Katie's Success Story

LEARNING TO SELF-ADVOCATE

Katie's Swift School testimonial

Katie arrived at Swift School in May of 2015, after six years in a public school setting where she often felt overwhelmed.

Swift School helped transform her academic experience thanks to a positive vibe surrounding selfadvocacy and asking questions. After a short time at Swift, she became a different student. “Swift transformed my academic experience by showing me the importance of self-advocacy,” she said. “I learned that it is okay to ask questions when I am struggling.”

A typical Swift School student needs three years of remediation, and Katie noticed changes during her third year at Swift School.

“In eighth grade, I was more confident and became more extroverted. I was no longer afraid to speak up when I needed help or if a certain method was not working for me or meeting my academic needs. I realized how much my teachers cared about me and how they believed in me.”

A common theme in Swift School success stories is Michael Lytle, a science and world cultures teacher. It is no surprise that Mr. Lytle, a fan favorite among Swift students, helped Katie realize the importance of self-advocacy and taught his

classes using multiple methods and strategies so that each student had the best chance to succeed.

“Mr. Lytle used a Frayer Model to teach vocabulary,” Katie recalled. “I quickly realized that it was not working for me, so I advocated for myself, and he found other methods to help me learn. Mr. Lytle made a significant impact on me as a person and student.”

The most beneficial approach to learning that Katie experienced at Swift was the Orton-Gillingham Approach. Every student enrolled at Swift School receives OrtonGillingham instruction.

“Something that I admire about Swift School is how their teachers are certified to teach using the Orton-Gillingham Approach. The approach is beneficial, especially for students who have learning disabilities.”

After Swift, Katie enrolled at The Howard School for high school and graduated in 2019. She is currently a senior at Coastal Georgia College and plans to follow in the footsteps of her Swift School teachers. “I am working towards my bachelor's degree in early childhood education with a concentration in special education,” noted Katie. “I want to be able to make an impact on students but also connect with them as I have a learning disability too.”

Although Katie is years removed from being a Swift School student, she still returns to visit campus as often as possible.

“I still go back and visit Swift because of how important this school is and how big of an impact the teachers made in my life. All of my teachers understood me and knew how to help me learn, grow, and achieve my goals.” Did your child recently receive a dyslexia diagnosis? Are you interested in having your child experience instruction using the Orton-Gillingham Approach and learning from dedicated, caring faculty members? Email admissionassociate@ theswiftschool.org or call (678) 205-4988.