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Services
Special Features
Staff Enrollment Success Story
Open House Dates
School Calendar
FAQs
The Katherine Thomas School's High School Program is tailored to students in grades nine through twelve, with
moderate to severe language and
learning disabilities and/or high-functioning autism.
The Katherine Thomas School is an independent day school.
The school’s mission is to enable students to reach their full
educational potential through a multi-sensory, developmental,
language-intensive curriculum. The program, within a small group or
individualized setting, provides intensive remediation in reading,
oral and written expression, and math, as well as the strategies
needed for academic, social, and post-graduation success. Financial
aid is available for qualifying families.
301.738.9691 (phone)
Limited openings available for fall 2008!
301.738.8897 (fax)
Call today for a personal tour!
Email
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Services |
The typical Katherine Thomas School high
school student is of average intelligence or higher but has
moderate to severe language and learning disabilities, and/or
high functioning autism. These students need support,
resources and individualized instruction. The student body
includes those who with specialized help can expect to
attend college as well as students who expect to transition
into employment after completing high school.
Team Approach
Our teaching staff of specialists includes special
educators, teacher assistants, transition service teachers,
speech-language pathologists, occupational and physical
therapists, social workers and counselors. Working together
as a multi-disciplinary team, they provide highly integrated
programs with a unique blend of educational and therapeutic
services. The staff-to-student ratio is 1:3.
Academic Curriculum
Through a
hands-on multi-sensory approach, each of the students
receives instruction in the full range of high school
courses mandated by the State of Maryland for earning a
diploma, including math, science, history, English, PE,
health, and technology. In addition, students earn elective
credits in art, music, drama, Spanish, reading, and
computer-related and vocational cluster courses.
Career and Technology Education
For students who do not expect to attend college, the school
offers training and classes geared toward helping them
transition into the world of work. The three vocational
components being offered on-site are restaurant management,
office technology, and childcare. Other, off-site
opportunities are available as well.
Transition Services
Working closely with a transition support teacher, students
are exposed to a variety of work opportunities through job
shadowing, internships, job try-outs and jobs that will
build their skills. All students, whether entering the
workforce, attending college or a technical school, receive
transitional services to prepare for post-secondary
opportunities, that may include a comprehensive vocational
assessment. Educational options, career preparation, and
independent living skills are addressed. College counseling
is provided to assist students in choosing the appropriate
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Special Features |
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Staff assist
students in discovering their learning styles, strengths,
and weaknesses, and then teach them practical approaches
for studying, time-management, self-advocacy,
interpersonal relationships, and independence.
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Computers,
multi-media equipment, and assistive technology bring
excitement to learning, help students compensate for motor
and processing difficulties, and prepare them for the
world of tomorrow.
- Community service activities expose the students to
the value of assisting others within the community, while
improving decision-making and leadership skills.
- Extra-curricular activities are available to Katherine
Thomas School high school students including sports, the
drama club, and the chess club. Students can run for
office in the student government, become a peer mediator,
and/or help to operate the school store.
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| Staff |
The staff includes
special education teachers, teacher assistants,
speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists,
physical therapist, social workers, psychologists, special
subject teachers (art, music, drama, physical education,
restaurant management, and child development), a library
technician, and a health room technician.
Rhona Schwartz, M.A., High School Director
Gwenn Blau, M.S., High School Education Director
Delma Benjamin, Administrative Assistant
Melanie Roberts, M.A., Admissions Coordinator
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Enrollment |
Admission applications
may be submitted at anytime for the following school year
or for any openings that may occur during the school
year. Please call our Admissions Coordinator at
301.738.9691, ext. 193 to schedule a visit at our school, or to have an admissions package sent to you. You may also access the admissions
applications for high school below.
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Katherine
Thomas School Success Stories |
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In
order to explain what TLC’s Katherine Thomas School (KTS)
has meant to our son John, we first need to describe
John’s experiences before KTS. Since John was an
infant, we have known that he would have developmental
issues of some sort. He was in a wheelchair and then a
walker until he was three until he had the muscle tone
to hold his head up or walk. Our life has been a
journey of discovering John’s developmental issues, and
helping John as much as we could to give him the best
chance in life.
