Article

Students Struggling with Learning Disabilities Find Acceptance at Private Christian School in North San Fernando Valley  by: Cynthia Peterson

Hillcrest Christian School has been serving the San Fernando and surrounding valleys since 1976. It first opened its doors with twenty two students. Since then Hillcrest has grown adding classrooms, a gymnasium, lunch pavilion and elementary playground. The school now accommodates up to 800 students in grades K-12.  

In 1985 Hillcrest added a specialized program that enables students with mild to severe learning disabilities to enroll at the school. Under the direction of administrator Frankie Pasley the Discovery Program was launched. The Discovery Program has since been accredited by the National Institute of Learning Disabilities (NILD) located in Norfolk, Virginia.

Four educational therapists, trained by the National Institute of Learning Disabilities, currently serve a population of 35 students in grades 3-12 who are attending Hillcrest and have been diagnosed and are struggling with various different learning challenges. Under the auspices of the Discovery Program, the Search and Teach program for grades K-2 has recently been implemented to identify and treat students with potential reading difficulties.

Discovery students participate in all main stream classes at Hillcrest and attend two “pull out” 80 minute therapy sessions a week. During therapy the students participate in techniques designed to stimulate deficit areas in the brain contributing to their learning disabilities. Over time the intense stimulation results in the improved performance of aforementioned deficit areas.
 
In addition to receiving therapy, the students receive support in the classroom if needed by using 504 plans prepared by their therapist with parental and student input. 504 plans outline appropriate accommodations and modifications designed to help the student find success in the classroom while working in therapy to improve their deficit areas.

The long term goal of the Discovery Program is to enable the student with learning disabilities to become an independent learner. The student will be capable of organizing material, taking notes, completing class work, home work and projects. They will also be able to study for and take tests without the aid of modifications or accommodations. When these goals are reached the student is graduated from the program and participates in all typical classroom activities with their peers.

Students who have graduated from the Discovery Program have gone on to achieve success in various colleges, occupational schools, and occupations.

For more information you can contact Lorraine Long, Discovery Program coordinator at:
Hillcrest Christian School, 17531 Rinaldi Street, Granada Hills Calif. 91344
818-368-7071 or email her at llong@hillcrestchristianschool.org