Skills and Process

Building the FOUNDATION FOR LEADERSHIP on the High School Campus

BY JOE ROSE

SKILLS + PROCESS

If you are a Landmark teacher, skills and process are the two elements that provide the foundation of everything you teach. We are proud to be at the vanguard of educating students with languagebased learning needs. But on the High School campus, while teaching reading, writing, and study skills are at the forefront of it all, teaching the “life” skills and the processes of leadership and character development play an integral role in the academic, residential, and extracurricular programs.

Community Service

Community Service at the High School empowers students to be leaders. Whether it’s volunteering in retirement communities, working with the Special Olympics, or taking service trips outside of the country to work with those in need, the Community Service program challenges students to understand that they can be agents of change in their communities, both locally and globally.

“Kids can see cause and effect,” said Rev. William Ferguson, the school’s chaplain and director of the school’s community service efforts. “When students volunteer, they immediately see the impact of their work and the effect on those they are helping. It provides a sense of purpose and responsibility, as well as a connectedness to others.”

Student Government

Elected officers in our student government feel a similar sense of connection and accomplishment. These students serve as representative voices of their community, leading with empathy and respect. Whether it’s working on initiatives like the yearly food and blood drives and field day celebration or fundraising for worthy causes in the greater-Beverly community, Student Council members live and breathe leadership each and every day.

Student Advocates

The High School’s Student Advocates are also a major pillar of leadership at Landmark. In their daily studies and travels to speak at colleges and schools across New England, the Advocates impart what it means to grow up, live, and learn with learning disabilities. On their journey, they build essential life skills, including the importance of preparation, the power of independent thinking, the significance of advocacy, as well as valuable oral and written communication skills.

“Working together, the Advocates learn the key character traits of teamwork, cooperation, understanding, patience, and poise under pressure,” acknowledged Dan Ahearn, one of the triumvirate of teachers of the class. “We drive the students to self-reflect on what some of the most important personal attributes are for both their growth and the growth of others.”

Leading as a Resident

As Assistant Dean of Students Jeff Fauci explained: “For residents, leadership and character are developed by earning privileges that reward students with increasing independence. Students plan and organize community nights, afterschool and virtual clubs, weekend trips, and more. Early involvement from student leaders generates greater participation and growth across the board.”

There are many other impressive and impactful leadership activities and initiatives on the High School campus, including athletics and performing arts, the Leadership and Character class in the Prep Program, and the Internship class in the Study Skills Department, to name just a few.

As Landmark continues to evolve after 51 years of being on the cutting edge of teaching reading, writing, and study skills to students with languagebased learning disabilities, it’s becoming increasingly clear: While our students continue to flourish with their learning, they are also progressively developing into strong leaders and people of character who regularly make their mark on the world in which they live. BOOK-OPEN

“For residents, leadership and character are developed by EARNING PRIVILEGES that reward students with increasing independence. ”

—Jeff Fauci, Assistant Dean of Students

Landmark students build leadership skills in the residences, and beyond.