The Southport School 2023-2024 Viewbook

Welcome to The Southport School

When a student steps onto The Southport School campus, they begin a journey of discovery and find their place to shine. Our curriculum, designed to challenge and engage, reawakens a love of learning while embracing and celebrating unique strengths and individualized learning pathways.

At The Southport School, students find a safe environment to take bold steps championed by a dedicated faculty that prioritizes them and employs research and evidence-based approaches to learning. Since 1984, we’ve transformed the educational experience of more than 3,500 students in grades 2-8 with languagebased learning differences like dyslexia as well as attention issues. We offer a supportive environment with small class sizes where students can achieve success.

Students discover their potential

Families choose The Southport School for our proven success in effectively teaching students in an accepting and inclusive environment where they feel they belong and their potential can be unlocked. In place of a one-size-fits-all philosophy, we focus on understanding how each student learns best. Our expertly skilled faculty employs scientific tools to develop literacy and executive function strategies tailored to each learner’s individual needs. This individualized approach sets students up for success in and out of the classroom.

Our students evolve into independent lifelong learners equipped with skills, resilience, and optimism. With an average enrollment of three years, students leave The Southport School with the confidence and competence necessary to thrive at their next school and beyond.

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students in grades 2-8

Our expert faculty empowers learners

At The Southport School, our world-class faculty meets students where they are. All faculty members are trained in Orton-Gillingham, the best evidence-based approach for remediating students with language-based learning differences, like dyslexia as well as The Southport School’s proprietary research and evidence-based executive function coaching model, which is integrated into the curriculum and academic program including direct instruction in developing the full range of executive functioning skills, which go beyond planning and organizing. Additionally, teachers and administrators are highly trained in Lindamood Bell’s Visualizing and Verbalizing® method, an internationally acclaimed program for language comprehension.

Professional development is a priority at The Southport School. Our teachers undergo extensive in-house training before stepping into classrooms. They receive weekly professional training from regional and national experts and benefit from continuous mentorship.

With a firm mindset that they must reach each student and then deliver the best research and evidence-based instruction possible to help them succeed, teachers at The Southport School develop concrete strategies to extract, analyze, and understand information and use these strategies to guide each student to their full potential.

Shared experiences create belonging

Every teaching moment at The Southport School allows students to discover how their brains work. In small group settings, students receive personalized instruction surrounded by peers facing similar reading, comprehension, and executive functioning challenges. Here, there are no modified programs and students are not pulled out of class. Our students learn together which helps create a sense of belonging and community and can spark confidence and joy.

In learning to appreciate the cerebrodiversity of their classmates and understanding the value and positive aspects of different kinds of minds, students discover hope in their potential.

90% of faculty have advanced degrees

We provide challenging and rewarding activities that nurture independent thinking. In teaching students to problem solve, and recognize and utilize their strengths, they learn to foster supportive relationships with caring adults and make excellent academic, social and emotional strides. I’m incredibly fortunate to be a part of a community that plays a pivotal role in students’ development as learners and human beings.

– MEGAN AVERSANO, TEACHER

Families experience profound relief

At conventional schools, students with learning differences and attention issues are often left unserved because of their ability to compensate with their relative areas of strength. We empathize with the struggles families face trying to secure the support their child needs to succeed in school. At The Southport School, parents experience relief as they witness their child’s self-esteem and a love of learning grow under the guidance of experienced educators. Like their children, here parents find a supportive community of peers and professionals in whom they place their trust.

100%

of our classroom teachers are trained in Orton-Gillingham, Lindamood-Bell’s Visualizing and Verbalizing Method®, and The Southport School’s Executive Function Model

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Validating rather than accommodating our daughter’s challenges helped her overcome obstacles and also improved our family dynamic.

– K.B., PARENT OF ALUMNUS

An immersive experience builds confidence

We champion a holistic, immersive approach at The Southport School. Our teachers seamlessly integrate literacy and study strategies across all subjects from math and social studies to art and science. Rooted in a deep understanding of each student’s learning style, our approach ensures access to advanced content while expanding foundational skills.

Advisors pave the way to success

Each student at The Southport School has a personal advisor who serves as a guide, helping them build self-awareness and self-advocacy. The advisor is a students’ biggest cheerleader and serves as the communication liaison between the school and families by providing a streamlined process to discuss all aspects of their child’s school experience including academics, co-curricular activities, and social-emotional growth.

