The Kildonan School Viewboook

EMPOWERING STUDENTS WITH DYSLEXIA SINCE 1969

Love school again

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“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

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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 intelligencewho 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.

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“When students first come to Kildonan, you can almosthear their sighs of relief. Finally, they’re part of aschool that understands them, where they share the same type of frustration and experiences with otherstudents. Where they feel they are not alone.”Dr. Robert Lane, Academic Dean


Love learning again.

We frequently hear these words from our students andgraduates. Kildonan believes that students withdyslexia are bright, resourceful and creative but lackthe tools they need to use their gifts and reach their fullpotential. We have helped many students gain thosetools, build their confidence, and learn how to learnand love school again. With more than 40 years of experience, we know what works.

“Kildonan changed the way I think about school.” James, Grade 7, Garrison, NY


“After years of being told ‘You’re not trying,’ I had no self-confidence.At Kildonan, though,everybody has walkedin the same shoes, and Irealized it isn’t just me.Now I know I’m able todo 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, allowingthe individual needs of each student to be met and continually assessedand 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 languageremediation 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 Practitionersand 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 dyslexicbrain 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 makeconnections among disparate ideas, to see the“big picture,” and to work with a diverse array of people. At Kildonan, we have developed theacademic program to address each student’s language-based needs as well as to develop thespecial gifts and talents each possesses. Learninghere is structured, sequential, individualized andstudent-centered – an approach that recognizesthe 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 dyslexiaand language-based learning differences, visit: www.kildonan.org


Love school again.Listening, reading, spelling, writing, timemanagement and organization are all skillsthat don’t come easily to students with language-based learning differences. Becausethose needs are addressed directly during tutoring, subjectclasses are about exploring ideas, constructing knowledge,creating and collaborating. Small classes and the closeconnections 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 allour students the opportunity to succeed and achieve theirfull academic potential.


“What I like about Kildonan is that itmakes me feel like I’m good at things.What surprised me most was my ability toexcel at something once I understood it.Filipa, Grade 11, Lisbon, Portugal


Elementary Schoolgrades 2-6In the elementary years, the curriculum is focused on one-to-onelanguage tutorials and subjects, including literature, math, history,science, and the arts, which are taught in small classes. We challengestudents to think independently and creatively, to use all their senses to observe and evaluate and to collaborate effectively to solve problems. In adaily study hall, students work on assignments, practice skills, and learn independence. We believe in hands-on exploration, and our campus locationprovides 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 skillsto determine the most appropriate middle school placement, whether theyprogress on to the Kildonan Middle School or are placed out to their localpublic or independent middle school.

“I can tell you that Kildonan changed my son’s life: no question. He came home from his firstday of school with a smile on his face that Ihadn’t seen in years.”Mother of John, Grade 4


Middle Schoolgrades 7-8

High Schoolgrades 9-12

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. Ourone-to-one approach allows us to design an academic plan for each childwhether they have been with us during the elementary years or are just joiningour school community in middle school. For middle school students who don’tlive in the immediate area, we offer both five- and seven-day boarding. Theboarding program includes weekday and weekend activities that are tailored tothe specific curricular, social and emotional needs of a middle school student.

“My daughter was readyfor a change, she wasdone being pulled out ofclass. ‘Reading is hard.’she admitted. ‘I want to be in a school whereall the kids are like me.’ Once she steppedon the Kildonan campus, she felt likeshe was home.”Elizabeth, mother of Ellie (Grade 8),New York, NY

Our one-to-one tutoring takes on a new dimension in high school,when the development of students’ language skills merges with theadvanced research and writing skills they need for the collegeplacement process. A typical lesson plan for one of our high school tutoringsessions moves beyond the morphology of the word, including Greek andLatin 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 andanalysis 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 coursesteach 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 witha New York State High SchoolDiploma from Kildonan, they are mature, confident, competent, andprepared to succeed in college.They understand how they learn,manage their time effectively, advocate for themselves, and aremotivated to tackle the challengesthat lie ahead.


AssistiveTechnology

A key feature of our program is direct, one-to-one training for students who need touse technology to handle the time-consumingdemands of high school and college. Studentsin this program learn speech-to-text, text-to-speech, electronic mapping, and other skillsthat take advantage of specialized assistivesoftware currently available. Our assistive technology support extends beyond the training lab established for this purpose. Webelieve that the selective use of technology inour core tutoring sessions and in the classsetting will help our students read, write, organize ideas, and synthesize informationmore readily as well as build confidence andenable them to thrive. SMARTBoards,video presentations, and audio recordings arecommon in our classrooms. In 2012, we introduced iPads to the campus, providingevery 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.

