For Students with Dyslexia and Similar Language-Based Learning Differences

College-PreParatory · Boys’ Boarding and Coed day · grades 7–12

r e i g n i t i n g l i v e s

Progress comes fast here and not just because of these “RL

cards.” From the freedom provided by assistive technology to

the structure of dorm responsibilities, the entire Gow program is designed to bring out each student’s best. Students become fully involved in school life.

They feel the support of a united Gow community—faculty who

view teaching as their calling and fellow students who understand

each other’s challenges because they’ve faced them, too.

Each year Gow students create a set of phonics cards based on our

signature remediation methodology, known as Reconstructive Language.

Students turn the cards over, master them, and add new ones, learning

how to plug the gaps caused by their language-based learning differences.

The stack grows, but it isn’t the only thing that grows.

To rewrite the story of your life, turn over a new page.

Successes pile up. Gains in reading and writing lead to new confidence, which in turn leads to loftier goals than

previously imagined—to and through college and beyond.

Every day, learning is rethought. Smiles spread.

Fuses are lit. Lives are rewritten and reignited together at Gow.

And it works. For decades Gow students have achieved previously unimagined success, while educators and counselors have come to Gow to train in RL. You could say we wrote the book so that dyslexic students can read and write better.

But helping Govians—our name for members of the Gow community—succeed goes well beyond language remediation.

Students grow dramatically, not just in their reading and writing, but also in their overall achievement, engagement, and maturity. They gain tremendous self-confidence, rediscover the joy of school, and go on to successful college and post-college careers.

You’ll hear a lot about “rl” here at Gow.It stands for Reconstructive Language, our time-tested, Orton-based language remediation program. We integrate RL throughout the curriculum and couple it with a wealth of supports, from assistive technology—like Kurzweil and speech recognition software—to insistent but caring teachers.

at gow, rL means much more than reconstructive Language. we’re

ethinking earning

eigniting ives.and

For more about rL, Gow’s sophisticated, structured, sequential language remediation program, go to gow.org/RL.

Izer Martinez ’13

what’s different, he says, is that “Gow didn’t just look at my

challenges. they looked at my talents and who I am as a person.”

Izer’s program was tailored to his needs. Since he had trouble saying his r’s in addition to reading and

spelling, he took speech class. whatever the issue, he recalls,

the message was, “You can learn. You just learn in a different

way. I found out I’m a visual learner. they give you a vast

number of strategies to see what works for you. For me, using

a four-color pen, taking Cornell notes, and rewriting my notes

work well. It’s a process of discovery.”

armed with these strategies, Izer went on to the university of Pennsylvania, where he hopes to pursue cognitive science “to study the brain and help other dyslexics. Penn will be hard, but Gow has given me the tools and a knowledge of what I need.”

though far away, Izer will stay connected to

the Gow community. “they sort of raised me,”

he admits. “It’s amazing how close everyone is and how devoted the teachers are. they’ll always want to

know how I’m doing, and I’ll always know I

have a special place to come back to.”

Before coming to Gow in seventh grade, Chicago native Izer Martinez ’13 had gone to eight different schools, none for more than two years.

Gow Profi le

“You can learn. You just learn in a different way. I found out I’m a visual learner. They give you a vast number of strategies to see what works for you.”

“Before I came here I had to bear people telling me that I would fail at anything I attempted to do. I came here, went to college, and dared to be something more. Gow changed my life.”

– Gow alum

Start FastFInISh stronG

With our purposeful curriculum and total

commitment to students, Gow provides the

traction they need to take off. Soon after

investing themselves in the program — often

as quickly as six weeks — students are reading

and writing better. making progress becomes addictive, and they begin rethinking what they can accomplish.

And what they can accomplish is amazing.Though dyslexia can’t be “cured,” it need

not close doors. Students learn how they

learn best and what their strengths and

weaknesses are, so they can use them to

their best advantage.

Govians also develop less tangible qualities,

rooted in our Four Pillars of kindness, respect,

honesty, and hard work. While students build

reading, writing, and other academic skills,

they are also building character.

When students stick with the Gow program,

success sticks with them. Our graduates

achieve long-term academic, career, and

personal success. Not only are 100%

accepted to college, but we help them

choose the right college and send them on

their way with the resources to graduate.

Take a look at some of the stories in this

book. You’ll see that it’s okay to dream big

at Gow, because we help students develop

the strategies and self-assurance to make

their dreams happen.

After spinning their wheels at previous schools, many students come to gow Looking for a fresh start. Most are surprised at how fast that start can be.

“One of the things that Gow does well is help kids find success, and they help them understand that success is not the same for everybody.”

