Love school again EMPOWERING STUDENTS WITH DYSLEXIA SINCE 1969
“The daily Orton-Gillingham tutoring is the most effective way of enabling students to gain the skills they need in order to reach their potential. The results of these one-to-one tutorials are often nothing short of miraculous.” Diana Hanbury King, Founder, The Kildonan School
The Kildonan School is a leading coeducational, independent, college-preparatory school for students with dyslexia and language-based learning differences in grades 2 through 12, offering both day and boarding options. Kildonan’s founder, Diana Hanbury King, is an educational pioneer. She established Kildonan for students with average to above-average intelligence who struggle with dyslexia and language-based learning differences in 1969, a time when few understood the meaning of these words. While Kildonan has grown to meet the changing needs of our students, we are as committed to Diana’s singular mission today as when it was founded more than 40 years ago.
“When students first come to Kildonan, you can almost hear their sighs of relief. Finally, they’re part of a school that understands them, where they share the same type of frustration and experiences with other students. Where they feel they are not alone.” Dr. Robert Lane, Academic Dean
Love learning again. “Kildonan changed the way I think about school.” James, Grade 7, Garrison, NY
We frequently hear these words from our students and graduates. Kildonan believes that students with dyslexia are bright, resourceful and creative but lack the tools they need to use their gifts and reach their full potential. We have helped many students gain those tools, build their confidence, and learn how to learn and love school again. With more than 40 years of experience, we know what works.
“After years of being told ‘You’re not trying,’ I had no self-confidence. At Kildonan, though, everybody has walked in the same shoes, and I realized it isn’t just me. Now I know I’m able to do so many things.” Kurt, Grade 12 Boston, Massachusetts
Students come to Kildonan with a wide range of language skills. Daily one-to-one tutoring is built into the academic schedule, allowing the individual needs of each student to be met and continually assessed and monitored. There is no time wasted waiting for classmates’ questions, no wading through too-difficult material, and no embarrassment performing in front of others. The interests and strengths of each student provide the direction for instruction. The foundation of language remediation at Kildonan is the Orton-Gillingham approach, based on scientific evidence and practices validated over the past 70 years. Kildonan is accredited by the Orton-Gillingham Academy of Practitioners and Educators, and all of our faculty members are O-G trained.
What are language-based
learning differences? People with dyslexia, or a language based learning difference, are those who, despite traditional classroom teaching, struggle with elements of our language system. The dyslexic brain is wired in such a way that the usual pathways for reading and writing language function differently. Those differences, however, bring with them advantages in understanding visual-spatial relationships, the ability to make connections among disparate ideas, to see the “big picture,” and to work with a diverse array of people. At Kildonan, we have developed the academic program to address each student’s language-based needs as well as to develop the special gifts and talents each possesses. Learning here is structured, sequential, individualized and student-centered – an approach that recognizes the unique struggles and strengths of each student and enables our students to gain the confidence they need to be successful. For more information and resources on dyslexia and language-based learning differences, visit: www.kildonan.org
Love school again. Listening, reading, spelling, writing, time management and organization are all skills that don’t come easily to students with language-based learning dierences. Because those needs are addressed directly during tutoring, subject classes are about exploring ideas, constructing knowledge, creating and collaborating. Small classes and the close connections among students and teachers allow for individualization and robust discussion. Development of research, writing and discussion skills, multi-sensory, inquiry-based classes, and appropriate technology give all our students the opportunity to succeed and achieve their full academic potential.
“What I like about Kildonan is that it makes me feel like I’m good at things. What surprised me most was my ability to excel at something once I understood it.
Filipa, Grade 11, Lisbon, Portugal
Elementary School “I can tell you that Kildonan changed my son’s life: no question. He came home from his first day of school with a smile on his face that I hadn’t seen in years.” Mother of John, Grade 4
grades 2-6 In the elementary years, the curriculum is focused on one-to-one language tutorials and subjects, including literature, math, history, science, and the arts, which are taught in small classes. We challenge students to think independently and creatively, to use all their senses to observe and evaluate and to collaborate effectively to solve problems. In a daily study hall, students work on assignments, practice skills, and learn independence. We believe in hands-on exploration, and our campus location provides ample opportunities for fieldwork and trips. During the course of their elementary years, while students are learning and developing, teachers regularly assess the development of their language and reading skills to determine the most appropriate middle school placement, whether they progress on to the Kildonan Middle School or are placed out to their local public or independent middle school.
