Learning Support at Holden

Holden welcomes and supports the diverse learning styles our students bring to our community.

Holden Celebrates the Diverse Learning Styles in our Community

Holden recognizes the specific strengths and challenges of our students. Our low student-to-teacher ratio allows teachers to attend to students’ individual needs, skills, and interests. We help students understand how they learn best and effectively communicate their learning needs to teachers and staff. We value self-advocacy, and we esteem and cultivate it at Holden. This approach helps our students develop confidence and affects academic success for all students.

Holden's Learning Support At-A-Glance

Holden’s four co-directors have over 100 years of combined experience working with students who have faced social, emotional, and academic challenges. Our academic teachers work closely with co-director Abby (a credentialed Education Specialist) to support students with various learning styles. 

We provide appropriate classroom accommodations, modifications, and supports for students with disabilities with input from students, parents, teachers, educational testing, 504 plans, and IEPs. We value that our students learn in different ways. By differentiating instruction, we make a successful educational experience accessible for all types of learners.

Students are also supported by grade-level advisory groups, homework labs, teacher and learning specialist office hours, individual counseling, family counseling, end of semester conferences, transition counseling, study skills classes, and academic or behavioral support meetings (all covered within the cost of tuition), as well as individual homework and learning support tutoring interventions (for an additional cost). 

Holden’s Counselors, Directors, and Academic Teachers meet weekly and work collaboratively to support all students.

Holden students make measurable progress in skills, show improved self-esteem, and have knowledge of their personal and academic strengths and areas of growth. They are able to more effectively communicate with adults and peers, think critically, and advocate for themselves.

Holden will participate in IEP meetings on-site or remotely with district staff. We do not take primary responsibility to create and implement IEPs if we do not have a direct contractual agreement with the student’s school district. However, we will do our best to support such non-contractual IEPs.

We hold annual end of year conferences with all of our students and their families to discuss student progress, strengths, accomplishments, and goals related to their academic and social growth and transition. These are not formal IEP meetings but serve a similar purpose.

  • Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD)
  • Learning disabilities impacting reading, writing, and math (i.e. Dyslexia, Dysgraphia, Dyscalculia)
  • Mild Austism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
  • Depression and / or  Anxiety
  • Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

We want to ensure that Holden is a good fit for all of our students. If the prospective student has ever been in a treatment program or hospitalized, one of our counseling supervisors needs to speak with their program or therapist before a student can be considered for acceptance.

Unfortunately, Holden is not structured to serve students with medically diagnosed psychoses or psychotic features, those who need line-of-sight supervision, have agressive behavioral issues, or are currently in crisis. 

Holden's Full High School Program

Five days per week of academic, elective, and social-emotional support services

ENGAGING ACADEMICS & ELECTIVE CLASSES

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ENGAGING ACADEMICS & ELECTIVES IN A SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT

  • Small class size (4-12 students per class)
  • Mixed grade level classes
  • Manageable homework load
  • Seminar style classes and experiential opportunities for learning
  • Credit for learning done outside of school hours
  • 10am start time
  • No fail school: students earn credit for the work they complete

CONNECTED, COLLABORATIVE COMMUNITY

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SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL SUPPORT SERVICES

  • Weekly, student-run Community Meetings
  • School-wide community service
  • Weekly one-on-one counseling
  • Student council
  • Family support services

FUTURE STEPS: PREPARATION FOR LIFE

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TRANSITION PROGRAM: FUTURE STEPS + PREPARATION FOR LIFE

  • Grade Level Projects
  • Dedicated transition classes (College Empowerment & DPV)
  • Focus on Social Emotional Learning
  • Dedicated staff (College and Transition Counselors)

Testimonials

changing lives since 1969