Loomis Gateway Academy | Dyslexia Specialists

Genreral FAQ's

What qualifies as a language-based learning disorder?

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Language-based learning disorders refer to numerous conditions related to understanding and use of spoken and written language. They are a common cause of students’ academic struggles. Weak language skills often impede comprehension and communication, which form the basis for most educational endeavors. Learn more at the International Dyslexia Association.

What if my child has a math disorder, but not a reading disorder?

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Students at LGA may have diagnosed language-based learning differences such as dyslexia (reading), dysgraphia (writing) or dyscalculia (math). They may also have a diagnosis of a Specific Learning Disability (SLD) with impairment in reading, writing or math.

What if my child has challenging behaviors?

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Most children have some challenging behaviors, especially if they have experienced failure in their previous school. Frustration can manifest in some forms of acting out, and LGA acknowledges that this is expected in many cases. But challenging behavior usually improves significantly in a school like ours, where students experience safety, acceptance and success. However, if your child has severely challenging behaviors that may potentially interfere with the education of other students, they would not be well served at LGA. This is a case-by-case determination made by the admissions team.

Is there any diagnosis you won't take?

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Students who have an emotional disorder (EDD) or conduct disorder (ODD) would not be well served at LGA.

What assessments do you require?

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As part of the admissions process, LGA provides a brief reading assessment to determine best placement and to determine the starting point for each student. Math testing is also done to determine the appropriate math level for your child. LGA does not require a full Psychological-Educational Evaluation, but if your child has already been tested through their school district, LGA requires a copy of that testing. (Standardized tests are considered valid for up to three years.) In some cases, especially for younger students who are just beginning the process of receiving an official diagnosis, the admissions team will work with individual families to determine how LGA may serve your child.

Do you take students with impaired cognition?

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The Structured Literacy reading programs that LGA utilizes are designed for students with an IQ no lower than 80. Students with impaired cognition below that would not be well served at LGA.

Do you take kids on the autism spectrum?

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Students with a primary autism diagnosis who rely heavily on adult prompting, intensive individualized services (or 1-to-1 support), or whose behaviors are still impeding their learning are not well-served at LGA. In rare cases, when a student has dyslexia and is also on the spectrum, with the dyslexia as the primary impediment to learning, enrollment is a possibility. Please consult with the admissions team for further clarification.

Is LGA the right school for a child with ADHD?

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We do take students with ADHD without a secondary learning diagnosis, although in those cases the ADHD presents as an interference to their academic performance. Not all students who have a diagnosis of ADHD without a learning diagnosis will be best served at LGA. Please consult with the admissions team for further clarification.

What is the student profile of kids who learn best at LGA?

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The Loomis Gateway Academy Alternative Education Program is designed for bright students, grades 1–8, with moderate, severe or profound language-based learning differences (such as dyslexia and/or dysgraphia). LGA is also designed for students with a math learning disability, or dyscalculia.

All of our students experience significant difficulty in learning to read, and traditional methods of reading instruction do not work for them. Fortunately, alternative methods that use explicit instruction in a structured, systematic way ("Structured Literacy") have been developed and are scientifically proven to benefit dyslexic students. Many of our students also have ADHD or school-based anxiety. Our small classroom sizes, trained teachers, and positive learning environment help these students feel seen and understood – often for the first time in a school setting.

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Loomis Gateway Academy is solely dedicated to the needs of the dyslexic student. We want to assure the parent who has given up hope that there is a solution to the problem they are facing.

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