Middle School
grades 7-8 During the middle school years, we expect a lot from our students, but more importantly, we teach them how to expect a lot from themselves. We balance challenging academics, which are taught in a project-based, hands-on, multi-sensory environment with an understanding of the special social and emotional needs of seventh and eighth graders. Our one-to-one approach allows us to design an academic plan for each child whether they have been with us during the elementary years or are just joining our school community in middle school. For middle school students who don’t live in the immediate area, we offer both five- and seven-day boarding. The boarding program includes weekday and weekend activities that are tailored to the specific curricular, social and emotional needs of a middle school student.
“My daughter was ready for a change, she was done being pulled out of class. ‘Reading is hard.’ she admitted. ‘I want to be in a school where all the kids are like me.’ Once she stepped on the Kildonan campus, she felt like she was home.” Elizabeth, mother of Ellie (Grade 8), New York, NY
High School
grades 9-12 Our one-to-one tutoring takes on a new dimension in high school, when the development of students’ language skills merges with the advanced research and writing skills they need for the college placement process. A typical lesson plan for one of our high school tutoring sessions moves beyond the morphology of the word, including Greek and Latin word components, important for vocabulary. Math courses range from basic math to advanced classes including nontraditional options. Daily math assignments build knowledge and skill, and extra math tutoring is available weeknights. We teach science from an inquiry-based perspective and include Health and the Human Body, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Environmental Science, and Forensics. American, World, and Senior Literature classes focus on the appreciation and analysis of novels, short stories, drama, and poetry. Writing, research, vocabulary, and discussion skills play a central role in the Literature curriculum. Global Studies, American History, and Government and Economics courses teach students how to identify and analyze the events and attitudes of various cultures through time and how to make connections between them.
When our students graduate with a New York State High School Diploma from Kildonan, they are mature, confident, competent, and prepared to succeed in college. They understand how they learn, manage their time effectively, advocate for themselves, and are motivated to tackle the challenges that lie ahead.
Assistive Technology A key feature of our program is direct, one-to-one training for students who need to use technology to handle the time-consuming demands of high school and college. Students in this program learn speech-to-text, text-tospeech, electronic mapping, and other skills that take advantage of specialized assistive software currently available. Our assistive technology support extends beyond the training lab established for this purpose. We believe that the selective use of technology in our core tutoring sessions and in the class setting will help our students read, write, organize ideas, and synthesize information more readily as well as build confidence and enable them to thrive. SMARTBoards, video presentations, and audio recordings are common in our classrooms. In 2012, we introduced iPads to the campus, providing every student with this state-of-the-art learning tool, and incorporated them into our tutoring and classroom curricula. We are constantly exploring new technologies that will help our students reach their full potential.
software “Kurzweil was a savior for me. I’ve gone from struggling with a simple paragraph to writing a five-paragraph essay in one night. Having the ability to just talk to the computer allows me to get out everything I want to say.” Evan, Grade 11, New York, NY
Technology can make all the difference when it comes to language-based activities. The applications our students use and are trained in include: Co:Writer Dragon Dictate for Mac Dragon NaturallySpeaking Ginger Software Kurzweil 3000 iFlash Inspiration
Love being creative again.
The arts at Kildonan are not just an extracurricular activity; they are an integral part of our approach to developing the strengths of our students. In a studio setting students become familiar with art as visual language and explore creative ways of thinking and problem solving that are relevant in the artist’s studio and beyond. We guide students who continue to pursue art after leaving Kildonan through the process of creating portfolios in preparation for applying to college art programs.