Technology is embedded meaningfully throughout the program so students can access content commensurate with their intelligence, develop strategies to maximize effort, creativity, and productivity, and engage with current best practices so that they are prepared for success when they transition to their next school.

For students struggling with decoding, audiobooks and textto-speech software can enable improvement opportunities in other areas of reading, like vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension. Dictation tools can provide students struggling with encoding new pathways for written expression. Organizational and interactive apps, multi-sensory platforms, and the like expand opportunities for expressing student thoughts and ideas.

A class schedule based on students’ unique learning profiles

Students are grouped by age and ability, and groups change as needed throughout the year. This allows us to challenge each student in areas of strength while remediating areas of difficulty.

Lower School

Grades 2-5

Writing: Develop written expression skills through lessons and activities in penmanship, language conventions, and creative writing.

Literature: Foster the development of comprehension through literacy works and various language-based activities.

Mathematics: Develop number concepts and computation skills through direct instruction and practical applications.

Social Studies & Science: Strengthen the ability to process information and develop study skills through direct instruction and practical applications.

All Grades

Tutorials: For each student, this time is dedicated to direct, language-based instruction and targeted study skills.

Recess: Students spend time outdoors playing games on our lawns enjoying a quiet moment, or chatting with friends.

Lunch: In our state-of-the-art common space, students can select from a range of delicious and healthy meal options, including gluten-free choices, all of which are freshly prepared by our kitchen staff.

Co-curricular: Art, music, physical education, mindfulness & movement, and social-emotional learning provide students with creative outlets and opportunities to develop gross motor skills.

Study Hall: Supervised homework and additional one-on-one instruction helps alleviate pressure from parents or caregivers.

Upper School

Grades 6-8

Writing: Develop and apply the writing process through various genres.

Humanities: Support reading development while providing the student with useful and practical background knowledge. Various literary works and expository texts are integrated to provide context to historical periods.

Mathematics: Develop rational number and algebraic concept skills through direct instruction and practical applications.

Science: Strengthen the ability to improve processing skills using projectbased learning.

4:1 student-to-faculty ratio

Our individualized approach to learning is backed by science

Applying research, science, and evidence, embracing a holistic approach to learning, and believing strongly in the potential that resides in all children, uniquely positions The Southport School to help students thrive. Unlike typical literacy curriculums that assume reading skills will develop naturally through exposure to books, our Structured Literacy program breaks the reading process into small, concrete steps that build foundational reading skills. All faculty at The Southport School are trained in Structured Literacy instruction.

Fundamental to our curriculum is the Orton-Gillingham Approach. Since the 1930s, the Orton-Gillingham Approach has revolutionized reading instruction by developing resources and support so people who learn and think differently can thrive. The approach outlines multisensory, sequential, and explicit instructions that break reading and spelling down into smaller skills while explaining the how and why of phonics. The Southport School faculty includes Fellows of the Academy of Orton-Gillingham Practitioners and Educators who provide ongoing training and mentoring for faculty.

Our curriculum also utilizes The Lindamood-Bell Verbalizing and Visualizing Method®, an internationally acclaimed program that develops the ability to visualize imagery based on language that promotes comprehension and critical thinking.

The Southport School Approach to Executive Functioning

Executive functioning describes the thought processes required to plan and direct activities—think of it as the brain’s “command center.” It helps children manage and coordinate everyday tasks and academic demands. Here, students benefit from The Southport School’s proprietary research and evidence-based executive function coaching model, which is woven throughout the curriculum including direct instruction in developing executive functioning skills. By integrating these skills across the curriculum, students develop an awareness of their executive function strengths, challenges, and individual strategies to engage these skills in various learning tasks.

Note: The Southport School is NOT Lindamood-Bell Learning Processes, nor is it affiliated with, certified, endorsed, licensed, monitored, or sponsored by Lindamood- Bell, Nanci Bell, Phyllis Lindamood, or Pat Lindamood. Lindamood-Bell—an international organization creating and implementing unique instructional methods and programs for quality intervention to advance language and literacy skills—in no way endorses or monitors the services provided by The Southport School.

Transition is the goal

From the moment students arrive on our campus, we plan for a seamless transition to their next school. Throughout a student’s journey with us, we equip them with the skills to thrive academically, socially, and emotionally in a traditional school setting. We formally discuss this milestone in the spring before the student’s final year.

While most students spend three years at The Southport School, each child’s transition timing is personal and depends on several factors, including academic performance and input from parents, teachers, and advisors.

