Our Springer Experience
July 22, 2015A Springer Education Is Within Your Reach: What's It Like at Springer?
August 4, 2015“Hold on to me as we go
As we roll down this unfamiliar road”
~ Phillip Phillips, Home
At Springer School and Center we ask parents and students to join us on an educational journey, one that is unfamiliar to them. As our families are learning more about what it means to have a learning disability, they have support from teachers, therapists, and other adults in our environment. Springer is a unique place where children come for a portion of their lives to learn about themselves, learn how to learn, and learn how to advocate for themselves.
It may be surprising to learn that Phillip Phillips’ song Home resonates with many of our students when they think about school. Who thinks of school as their home? Well, at Springer School and Center, students come from many different schools, including parochial, private and public. After a year at Springer, many students are calling our environment “home.”
Springer School and Center is an independent school dedicated to educating students ages 6-14 who have learning disabilities. Its specialized curriculum and support strategies help students build the educational, emotional, and social skills to succeed in the classroom – and everywhere else.
We asked some of our students how Springer feels like home to them. Here are some of their responses.
”People care about you.” ~ Jake
“Everyone is all on deck and ready for anything.” ~ Devvin
“Springer feels like a home because I like coming here and I would much rather come here than any other school.” ~ Sam
“I can be me.” ~ Corey
“Everybody at Springer makes sure that everything is alright, and watches out for you.” ~ Caleb
“The teachers are always there to help out the students in any way that they can.” ~ Loretta
”The teachers don’t have to ask for your name; they know you, and every teacher has a special connection to you. They make you feel loved and welcomed at home.” ~ Laura
”I feel comfortable in the environment. At Springer they can take care of your needs. Springer has shown me that nothing is impossible – anything can be done if you put your mind to it. I’m known as an individual – not just another student.” ~ Leah
These students are becoming their own best self-advocates! They are beginning to learn about themselves as learners, to know what they need, but also what they can do. Sometimes the transformation these students make is difficult to put into words, as Mary Catherine says, “there are things that I feel that I can’t describe.” Having a home away from home is proving helpful for these learners.
“Just know you’re not alone
‘Cause I’m gonna make this place your home”
Blogger and Admissions Director Carmen Mendoza, MEd, shares her expertise in the educational placement of students with learning disabilities.