“I have learned more at Kildonan than at any other school. I learned the real meaning of dyslexia, that I can be independent and that I can feel normal. I also found out who I really am – no other school teaches all that. I thank my parents for choosing such a great school; they could not have chosen any better.” Ana, Grade 8, Mexico City, Mexico
“Art and music really helped me with my speech and writing. My words sounded so beautiful in my mind, but when they came out, they didn’t sound the way I wanted them to. I can express myself so much better now. My dream is to become a screenwriter.” Nabby, Grade 12, Queens, New York
music Music is also seen as a critical learning tool, particularly in the Elementary program, where formal music classes are offered as part of the curriculum. Singing enhances students’ vocabularies, speaking skills, and self-confidence, while playing a musical instrument builds and strengthens essential patterning, sequencing, fine motor skills and memory. In addition to being able to study an instrument or voice after school through the Kildonan Arts Department, interested middle and high school students may enroll in music and performing arts electives. The curriculum includes classes such as Chorus, Music Theory, and Performance as Art. Additional classes may be added to the curriculum based on student interest.
Visual Learning Center Visual connections often strengthen a dyslexic student’s ability to retain and recall language-based information. The Visual Learning Center, in partnership with teachers, designs, creates, and implements visual materials for tutorials and classrooms that are designed to enhance learning and to meet the specific needs of our students and teachers. Check out our student gallery at art.kildonan.org
Love belonging again. Kildonan students form bonds quickly. They share common feelings, which they thought they alone experienced, and, as a result, feel a deep connection with one another. Whether working together on a sports team, collaborating on student council or joining together on a community service project, they connect with each other and the faculty and staff to sustain this vibrant, supportive community. At Kildonan it is common to find a math teacher having lunch with a student, a coach inquiring as to how a player’s English project is going and a tutor cheering vigorously as his student makes her first run down the moguls!
project eye-to-eye social responsibility Sharing a learning dierence also creates a sense of aďŹƒnity among students that translates to a feeling of responsibility to the larger community. Putting social responsibility into actual practice, students from all grades participate in a number of community service and building projects on and off campus, including: Project Impact (campus-based community service projects); Project Eye-to-Eye (see inset); Cornerstone Project (assisting with a school-building initiative in Africa), and a number of additional environmental and conservation causes such as maintaining the Rail Trail, visiting local nursing homes and maintaining a community garden.
Project Eye to Eye is a mentoring program pairing LD elementary kids with LD high school and college students. At Kildonan, a group of 15 sophomores, juniors, and seniors travel each week to a local elementary school where students meet with their mentees and work together to complete an organized art project. Past projects have included making a tool belt that would assist learning, constructing a model of the ideal classroom and composing a poem describing the mentees' strengths and skills. Participants in Eye to Eye, both mentors and mentees, gain skills that facilitate academic empowerment, becoming positive and informed self-advocates and learners.
“With the support of Kildonan and my participation in Project Eye-to-Eye, I’ve built up the courage and confidence to know there is nothing I can’t succeed at if I put my mind to it. Kildonan has helped me evolve into a leader, inside and outside of the school community.” August, Grade 12, Paris, Texas
“Kildonan has made me a lot more athletic. When I attended public school, I played football and baseball for fun. At Kildonan, I played varsity soccer, helped with the JV team, played varsity basketball and was one of the captains of the varsity lacrosse team.� Dan, Grade 12, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Love being active again. At Kildonan, we encourage outdoor activity as much as possible. In the elementary school this is accomplished through the integration of physical activities into the school day. Middle school students are encouraged to participate in team sports, and all high school students are required to participate in at least one sport or ďŹ tness activity each term.
Teams @ KILDONAN Fall Soccer (junior varsity/varsity) Tennis Horseback Riding Biking
WINTER Skiing Boys Basketball (junior varsity/varsity) Girls Basketball (varsity)
SPRING Lacrosse (varsity/middle school) Tennis Biking Horseback Riding
For a small school, our teams, which compete against local independent schools, are remarkably talented. The varsity soccer team went undefeated in 2011, and the basketball and lacrosse teams excelled as a result of dynamic coaching, regular daily practices, and weekly games. At the middle school and high school level, there are non-competitive options too, including horseback riding, biking and cross-country skiing. Whatever the sport, Kildonan students discover and advance their natural talents. They take the skills they develop during the sports period back into their tutoring sessions, where some of these same skills speed their progress in language ability. The confidence that our athletic program cultivates in our students also makes the challenges of the academic day far less daunting. This interplay between physical skills and academic achievement is characteristic of Kildonan’s whole student approach.
