Stratford Friends School tailors instruction to individual needs
Students learn best when instruction is tailored to their individual needs and their differences are understood, accepted and
For over 45 years, Stratford
celebrated.
Friends School in Newtown Township, Delaware County, has been a leader and a pioneer in the education of children who learn differently. SFS students are bright and motivated students who have learning differences such as ADHD, dyslexia, receptive and expressive language delays, auditory processing issues, dyscalculia, executive function issues or working memory deficits.
Often these students fall behind in traditional classroom settings. With a mission to empower neurodiverse students, SFS serves grades K-9, with an average student to teacher ratio of 6:1.
Our academic programs are designed to prepare our unique learners for success. The well-rounded school day combines a researchbased academic curriculum with STEAM, service-based learning, physical education and visual and performing arts that encourages our students’ creativity, builds a joy of learning and bolsters selfesteem.
Language instruction is taught using the Orton-Gillingham reading program, a researched-based curriculum, to provide explicit phonics instruction using multisensory techniques. Visual, auditory and tactile-kinesthetic learning modalities are reinforced through systematic, explicit, diagnostic and prescriptive instruction.
This method develops the language abilities of each child by teaching foundational reading skills (decoding), spelling skills (encoding) and concepts through the involvement of all the student’s senses. In the hands of the highly trained and experienced teachers at Stratford Friends School, it is a powerful tool of exceptional breadth, depth, and flexibility.
As students’ progress in their decoding ability, comprehension skills are taught using a variety of rich literature and informational texts. Students learn to activate prior knowledge, make connections, predict outcomes, build vocabulary, make inferences, identify the main idea, ask questions, visualize, evaluate, summarize and synthesize. Our teachers help students develop independent strategies for learning, creating an atmosphere of curiosity and enthusiasm for reading.
Multisensory teaching techniques are used across the curriculum. Students also benefit from support services including speech and language and occupational therapy. Therapists deliver services integrated into the classroom whenever possible but also work with students individually or in small groups.
A school counselor and behavior specialist are also part of student life at Stratford Friends, supporting students’ social and emotional needs that could impact learning.
Built on core Quaker values, students start their day with quiet worship and practice the values of simplicity, peace, integrity, community, equality and stewardship. Stratford is a school committed to diversity, peacemaking, social justice and the recognition of the spiritual dimension of life.
To schedule an individual tour or learn more about Stratford Friends School, contact Patty Plousis, director of enrollment, at admissions@stratfordfriends.org or visit the school’s website at www.stratfordfriends.org.