John
started in Montgomery County’s PEP program where we had
a good experience. Moving to Kindergarten and 1st
grade, John was part of a small special education class
led by two experienced and dedicated teachers who had
led that class together for nine years. John was a happy
child who enjoyed and looked forward to school. As a
family, we were generally pleased with the services we
were receiving from the Montgomery County school
system.
In
second grade John moved to a new school, a new teacher,
new classmates, and new therapists. He was still in a
special education class, with a teacher and aide but
with 50% more students. During lunch and recess, John’s
class was mixed in with the general population of the
school.
John’s disabilities include speech/language and motor
skill delays. In plain language, he has difficulty
communicating and can be clumsy. In the helter-skelter
of an elementary school hall rushing for lunch, or open
recess with several hundred children outside, John could
not keep up. Over the course of that year, our happy,
school-loving child changed. He became withdrawn and no
longer wanted to go to school. He was not safe and did
not feel safe. He withdrew to protect himself. We
tried that entire year to work with the school staff to
get John the attention he needed to feel safe and make
academic progress. It did not work.
John
started the third grade at the Katherine Thomas School.
The positive change was dramatic and immediate. You
could see it in his face and demeanor. Riding home from
school after just his 3rd day at KTS, my wife could see
the change and asked him how he liked his new school.
Our once sullen and uncommunicative son, despite his
speech/language issues, said “too many nice teachers to
count!”
Space does not permit us to explain all the ways that
the KTS program has helped our son. Suffice it to say
that the KTS program of integrating therapy with
classroom activity, small class sizes, frequent and
regular communication between parents and staff, and
intensive individualized instruction, is greatly helping
us meet our goal to give John his best possible chance
in life despite his disabilities.
John
has been at KTS for 6 years. He will graduate from the
8th grade this spring and start in the new KTS High
School this fall. He still has significant learning
disabilities that we and KTS work to help him overcome.
We have much work still to do. But John looks forward
to school (how many parents of middle schoolers can say
that!), remains a happy child and continues to make
progress every year. Placing John at KTS is one of the
best decisions we ever made.
This year, our son Moshe is able to attend KTS
kindergarten. Half the school year has passed, and we
couldn’t be happier. Our son Moshe runs to the car to go to
school and is greeted at the carpool with hugs and smiles.
Moshe’s teacher, Ms. Debbie, and the entire KTS team are
doing an incredible job helping our son achieve growth in
all areas.
Just to give a few examples – it used to take two hours of
physically holding Moshe every night to help him fall
asleep. Now, Moshe is more in touch with his body and can
put himself to sleep. Moshe is also much more socially
aware of others his age. We now only spend 15 minutes a day
helping Moshe with the bathroom. A couple of months ago it
was a few hours.
Moshe is also achieving beautifully in the academic area and
keeping up with everything he is taught. All that was
mentioned was achieved through the phenomenal support of his
teacher at team at KTS, and their hard work and dedication.
From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you for giving our
son the chance to reach his goals that forever will impact
his quality of life.
Corey’s Story
Corey attended kindergarten at a private institution but
because of my health and lack of funds I had to remove him
from the school at the end of that year. I transferred him
to a public school near my home for the next four years.
Since the first grade I noticed that Corey was having
difficulties with his overall learning. Again, financially,
I was not able to get him to a school that could offer him
more. At the end of June, Corey’s grades were very, very
low. For a fourth grader, his reading, comprehension, math,
etc. was on the level of a second grader.
I was very worried and concerned about my son. He was
constantly teased by the kids at his old school. He was
made to feel useless, and his self-esteem was very, very
low. I am a single mom and I try to instill high
self-confidence and values in Corey, but they were all
shattered when Corey attended his old school.
Early last year, I was informed by one of my colleagues at
work about KTS. In May we received an acceptance letter
from the school, but I could not afford the cost of
tuition. I further applied to the school for financial
assistance for Corey, and in late July we received the
letter offering us a scholarship. I was truly delighted,
and Corey was overwhelmed.
I know
KTS with their high academic program will give Corey the
opportunity of reaching and achieving his goals and
ultimately help him regain his overall self confidence. KTS
has truly made a difference in my child’s life.
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