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Our alumni have gone on to study at these schools, among others:

Connecticut Public Schools

Darien, Fairfield, Greenwich, Guilford, Monroe, New Canaan, Norwalk, Redding, Stamford, Trumbull, Weston, Westport, Wilton

New York Public Schools

Armonk, Bedford, Lewisboro

Connecticut Independent Day Schools

– SARAH M., PARENT OF ALUMNUS

“Piper had an incredible first marking period at her new school and earned High Honors—achieving A’s across the board! She is happy and confident and very pleased with herself! Thanks to the teaching team for making this happen.”

average

Fairfield Country Day School

Fairfield Prep School

Greens Farms Academy

King Low Heywood School

Miss Porter’s School

New Canaan Country Day School

Notre Dame

St. Luke’s School

Unquowa School

Wooster School

Boarding Schools

Cheshire Academy

Cushing Academy

The Eagle Hill School

Forman School

Gow School

Harvey School

Indian Mountain School

Marvelwood School

Millbrook School

Rumsey Hall

Salisbury School

Stratton Mountain School

Vermont Academy

Our students master the skills and strategies for success

We send students to their next school equipped with an understanding of their:

• unique learning style,

• ability to self-advocate,

• critical thinking skills,

• use of technology to enhance productivity,

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The Southport School taught me the importance of close relationships with teachers, advocating for myself and never hiding who I am.” – JAKE H, ALUMNUS

• executive function strengths, challenges, and the strategies they can use in various learning tasks,

• and lastly and perhaps most importantly, students leave The Southport School with the confidence to succeed both in and out of the classroom

Alumni Profiles

Jake H, T’17 Marist College

After his time at TSS, Jake attended Ludlow High School in Fairfield, CT. In conjunction with FLHS Jake also attended the Bridgeport Regional Aquaculture Science and Technology Program which offered a variety of handson learning experiences.

Wendy, T’04

B.A., Muhlenberg College; M.A.T.,University of Saint Joseph Wendy has found her true passion in education. After teaching Pre-K in the Lyme-Old Lyme public schools for the past three years, she is headed to Los Angeles to teach Transitional Kindergarten in the Culver City Public Schools.

Gib, T’13

B.A., Independent Studies, Hobart & William Smith College

Gib was a member of his college Leadership cohort and served as class president and a student trustee. He interned in the offices of the President, Annual Giving and Alumni Relations and now is helping collegebound students on their higher education journey. Gib is an active volunteer firefighter and EMT.

Become a Southport School student!

A Southport School student is…

• Intelligent and creative, with untapped potential

• Diagnosed with language-based learning differences, such as dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia, auditory processing, or language/reading comprehension

• Diagnosed with ADHD with deficits in reading and writing

• Inattentive/impulsive

• Challenged with executive functioning

• Without significant social or emotional needs

We look forward to meeting your family!

The best way to find out if our school would benefit your child is to call us. We will speak openly about your child’s learning profile and experiences and from there, assess if our school is the right place for them.

Admissions Process

1. Inquire (online or by phone)

2. Parent visit

3. Completed application

4. Children’s neuropsychology testing submitted (private and public school accepted)

5. Student in-person interview and classroom visit

6. Admissions decision (within two weeks of final visit)

7. If admitted and accepted, a tuition deposit is required to secure placement

Please visit SouthportSchool.org for more information about admissions and financial aid. You may also contact the admissions office at 203.254.2044 or Info@SouthportSchool.org.

Southport students come from five counties and more than 35 towns, including:

Dutchess County

Carmel, Wappinger

Fairfield County

Bridgeport, Darien, Danbury, Fairfield, Greenwich, New Canaan, Norwalk, Ridgefield, Stamford, Trumbull, Weston, Westport, Wilton

Middlesex County

Old Saybrook

New Haven County

Milford, Woodbridge, New Haven, Guildford

Westchester County

Armonk, Bedford, Katonah, Scarsdale

The Southport School provides transformative educational experiences and thought leadership that have lifelong impacts on students and the learning differences community.

The Southport School is in the heart of Southport, Connecticut, a charming coastal village with close proximity to extraordinary resources including, the Pequot Library, the athletic facilities at Wakeman Boys and Girls Club, and quaint village shops.

The Metro-North station is within walking distance. Our main campus features two fully renovated historic buildings, each just steps from Southport Harbor where Long Island Sound vistas, salt sea air, and dockside ambiance bring tranquility to our campus that elevates every school day.