ASD and other learning differences. Sarah earned both her bachelor’s degree in early childhood education and her master’s degree in special education at Texas Christian University. In her free time, she enjoys helping with the special abilities musical theater class at Casa Mañana and cooking.

The post Mind the Gap! Don’t Let Your Child’s Summer Spree Become a Summer Slide first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

Luckily, today there are countless resources to help students learn confidently in the classroom. Dyslexia is a learning difference that alters the way the brain processes information, so individuals diagnosed with Dyslexia might have trouble matching letters on the page with the sounds those letters/combination of letters make. One in five people are affected by Dyslexia, and Dyslexia accounts for 85 percent of all learning differences.

Many children with Dyslexia have trouble in reading, math, and spelling, yet excel in creative, out-of-the-box thinking. Check out the list of Dyslexia resources below to help parents and students navigate the learning difference.

Student Resources:

Dyslexia Quest App

Designed by the Bristol Dyslexia Centre to test memory and learning skills, Dyslexia Quest contains six games, each testing a different learning ability associated with Dyslexia. At the end of each round, the “Yeti Master” will explain signs of Dyslexia to the user. The app is suitable for ages 10-17+ years, and can be downloaded on any Apple or Android device for $9.99.

Microsoft OneNote

Microsoft OneNote is a free tool built into Microsoft Office and Edge applications, designed to improve reading, writing and comprehension through its various dyslexic-friendly features. Learn more about the system, here: https://www.onenote.com/learningtools

“Fish in a Tree” by Lynda Mullaly Hunt

A sixth grade girl struggles to fit in because of her undiagnosed Dyslexia, yet finally realizes her potential when her teacher shows her not all great minds think alike. Great for older elementary- aged children, purchase this “New York Times” bestseller, here: https://amzn.to/2JbIaEF.

Parent Resources:

“Differently Wired: Raising an Exceptional Child in a Conventional World” by Deborah Reber

In a world dominated by societal viewpoint, Reber reminds parents to say “no” to comparing their children to others. She presents 18 shifts in thinking to help parents keep an open, empathetic relationship with their children. This book can be purchased from Amazon, here: https://amzn.to/2L2nRP2.

Dyslexia Quest podcast by Elisheva Schwartz

Elisheva Schwartz’s weekly podcast series speaks on various subjects, including sharing Dyslexia stories, interviews with Dyslexia experts, tackling the feelings that come with being dyslexic (shame, struggles and joy), and more. Her family-friendly series can be downloaded for free from iTunes, here: https://apple.co/1GcLw3J.

“Dyslexia Success Stories” by Understood.org

Michael Phelps, Whoopi Goldberg, Cher and more share their personal stories on overcoming Dyslexia. These short video clips are quick, and also provide encouraging reminders that can be shared with your children. View the videos at Understood.org.

Although Dyslexia is a lifelong condition and can be overwhelming at times, it can be managed when equipped with the right tools and a proactive mindset. For more information on Dyslexia, please visit:

• https://www.understood.org/en/learning-attention-issues/treatments-approaches/treatment-options/treatment-for-kids-with-Dyslexia
• https://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/learning-disabilities/Pages/Types-of-Learning-Problems.aspx
• https://brainconnection.brainhq.com/2016/12/22/Dyslexia-reading-disorder/

Second grade teacher Sarah Naumann is in her second year of teaching at Hill School of Fort Worth, a college preparatory, full-service school for students with dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, ADHD, high-functioning ASD and other learning differences. Sarah earned both her bachelor’s degree in early childhood education and her master’s degree in special education at Texas Christian University. In her free time, she enjoys helping with the special abilities musical theater class at Casa Mañana and cooking.

The post Six Family-Friendly Resources for Dyslexia first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

In recent years, studies have proven it is increasingly important to capture the mind at a much younger age —3 and 4 years old. That is when children’s minds are the most malleable and absorb and retain the most information. And the more sophisticated testing available in Fort Worth allows for diagnosis at a younger age. So it is great news that Hill School recently announced its new kindergarten programming.

