Photos courtesy of Dan Trittschuh
When passionate students struggle academically, finding the perfect teaching method can be overwhelming. Thankfully, a local academy is making learning more approachable.
Marburn Academy is a not-for-profit day school designated for students with learning differences like ADHD, dyslexia and other executive function issues. The school serves students in grades 1-12 from all over Ohio. With the belief that all students are capable of growth, Marburn values communication, sustainability, innovation and community and uses these ideas to help their students reach their full potential.
“When kids come here, they have not experienced academic growth, so we work tirelessly to lean into that,” says Jamie Williamson, previous head of school. “In order to grow, kids have to be open to their strengths and open to their weaknesses. We help show them areas they need help in and help to provide them tools and strategies to grow in those areas. But we also work with them to show that they have a lot of great strengths and how to leverage those.”
The school and its annual fundraising gala have humble beginnings. Marburn opened in 1981 with 12 students, and the Gala started as a luncheon. Now Marburn serves more than 300 students and the 37th Annual Gala raised $331,736. These funds will be used for student scholarships and program enhancements.
“The three main goals of the event are to primarily raise student scholarship, to raise up visibility in the community and to celebrate the work we are doing here,” says Chief Advancement Officer Lucy Godman. “The scholarship is our primary fundraising goal, as we are committed to granting access points to families who might not be able to afford to come to Marburn.”
About 95 percent of students at Marburn have some sort of scholarship or financial aid that allows them to attend the school, from either the Ohio Department of Education or from the school itself. Marburn has distributed $1.1 million of aid in the last year and hopes that the number will grow.
Learning differences can make school very difficult for students. Students with attention difficulties like ADHD might have trouble organizing tasks, maintaining close attention to details, staying still during lessons and keeping their voice down in class. Dyslexia creates difficulties with reading, overall comprehension, spelling and writing. Executive function challenges can include anything from flexible thinking, memory or self-control. All of these learning differences can be addressed outside of the traditional classroom.
Dan Trittschuh
Marburn is one of only 16 schools to gain accreditation from the Academy of Orton-Gillingham Practitioners and Educators. This takes a scientific approach to teaching and creates a more personal method of helping students.
“What we do here really revolves around a multisensory approach, which means there is a kinesthetic, or a physical part of this, visual, and auditory. We link all those three things together to provide really engaging instruction for kids,” says Williamson.
Marburn isn’t only a resource for students, but for parents and teachers as well. The school offers free parent seminars to provide research and methods for students with learning differences. Parents can also benefit from free early reading screenings and a summer Phonemic Awareness program for kids ages 5-8. Teachers can benefit from Orton-Gillingham training and tutorial instructions for dyslexic students.
The Annual Gala isn’t the only time community members can contribute to Marburn. Visit www.marburnacademy.org to make donations.
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Photos courtesy of Marburn Academy
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Maria Lubanovic is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.
