The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Brookwood Christian focuses on special needs as ‘a home’
Before relocating to Atlanta in 2013, Danielle Theodore began the school search for her son, who needed help with a variety of issues including from short-term memory loss, poor speech and weak reading skills. But she didn’t learn about what was then just a little red building off Main Street in Acworth until a counselor at another school told her about it.
“She told me Brookwood Christian would be a good fit, so we made two trips from Kentucky to check it out,” said Theodore. “The first time we pulled up and saw this one red structure, my son didn’t want to get out of the car. But after shadowing for a day, he loved it. And in 2017, he was the class vale- dictorian.”
Founded in 2004, Brook- wood’s mission is more of a ministry, said Headmaster and founder Kim Wiging- ton. “It’s our ministry to help these kids who aren’t being helped in other schools.”
A veteran educator, Wigington got the idea for a school after her daughter was diagnosed with dyslexia.
“I was taking her to tutors, vision therapy and occupational therapy, and she was missing school,” she said. “I knew I had the background to learn what the therapists and tutors were doing, and I ended up homeschooling her in 2003. I soon had five other kids with similar issues.”
By 2004, the school was accredited and welcomed 18 students and a faculty with master’s degrees in learn- ing disabilities. Four years later, the school moved to its Acworth site with 25 students. Today, it has 70 enrolled in first through 12th grades and is one of the few in metro Atlanta working with special needs high-schoolers.
“When they come in, we test them to find the grade level they’re working at, and that’s where they start,” said Wigington. “Then they’re placed into small, multi-age classes of about six to eight students. It’s a very different concept from what most of them are used to.”
Once enrolled, students can stay as long as they need to, Wigington added. “But a lot of times they get caught up quickly once they gain some confidence. Once they figure out how they learn, they do well.”
Theodore’s son is now exploring a career in film production at Chattahoochee Tech, and she is on the staff as an administrator after starting out as a school mom.
“They needed someone to give out Band-Aids and hugs; that’s how I started,” Theodore said. “I love that somebody here gets you. It’s awesome when you can come to a school where everyone knows your name. It changed the dynamic of our family, too, because when one kid is struggling, it’s a family problem. Brookwood is more than a school; it’s a home.”
For the last five years, the Acworth Charm Historic Home Tour has supported the work of the school. This year’s event is scheduled for Nov. 6.