Ski/Snowboarding
Program At Kildonan, skiing and snowboarding are integrated into the residential and academic program. Every Thursday during winter term, students and teachers travel to Ski Butternut for skiing and snowboarding lessons and practice. Elementary school students can choose to ski, snowboard, or skate for a half-day while middle and high school students choose between alpine skiing and snowboarding. Regardless of skill level, we provide each student personalized instruction. At the end of winter term, the entire middle school and high school spends a week at the Killington ski resort in Vermont, where students focus on their developing skills.
Equestrian
Program Horses have been part of daily life at Kildonan since the School’s founding. Though many of our students have never ridden before, most take to it naturally. It’s remarkable to watch students master the balance and coordination it takes to control a horse. All students in the equestrian program, even accomplished riders, receive a rigorous, individualized course of instruction that builds skill and confidence while also ensuring their safety. At Kildonan, horseback riding is a daily class in Elementary School. In Middle and High School, riding is an elective in fall and spring. Each year, students showcase their progress to parents and the school community at horse shows presented on campus. Our equestrian facilities include the Abu Haidar Stables, a riding ring, and miles of open fields and wooded trails.
“When my daughter arrived at the beginning of 9th grade, she was concerned about having to board. After the first few weeks, she asked us to switch her from 5-day boarding to 7-day boarding. Now I have a hard time getting her to come home at all!” Marguerite, mother of Sophie, Grade 11, New York, NY
Love feeling at home
on our beautiful campus. At Kildonan, students love the mix of independence and supervision, and parents love the safe, caring environment. The School is located in rural Dutchess County, in the heart of the Hudson Valley region. Nestled at the foothills of the Berkshires, the campus is situated on 350 rolling acres conveniently located 90 miles north of New York City. The campus is two hours from three major airports and only ten minutes from a train that leads to Manhattan. The elementary, middle, and high school programs each have their own buildings. These spaces are designed to support multi-sensory instruction and one-to-one Orton-Gillingham tutorials. All three buildings are equipped with SMARTBoards速 and a T-1 line for Internet access. In addition, the campus features a state of the art athletic center, built in 2008, two sets of athletic fields, a horseback riding ring, stables, and tennis courts. We also have hiking and riding paths, camping areas, mountain biking trails, a pond, majestic mountains rising in the distance, and breathtaking vistas.
“I like the community here. Kildonan lets us be who we are, explore what we want to do, and reach our full potential. ” Simon, Grade 12, Mexico City, Mexico
At Kildonan, your friends might come from: California Indiana Maryland Massachusetts New York Ohio South Carolina Texas
Bermuda Brazil Canada France Hong Kong Mexico Turks & Caicos United Arab Emirates
living at kildonan Kildonan’s students come from all over the United States and the world. We offer boarding to all students in grades 7-12, with seven-day and five-day options. The majority of our high school students choose to live on campus. Seven-day boarders enjoy the special, supervised weekend trips to museums, movies, malls, Broadway shows, college and professional ball games, as well as spending time with friends and faculty on campus. Goldman Hall houses boys boarding in grades 7-12. The building underwent a renovation in 2012, enhancing each room, expanding the common areas and upgrading the facilities to include wireless access in every room. Female boarding students in grades 7-12 live in King House, which was built in the mid 1990’s and is
also equipped with comfortable common areas and wireless access. The school’s dining hall, which serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, is located between the two dormitories. Kildonan faculty and staff do everything possible to make dorm life feel like home. Every Thursday, each dorm hosts its own dinner and every Friday, boarding students go to a different faculty member’s residence for a home-cooked meal. Both five-day and seven-day boarders attend dinner on campus on Sunday evenings, followed by a supervised two-hour study period to complete their weekend assignments. For more information on our boarding program for students in grades 5 and 6, please contact the Admissions Office.