Technology can make all the differencewhen it comes to language-based activities.The applications our students use and aretrained in include: Co:Writer Dragon Dictate for Mac Dragon NaturallySpeaking Ginger Software Kurzweil 3000 iFlash Inspiration

software“Kurzweil was a savior for me. I’ve gone from

struggling with a simple paragraph to writinga five-paragraph essay in one night. Havingthe ability to just talk to the computer allowsme to get out everything I want to say.”Evan, Grade 11, New York, NY


Love being creative again.The arts at Kildonan are not just an extracurricularactivity; they are an integral part of our approach todeveloping the strengths of our students. In a studiosetting 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 theprocess of creating portfolios in preparation for applying to college art programs.

“I have learned more at Kildonan than at any otherschool. I learned the real meaning of dyslexia, that I can be independent and that I can feel normal. I also found outwho I really am – no other school teaches all that. I thank my parents for choosing such a great school; they could nothave chosen any better.”Ana, Grade 8, Mexico City, Mexico


“Art and music reallyhelped me with myspeech and writing.My words sounded sobeautiful in my mind, but when they cameout, they didn’t soundthe way I wanted themto. I can express myselfso much better now.My dream is to becomea screenwriter.”Nabby, Grade 12, Queens, New York

musicMusic is also seen as a critical learning tool, particularly in the Elementary program, where formal music classes are offered aspart of the curriculum. Singing enhances students’ vocabularies, speaking skills, and self-confidence, while playing a musical instrumentbuilds 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 andhigh 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 curriculumbased on student interest.


VisualLearningCenterVisual connections often strengthen adyslexic 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 classroomsthat are designed to enhance learningand to meet the specific needs of ourstudents and teachers.

Check out our student gallery at art.kildonan.org


Love belonging again.Kildonan students form bondsquickly. They share common feelings, which they thought they aloneexperienced, and, as a result, feel a deepconnection 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!


projecteye-to-eye

Project Eye to Eye is a mentoring programpairing LD elementary kids with LD highschool and college students. At Kildonan, a group of 15 sophomores, juniors, and seniors travel each week to a local elementaryschool where students meet with theirmentees and work together to complete an organized art project. Past projects haveincluded making a tool belt that would assist learning, constructing a model of theideal classroom and composing a poem describing the mentees' strengths and skills.Participants in Eye to Eye, both mentors andmentees, gain skills that facilitate academicempowerment, becoming positive and informed self-advocates and learners.

social responsibilitySharing a learning difference also creates a sense of affinityamong 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 serviceand building projects on and off campus, including: Project Impact (campus-based community service projects); Project Eye-to-Eye (seeinset); Cornerstone Project (assisting with a school-building initiative in Africa), and a number of additional environmental and conservationcauses such as maintaining the Rail Tra il, visiting local nursing homes and maintaining a community garden.


“With the support of Kildonan and my participation in ProjectEye-to-Eye, I’ve built up thecourage and confidence to knowthere is nothing I can’t succeed atif I put my mind to it. Kildonan has helped me evolve into aleader, 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 baseballfor fun. At Kildonan, I played varsity soccer, helpedwith the JV team, played varsity basketball and wasone 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 activitiesinto the school day. Middle school students are encouraged to participate in team sports, and all high school students arerequired to participate in at least one sport or fitness activityeach term.


For a small school, our teams, which compete against local independentschools, are remarkably talented. The varsity soccer team went undefeated in2011, 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 andcross-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 thechallenges of the academic day far less daunting. This interplay between physicalskills and academic achievement is characteristic of Kildonan’s whole student approach.

Teams@KILDONAN

FallSoccer(junior varsity/varsity)

TennisHorseback RidingBiking

WINTERSkiingBoys Basketball (junior varsity/varsity)

Girls Basketball (varsity)

SPRINGLacrosse(varsity/middle school)

TennisBikingHorseback Riding


Ski/Snowboarding

ProgramAt Kildonan, skiing and snowboarding are integrated into the residential and academicprogram. Every Thursday during winter term,students and teachers travel to Ski Butternutfor skiing and snowboarding lessons and practice. Elementary school students canchoose to ski, snowboard, or skate for a half-day while middle and high school students choose between alpine skiing andsnowboarding. Regardless of skill level, weprovide each student personalized instruction. At the end of winter term, the entire middleschool and high school spends a week at the Killington ski resort in Vermont, where students focus on their developing skills.