– Gow parent

“We know what’s expected of us: the highest of all possible standards.”

– Gow student

The Milsoms

he enjoyed life on barbados, spending his time surfing, while

his grades reflected his indifference as a student. then, on a

flight to Miami, the truth came out—oliver couldn’t read.

the Milsoms acted quickly. oliver was tested at a dyslexia

center. his father, tony, researched schools on the Internet, while

mother Carol talked with fellow islander brian talma ’84. an

olympic and professional windsurfer and promoter, brian had

flourished at Gow, which he credited with “turning my learning

disability into an asset that later bolstered my career.”

all signs began pointing to upstate new York. with the testing results, Gow’s dyslexia experts confirmed that oliver could benefit from the school’s program. reluctantly, he traded barbados for buffalo, surfing for success.

“within six weeks, things began to change,” says tony.

Because of the program, the structure, “and the teachers, who are completely dedicated,” oliver’s GPa went from a 2.38 to a 3.50.

“he’s able to read properly,” tony continues, “and we’ve

seen a lot of growing up. he was always a confident

child, but now he’s confident in his schoolwork.” with

good friends, he is thriving in the “warm love.”

In his first year, oliver was accepted to a summer

program at the university of Miami School of

architecture, something he’d like to pursue post-Gow.

“He’s reaping the benefits,” tony sums up.

“If you’ve got a learning disability, you need this

kind of education.”

Oliver Milsom ’15 didn’t initially want to come to Gow. At first glance, who could blame him?

Gow Profi le

“He was always a confident child, but now he’s confident in his schoolwork.”

Bonds are forged of common trials and

shared triumph. Students, faculty, and

staff understand dyslexia’s challenges

and support all who are tackling them.

The result is a community of empathy and

compassion, but also of enthusiasm and

celebration. We encourage each other’s

talents, often hidden until brought out

at Gow. And we support one another’s

achievements, in the classroom and the

dorm, on the stage and the playing field—a level playing field for all.

Chock-full academic and extracurricular

programs get everyone involved. Students try new things and play new roles, and thanks to the richness of boarding

life, they become close to both peers and

faculty mentors. Like the adults who guide

them, students are “all in”—busy and

determined together.

At Gow, the sense of belonging, of equality, and of connection is

strong and immediate. New students are woven into the fabric

of this close-knit community quickly and warmly.

in time, students go from being welcomed to doing the welcoming, making lifelong friends and becoming role models for the next generation of govians.

UnItedGow

newFoUnd VoIcesexPressInG

Somewhere between their RL class and their dorm, Gow students find their voice. They discover their strengths and grapple with their weaknesses, and through this process of grappling, discovering, speaking up, and reaching up, they achieve success.

they gain self-esteem as well as self-expression, but it’s understated, not boastful. Here success is not a zero-sum

game where someone has to lose for another to win. Instead each person’s achievement belongs to all.

Here, too, what each person has to say is different. Students express themselves by playing a sport or a role, creating a robot or artwork, reading a book, writing a poem, or delivering an eloquent graduation speech that says what they’ve wanted to say all along.

wIth QuIet

conFIdenceWithout the proper help, dyslexic students can feel silenced, their intelligence unappreciated, their talents hidden. Parents know their child has something to say but not how to bring it out.

they head to college with a quiet confidence that they will do well and a voice loud enough to advocate on their own behalf.

Gow Profi le

Thomas Allison ’08

there he is in charge of multimillion-dollar sales and more

than 30 people. though his future wasn’t obvious when he came

to Gow, looking back, his path was clear.

several family members are also dyslexic, says

thomas. “I was terrible at reading and mathematics. I needed

remediation to be able to get into college. Gow allows you to see

where your opportunities are and gives you the technology to

help.” his laptop, with software that read books to him and let

him do dictation, was a “tool I used to succeed every day.”

thomas’ mentor, the late acting teacher Mr. weisenberg, “helped me identify all my strengths and encouraged me to do public speaking,” which developed confidence as well as presentation skills.

Gow’s many international students also influenced thomas.

“the relationships that I built with those students helped

me interact with people from all over the world. Most of my

customers now are international.”

“If you’re going to be successful, you need to

initiate,” thomas concludes. “Gow teaches you that and gives you the toolkit you need to build the final product. I’ve used my people skills and my technology

skills, begun at Gow, to advance to where I

am today.”

After graduating from the University at Buffalo with a major in international business and foreign affairs, Thomas Allison ’08 began working for Apple in New York City.

“The relationships that I built with those students helped me interact with people from all over the world. Most of my customers now are international.”

