For over 40 years Hill School has provided students who learn differently with a specialized education in a supportive environment. Our mission is to provide progressive educational services in a safe and student-centered environment for bright, motivated students who learn differently. Our efforts embody our core values of engagement, partnership, opportunity, determination, and independence for students who have struggled in traditional learning environments.
Learning differences touch not only academic skills, but also the entire child and his or her family. Whatever the specific stumbling blocks to learning, frustration and uncertainty almost always accompany them. At Hill School, full attention is given to the learning differences that distinguish each child. Individual areas of strength are fortified, problem areas identified, and learning programs carefully conceived. Common learning diagnoses for Hill School students include: ADHD, dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, auditory processing, mild ASD (or those formerly diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome) or PDD-NOS, disorders of written expression. These labels can be useful but their sheer variety only highlights the reality that no two children learn, perceive, or behave in the same way. Some of our students have had no specific diagnosis, but choose Hill School with its smaller classes to better meet their learning needs. Examples of how these diagnoses might impact learning include:
- One child may have trouble receiving information through listening or reading.
- Another may struggle to express him or herself verbally or on the written page.
- Some are easily distracted and cannot seem to follow directions or retain information.
- Others have problems keeping track of belongings or organizing their day, and complicated tasks can be easily mastered while simple ones are unmanageable.
- Still others may have difficulty mastering the art of social communication—reading body language, facial expressions, or tone of voice.
- Some students are hindered with anxiety about tests, projects, or presentations in the classroom setting.
Serving the needs of the total child is an important element of a Hill School education and we are unique in Tarrant County for offering a full-service program for children who learn differently. Our students have opportunities to hone their academic skills and participate in athletics, fine arts, and community activities. Building a program that combines the best of full-academic and affinity programming with small group instruction has proven to be the key to Hill student success. Making authentic learning accessible to all students is a common feature in all academic divisions.