Camp Dunnabeck At Kildonan, summer is fun…and educational. Camp Dunnabeck is Kildonan’s summer program for children ages 8 to 16. Established in 1955, Dunnabeck is the oldest residential program of its kind—founded specifically for children with dyslexia and other related language-based learning differences. The Dunnabeck program balances dedicated language remediation with outstanding recreational activities. We pair every camper with an Orton-Gillingham tutor for a one-to-one, one-hour Language Training session every day. Each camper completes tutoring-based assignments in study hall, the length of which varies based on the child’s age. When they’re not studying, campers can choose from among a wide array of fun activities and weekend excursions, which tap into the natural resources of the campus and the region. When campers return to school in the fall, they discover that they’re rested, relaxed, and ready for success.
“I have just one word to describe what happened to Will this summer... WOW! He came home a much different kid – what we see now is a kid who is happy, gladly goes to school and comes home and does his homework.” John, Father of Will, San Antonio, TX
Dunnabeck Activities: Archery Arts & Crafts Camping Canoeing Ceramics Computer Lab Horseback Riding Martial Arts Mini Golf Mountain biking
Multimedia Painting & Drawing Photography Soccer Swimming Tennis Waterskiing Woodworking Yoga
For more information on Camp Dunnabeck, please contact the Kildonan Admissions Office
Love what the future holds With an education from Kildonan, your child’s future is boundless, limited only by his or her imagination. Our students learn they can achieve anything they put their mind to and succeed. They have the tools, conďŹ dence and ability to conquer challenges, think critically, and set their sights as high as they dare.
“Kildonan has helped me with my confidence in the classroom. Now I am not afraid to ask how to spell a word or for a teacher to repeat what she just went over. I often wonder where I would be if I had not come to this school.” Jack, Grade 10, New York, NY
a lifetime investment To fully appreciate our magnificent campus,
YOU HAVE TO SEE IT FOR YOURSELF. This book can give you a sense of Kildonan. But nothing compares to a visit. Come see for yourself. Take a tour. Meet our teachers. Talk with students who have the advantages of a Kildonan education. And see what it’s like to love school again. You’ve taken the first step. We look forward to meeting you soon. To schedule a visit, contact Admissions at Kildonan at (845)373-2012 or admissions@kildonan.org.
We recognize that sending your child to Kildonan is a financial commitment, as well as an investment in his or her future. For more information on financial aid support, see the financial aid application or visit www.kildonan.org
Design: © Peapod Design, New Canaan, CT; Photography: Tim Coffey and Sam Hollenshead
Kildonan graduates go on to do great things. They are college students, lawyers, entrepreneurs, inventors, artists, doctors, publishers, architects, scientists, filmmakers, engineers, journalists, business leaders…and more. A full 100% of our seniors are accepted to college. A sample of colleges and universities to which recent Kildonan graduates have been accepted includes: American University Clarkson University Curry College CW Post Davis and Elkins College Hobart and William Smith Colleges Ithaca College Lynn University Muhlenberg College
New England College Pace University Ringling College of Art and Design Rochester Institute of Technology Roger Williams University Skidmore College SUNY Oneonta University of Colorado/Colorado Springs
“It’s so exciting to see the looks on the faces of our students—who never quite believed they would go to college—when they find out they’ve been accepted.” Theresa Collins, Director of Kildonan Language Training
mission statement The Kildonan School empowers students with dyslexia to regain confidence and exercise their strengths. Daily one-to-one language tutorials complement an innovative, challenging curriculum that inspires students to love learning while preparing for college and beyond. The Kildonan School is a leading coeducational, independent, college preparatory school for students with dyslexia and language-based learning differences in grades 2 through 12, with day and boarding options.
425 Morse Hill Road
Amenia, New York 12501
(845) 373-2012
www.kildonan.org