The original school campus circa 1986
The Parish Way: Why We Teach the Way We Do When Robbin Parish was in graduate school studying to become a speech-language pathologist, she dreamed of buying a Texas Hill Country summer camp and turning it into a residential treatment center for children with language-based learning differences. She wanted to create a place where children’s differences could be embraced, where they could learn the way they learn best, and where they could feel confident and have a place where they belong. In 1983, Robbin’s dream became a reality when she opened the doors to The Parish School. Today, the school is situated on 17 beautiful acres in West Houston, with a capacity of up to 146 students, and a mission to educate children who have communication delays and learning differences, empowering them with the tools to succeed. The teaching philosophies of Robbin Parish and long-time head of school, Margaret Noecker, define what is affectionately termed “The Parish Way,” a philosophy that we continue to employ at The Parish School every day.
How It Began Robbin Parish grew up spending each summer at Camp Waldemar in Hunt, TX. While she did not excel in school, she thrived at Camp Waldemar. It was a place where she truly felt the best about herself. It was out of this love for summer camp that Robbin’s idea for The Parish School emerged. It wasn’t until graduate school that Robbin realized she learned differently. She learned best through discussion of her studies. This realization was the bedrock of her philosophy: to teach children how they learn best and to teach children, and their parents, to advocate for their learning style. A few years into her practice as a speech-language pathologist, Robbin’s client families were frustrated that their children were falling behind in traditional school settings. They asked her to start a school in Houston as soon as she could. Robbin told the families that if they could find the land that looks like a camp, she would do it. Within a week, the parents returned with a property that enabled Robbin to open The Parish School to six students.
8 | The Parish Post