“It’s a natural extension for Hill School, since more students are being identified with learning differences, such as ADHD, high-functioning autism, or language and processing disorders, at a young age,” said Roxann Breyer, Hill School’s Head of School. “Early interventions have the most impact, and by starting with the youngest learners, students may gain the strategies and skills needed to transition into a more traditional school environment after just a few years at Hill School.”

The strategies and skills my brother learned at Hill School helped him grow and maintain confidence in the learning environment provided. They also customized their lessons to how he learned the materials, which was different from standard blanket methods commonly used in public schools. Hill School has always been able to assist students in a small group setting, and still does, regardless of its growth and increasing admission numbers, because they kept their small student-to-teacher ratio. The Hill School helped my brother with communication skills and encouraged him to stay focused and organized when others could not.

“It was a very positive environment,” my mother said.

For children to have access to that kind of attention at a younger age through intensive multi-sensory language instruction, guided mathematics, and development of social skills through social thinking initiatives only increase their chances of success.

Teachers at Hill School have been trained in the Orton-Gillingham method, which is “is an instructional approach intended primarily for use with persons who have difficulty with reading, spelling, and writing of the sort associated with dyslexia,” according to the Academy of Orton-Gillingham website.

The research for these teaching methods dates back to the early 20th century to neuro-psychiatrist Samuel T. Orton and educator and psychologist Anna Gillingham, who compiled instructional materials based off of Orton’s findings as early as the 1930s. The method begins by assessing each student’s learning needs as they are all different, even if their diagnoses are similar. They also usually come in unique packages. For example, my brother was severely dyslexic, but he also had ADHD, and other learning challenges that went undiagnosed as testing in Fort Worth in the 1970s was not as sophisticated as it is now.

“Multi-sensory methods” means learning through seeing, hearing, and feeling. Through frequent feedback and success, the student gains confidence, which inevitably leads to success.

For math instruction, Hill School incorporates hands-on learning through materials such as toys relevant to the lesson in small group setting. And for students who struggle with high functioning autism, Asperger’s, or any learning differences, social skills are so important to sharpen in a safe environment surrounded by caring educators and peers toiling with the same problems.

Erin Zagotti, one of Hill School’s current Lower School teachers, will lead the new kindergarten program. After earning her Master of Arts in Curriculum and Instruction for Special Education from the University of West Florida, she taught pre-kindergarten students with disabilities in the public school environment for four years before moving to Hill School to teach first and second graders.

Hill School’s kindergarten program starts August 2017 with limited admission to ensure an enhanced learning experience in an intimate community and learning environment. Located in the safe TCU neighborhood since 1962, this school comes with more than 45 years’ experience and passionate dedication in helping student reach their fullest potential.

Parents interested in learning more about the program can contact Linda Sherlock, Director of Enrollment, at lsherlock@hillschool.org.

Jocelyn Tatum has been either publishing nonfiction work and/or teaching journalism at Tarrant County College for ten years. She began her career as a daily newspaper writer and general assignments reporter in 2008. A fifth-generation Fort Worth gal, marriage finally brought her back home six years ago where she became a full-time freelance magazine writer known for her long-form narrative style. With an undergraduate degree in philosophy, several study abroad stints, and a masters from the University of North Texas in narrative nonfiction writing (fancy journalism) as a Mayborn Scholar, she is always looking at the world around her with child-like wonder expressing what she sees best in the written word. Her passion is writing human-interest stories to give a voice to the voiceless, a face to the faceless. She has a 5-year-old boy who is the love of her life and best friend. Everything comes second to spending time with him. When she’s not mothering and writing, she is up at 5 a.m. running, taking Jen Keita’s spin classes, attending hot yoga, or riding horses. You can find her work most frequently in Fort Worth, Texas magazine, but also in CEO magazine (Fort Worth Business Press affiliate), and 360 West (Weddings), and more.

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