EquestrianProgramHorses 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 ahorse. All students in the equestrian program,even accomplished riders, receive a rigorous, individualized course of instruction that buildsskill and confidence while also ensuring theirsafety. At Kildonan, horseback riding is adaily class in Elementary School. In Middleand High School, riding is an elective in falland spring. Each year, students showcasetheir progress to parents and the school community at horse shows presented on campus. Our equestrian facilities include theAbu Haidar Stables, a riding ring, and milesof open fields and wooded trails.


“When my daughter arrived at the beginningof 9th grade, she wasconcerned about havingto board. After the firstfew weeks, she asked usto switch her from 5-day boarding to 7-day boarding. Now I have ahard time getting her tocome 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 thefoothills of the Berkshires, the campus is situated on350 rolling acres conveniently located 90 miles northof New York City. The campus is two hours from threemajor airports and only ten minutes from a train thatleads 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® and a T-1 line for Internet access.

In addition, the campus features a state of the art athletic center, built in 2008, twosets 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, majesticmountains rising in the distance, and breathtaking vistas.


“I like the communityhere. Kildonan lets us be who we are, explore what we want to do, and reach our full potential. ”Simon, Grade 12, Mexico City, Mexico

living at kildonanKildonan’s students come from all over theUnited States and the world. We offerboarding to all students in grades 7-12, withseven-day and five-day options. The majority of our high school students chooseto live on campus. Seven-day boardersenjoy the special, supervised weekend tripsto museums, movies, malls, Broadwayshows, college and professional ballgames, as well as spending time withfriends and faculty on campus.

Goldman Hall houses boys boarding ingrades 7-12. The building underwent arenovation in 2012, enhancing each room,expanding the common areas and upgrading the facilities to include wirelessaccess 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 commonareas and wireless access. The school’s dining hall, which serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, is located between thetwo dormitories.

Kildonan faculty and staff do everythingpossible to make dorm life feel like home.Every Thursday, each dorm hosts its owndinner and every Friday, boarding studentsgo to a different faculty member’s residencefor 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 tocomplete their weekend assignments.

For more information on our boardingprogram for students in grades 5 and 6,please contact the Admissions Office.

CaliforniaIndianaMarylandMassachusettsNew YorkOhioSouth CarolinaTexas

BermudaBrazilCanadaFranceHong KongMexicoTurks & CaicosUnited Arab Emirates

At Kildonan, your friendsmight come from:


Camp DunnabeckAt Kildonan, summer is fun…and educational. Camp Dunnabeck is Kildonan’s summer program for children ages 8 to 16. Established in1955, Dunnabeck is the oldest residential program of its kind—foundedspecifically for children with dyslexia and other related language-basedlearning 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, thelength 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 wordto describe what happened to Willthis summer...WOW! He camehome a much different kid – whatwe see now is a kidwho is happy, gladlygoes to school andcomes home anddoes his homework.”John, Father of Will, San Antonio, TX


DunnabeckActivities:

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 holdsWith an education from Kildonan, your child’s futureis boundless, limited only by his or her imagination.Our students learn they can achieve anything they put their mind toand succeed. They have the tools, confidence and ability to conquerchallenges, think critically, and set their sights as high as they dare.


“Kildonan has helped me with my confidence in the classroom. Now I amnot afraid to ask how to spell a word orfor a teacher to repeat what she just went over. I often wonder where I wouldbe if I had not come to this school.”Jack, Grade 10, New York, NY


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 avisit. 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 [email protected].

a lifetimeinvestment

We recognize that sending yourchild to Kildonan is a financialcommitment, as well as an investment in his or herfuture. For more information on financial aid support, seethe financial aid application orvisit www.kildonan.org


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American UniversityClarkson UniversityCurry CollegeCW PostDavis and Elkins CollegeHobart and William Smith CollegesIthaca CollegeLynn University Muhlenberg College

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:

New England CollegePace UniversityRingling College of Art and DesignRochester Institute of TechnologyRoger Williams UniversitySkidmore CollegeSUNY Oneonta University of Colorado/Colorado Springs

“It’s so exciting to see the looks on the facesof our students—who never quite believedthey would go to college—when they find out they’ve been accepted.”Theresa Collins, Director of Kildonan Language Training


mission statementThe 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 learningwhile preparing for college and beyond.

The Kildonan School is a leading coeducational, independent, collegepreparatory school for students with dyslexia and language-based learningdifferences in grades 2 through 12, with day and boarding options.

425 Morse Hill Road Amenia, New York 12501 (845) 373-2012 www.kildonan.org

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