“I like the feeling that people have faith that I can do something... I have more faith in myself.”

– Gow student

as IF tHeIr stUdents’ FUtUres dePend on It

teacHInG

In classes of three to seven students, faculty members trained in RL and their own discipline adjust their teaching to best reach each individual. they set the bar high but not too high, lending a helping hand or a push, as needed. When a goal is reached, teachers celebrate with students and then raise the bar again.

Faculty involvement extends well beyond the classroom, however. They supervise extracurricular activities, provide homework

help well into the evening, oversee dorm activities, and lend a friendly ear.

Gow teachers view their job as their calling and their students as their partners in the learning process. Students sense this commitment and credit faculty in their success. When students come to love school again, it is largely because they love and respect their teachers. When they say they have a future again, it is Gow teachers who put it within their grasp.

beCauSe

Gow teachers are exceptional. They teach, coach, counsel, care, eat, sleep and breathe the school.

tHey do

Eric Bray“Everyone wants the students to succeed,” says math teacher Eric Bray. “We’re going to lift them up any way we can.”

For this teacher of the Year, one such way is to

flip his algebra classes. “with spatial reasoning, in

courses like geometry, students with dyslexia are

generally quite good. but in algebra, with its word

and logic problems, they have more trouble.”

eric records lessons on video for students to watch as their homework. they can rewind and rewatch, ensuring they

understand the material and take effective notes.

During class, eric circulates while students solve

problems in small groups. the collaborative format

keeps individual issues, like dysgraphia, from getting

in the way of learning math.

thanks to his understanding of both language-based learning differences and math, eric bray is customizing his teaching methods for the benefit of his students.

Lynn ChafinRL teacher Lynn Chafin loves breakthroughs. “You give students strategies and tools, and they’re off running, though they have their breakthroughs at different times.”

Much of it comes down to connecting with a

teacher and to confidence. “Most students are ready

and excited to learn, even though they’re working

on something that’s hard for them.”

“I’m persistent. I tell them if they keep working at it, they will improve. once they feel confident, it’s amazing how much progress they make.”

as a dorm parent, executive Function Coach,

and Student Council advisor, Lynn also knows her students’ varied strengths and the importance of non-academic time. “In

the dorms we teach skills they would learn at home,

like getting themselves ready, keeping their room

clean, and baking cookies.” all in a long day’s work

for a Gow teacher.

Gow Profi les

“The Gow School didn’t change my life. It is my life.”

– Gow teacher

strUctUredto FIt

With a busy schedule that includes a packed

academic day, after-school sports, study hall,

and Saturday classes, students have little

unprogrammed time. House jobs in the dorms

develop responsibility, and the dress code

reflects the school’s—and the students’—

seriousness of purpose.

Not all aspects of a Gow education are so

structured, however. Unlike at schools where

testing drives the curriculum, Gow’s program is

based on what’s best for students, as a group

and individually. Teachers can modify what

they do to suit their style and their students.

Extra help, such as Executive Function Coaching,

is available, and though boarding life doesn’t

include a lot of free time, it has plenty of room

for fun. In fact, it is because students get so

involved—playing sports, going on trips, and

interacting with one another—that they get

the most out of the rich boarding experience.

Gow provides the structure that many students need in order to achieve.

Gow Profi le

Adam Kendrick ’04“The structure is what helped me the most,” asserts Adam Kendrick ’04.

“the teachers are always there to help you, but they aren’t breathing down your neck. Gow basically says, ‘this is your shot. You take advantage of it.’”

art teacher and mentor Mr. Parsons helped inspire

adam’s love of design. he went on to earn a bachelor

of Science in architectural engineering technology

and construction management from the university

of Cincinnati, and today adam designs stores for the

Kroger Company. “I always wanted to be an architect.

Gow gave me the tools to help me become one.”

between the reconstructive language program

and the daily routine—classes, sports, study hall—

he learned to manage his studies and his time.

“when I went to college, I didn’t have the issues my

fraternity brothers had.”

adam compares Gow to a college-like experience.

even with the structured day, the school gives

students independence.

For more in-depth information, go to gow.org. Come visit us in Western New

York to get a feel for our beautiful campus, bright students, and warm community.

Most importantly, contact our Admissions Office to discuss whether Gow’s

individualized, structured language remediation program fits your family’s needs.

admissions officeadmissions@gow.org

p 716-652-3450f 716-687-2003

gow.org

Truth be told, this is just the beginning of the Gow story.

We hope this is just the beginning of your story, too.

2491 Emery Road • South Wales, NY 14139716-652-3450 • admissions@gow.org

gow.org