Believing that each child is uniquely created by God and is fearfully and wonderfully made, Immanuel Christian School seeks to address the differing educational needs of all our students. Immanuel Christian School offers programs for students with learning challenges through Educational Support Services. Advanced learners benefit from our enrichment program, and our students with learning challenges are strengthened by Educational Support Services, including the Barton Reading and Spelling System and NILD therapy.

Educational testing is generally required for students seeking admission to Immanuel who may have an indication that support services will be necessary for academic success since our programs have a limited number of openings and do not support all learning needs.

EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT SERVICES: K-8TH GRADE

Immanuel Christian School offers support for students with learning challenges through Educational Resources Services. At the Lower School level, Resource Teachers work with students to help identify potential learning challenges. At the Middle School level, Resource Teachers provide executive function coaching and support during Wednesday Advisory for students who are on Educational Service Plans (ESP). Resource Teachers also co-teach writing seminars on Tuesdays and Thursdays giving students small group support. We believe that early intervention is critical for long term positive outcomes, and we will sometimes refer students for educational testing by a licensed psychologist who can identify the student’s specific learning deficits. Regardless of the age of the student, Resource Teachers work closely with students, both with in-class support and small group instruction, to ensure the personalized Educational Support Plans (ESPs) for qualified students are implemented to support the flourishing of each learner at ICS.

In addition to the support from Resource Teachers, Immanuel is pleased to offer in-house services for NILD Educational Therapy®, a well-established individualized educational therapy system for students with mild to moderate learning disabilities., as well as the Barton Reading and Spelling System for students who have difficulty with reading and/or spelling on grade level. Sessions generally take place during regular school hours, and require an additional fee as outlined in our Tuition and Fee Schedule.

Learn more about our Educational Support programs available for Lower School and Middle School students below.

National Institute for Learning Development Educational Therapy

NILD Educational Therapy® is a process developed by the National Institute for Learning Development and is practiced across our own country and around the world. Therapists are trained and certified by NILD. ICS therapists attend continuing education conferences and workshops each year along with online webinars. We have been encouraged and gratified with the results we have seen in our students since NILD Educational Therapy® was first offered at ICS in 2000. For many of them, educational therapy has been a life changing experience, opening a door to academic success and lifelong learning. Below are a few comments from parents whose children have benefited from this program:

  • “The biggest change we’ve seen has been in our daughter’s confidence. It’s what every parent hopes for their child’s learning experience.” – Parent
  • “The NILD program has made all the difference in my daughters school life. After 3 years, she is a more confident, independent and successful student. It’s a transformation we were unsure about when we first started, but I’m so glad we stuck with it.” – Parent
  • “I always knew my child was capable, however, she was still struggling though her schoolwork. NILD helped turn-on the switch in her brain! She finally was fully comprehending the subject matter and as a result her schoolwork and confidence grew so much.” – Parent
  • “The best part of being with my (NILD) therapist was that I could think better because I could say things out loud.” – NILD student

NILD Educational Therapy® is not tutoring but a collaborative effort between therapist and student designed to strengthen foundational skills, knowledge, and processes.  Helping students develop tools for independent learning in the classroom and in life is the primary goal of NILD Educational Therapy®. Each student in the program meets individually with an educational therapist twice a week for activities designed to stimulate their cognitive weaknesses and sharpen cognitive strengths. NILD Educational Therapy students have individual accommodations documents, similar to public school IEP or 504 Plans. Parents receive semester and annual reports regarding their child’s progress in educational therapy and are asked to visit and observe several sessions each year. Each spring there is a parent/therapist meeting to review annual progress and discuss plans for the next academic year. Most students will need to remain in NILD Educational Therapy® for a minimum of three years with gains usually being made each year. It is our desire that our students will become independent learners, working to their potential without continued intervention.

READ MORE ABOUT NILD EDUCATIONAL THERAPY

Barton Reading and Spelling System

The Barton Reading and Spelling System helps strengthen reading and spelling skills. Students meet individually with a Barton Specialist for two one-hour sessions each week. The program emphasizes the auditory awareness essential to reading and spelling and is based on the well-known Orton-Gillingham approach to phonics. While originally created for students with dyslexia, the program has proven to be so successful that it is recommended for use with any student who has reading or spelling difficulty. Barton sessions begin with exercises designed to build phonemic awareness, which is the ability to hear, identify and use the smallest units of sound. The study continues with the sounds and spellings of short vowels, blends, closed and unit syllables, multi-syllable words, vowel teams, prefixes and suffixes. Along with reading, the student learns rules for spelling. Students meet individually with educational therapists for two one-hour sessions each week.

Learn More About Barton Reading

EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT SERVICES: HIGH SCHOOL

It is our desire to develop each student’s potential as they are uniquely gifted. Some students with a wide variety of learning differences excel in our small educational setting. Others find that the support we provide does not allow them to perform at their best. Our Resource Teacher will review applicants with identified learning needs or differences to advise whether those needs can be best met by the services we offer.

Immanuel Christian High School offers resource support for students with learning challenges. An educational evaluation is required for students seeking admission to ICHS who may have an indication that support services will be necessary for academic success. Our program has a limited number of openings and does not support all learning needs.

Information below provides some details on how ICHS partners with students and families when the student requires special academic accommodations and consideration. This information is provided for parents so they can better determine during the initial inquiry phase if ICHS has the resources necessary for success.

Structured Academic Advisory

All students at ICHS have the advantage of in-school advisory time facilitated by their teachers. This provides students with the opportunity to ask questions, receive additional help to complete homework, and to work independently or collaboratively with other students. Our Educational Resource Teacher will specifically match students who have late work or grades below 80% with a teacher and provide a list of missing work to complete during the advisory period. This valuable resource prevents students from becoming overwhelmed and helps them fulfill their responsibilities within a reasonable time frame. 

Skills Workshop For All Freshmen

In an effort to prepare students for the rigors of high school, during the first quarter all students in our freshmen class participate in a series of sessions designed to “onboard” students to high school. Some topics in this required workshop include: study skills and habits, organization strategies, technology tools, and self-advocacy.

Role Of The Resource Teacher

The resource support offered to students at ICHS may look different than it does in elementary and middle school. Our Resource Teacher:

  • Writes student ESPs
  • Provides limited in-class support for some subjects
  • Provides limited additional support for individual students
  • Mentors teachers in effective strategies and differentiation of instruction, assessment, and materials
  • Communicates with students and parents

Accommodations & Resource Support Options

Based on student educational evaluation dated within three years, the following accommodation and resource support may be offered:

  • Alternate seating within the classroom
  • Prompts and cues
  • Quiet work space
  • Movement breaks
  • Oral/written/visual instructions
  • Assistance for breaking down large assignments