Changing lives

My favourite part of working at Bridgeway is hearing the stories that our students and families share.  It is always so moving to hear the ways that Bridgeway has made a difference in their lives.  The accomplishments our students are most proud of are often the ones that many of us take for granted. 

Christian was our Class of 2011 valedictorian this year.  He has kindly given me permission to share the following exerpts from his speech.  Read and be moved... 

Rhonda

First I would like to welcome you all to Bridgeway Academy’s graduation ceremony for the class of 2011.  It means a lot to me and the other members of the graduating class to have this opportunity to celebrate something that not too long ago many would have doubted would ever come to pass.

When I first came to Bridgeway, I was an obese, depressed and nervous wreck of a person, who had zero confidence that I would ever achieve or amount to anything.  For all intents and purposes, I had given up on life.  As overly dramatic as it may sound, Bridgeway Academy was my last chance of having a life.  That was three years ago.  Now I stand before you a different...no, better individual than I was before, and it was only made possible by this school.

                I want to thank the school staff and administration for running and maintaining this place to the best of their abilities.  You do not get enough credit for the difficult job that you have.

                I thank all of the wonderful teachers we have here at Bridgeway Academy for their hard work and patience with all the students who attend this school.  It is without a doubt in my mind that you are the reason for this school’s success, not name, dating and colour coding.

                I want to thank my parents Ken and Cindy, for not only their love but for their persistence that I pursue my education.  Without it, I would have likely given up long ago.

                To my grandparents, Hank and Thelma, your love and patience make you the best neighbours anyone could ever ask for, and I am lucky to have you both.

                Finally, I would like to thank my friends who supported me.  Whose companionship helped me through the rough patches; you may never understand how grateful I am for your support.

We the Class of 2011 have finished high school and now look forward to what comes next.  We have prepared as best we can and have learned the necessary skills and tools needed for us to move into post-secondary education.  I am proud to say that each of us has been accepted into the university or college of our choosing and are all excited to start this coming September.  Although I can in no way guarantee that each of us will experience immediate success at these institutions, I am confident that this graduating class is as prepared as it will ever be for the challenges that may lie ahead.  Remember that you have faced adversity before and that you have found a way to overcome it.  Do not be afraid to make mistakes – it’s bound to happen – but I would advise you should avoid making them as much as possible, and that the ones you do make should serve to teach you something new.

I was 335 pounds and was regularly attending the IWK mental health program just three years ago, and there’s no reason why it could not have gotten worse.  But it didn’t.  I learned anyone can make changes in their life for the better; the only time you can’t is when you stop trying to do so.  So go forth onto those next few steps on the stairs we call life, and do so with the confidence that the only person that can hold you back is yourself.

Back to school tips for parents of children with learning disabilities

If you're the parent of a student getting ready to head back to school, you know are probably dealing with mixed emotions and some nervousness.  Now imagine how difficult the same task is for parents supporting students with learning disabilities or ADHD.  Read on for suggestions on supporting kids who find this time of year especially challenging.

Rhonda

By Angela Rudderham, Director of Turning Tides Community Outreach

Bridgeway Academy

September can be a dreadful time of year if school is challenging for your child. This is often the case of children who have learning disabilities.  For these students, school is where their weaknesses can be exposed or focused on, and this can create a lot of stress and anxiety. They worry that teachers will not understand their learning disability or label them as lazy. They also worry about making friends and avoiding bullies. They wonder if they will find their classes and know what to do and when to do it. They worry about how much homework they will get and how will they ever complete it.  These worries start to trickle into daily activities in the form of attitude, meltdowns, irritability, change in sleep, stomach aches, and headaches, and will have parents feeling ready for summer vacation to end.

Likewise parents can have some real concerns regarding the start of a new school year. Will the teacher want to teach my child the way that they learn best? Will the school understand how my child’s learning disability affects their behaviour and know what to do about it?  Will the right supports be put in place for my child? How do I become proactive without being perceived as a nuisance? Here are some suggestions that will take some of the anxieties away and start the year off on the right foot for both you and your child.

Be present at school. Request a meeting with the school. Ask for the teacher, principal, and any other support staff to be present. Come prepared knowing what you would like to discuss. Share any information that will help your child’s school understand your child best.  Together decide how you will stay current on how your child is doing at school and what you can do to support their progress. Parents and schools may not always agree but it is best for your child if you work at maintaining strong relations.

Readjust bedtime a week before school starts. It is easy to get off schedule in the summer when there is fewer responsibilities to attend to during the day. Most students find their bedtime informally extended. Keep in mind the body will take time to adjust to a new schedule. An earlier bedtime left to the night before, combined with the first day jitters, will surely lead to a sleepless night and a stressful day.

Teach your child to be a self advocate. Your child should know how he/she learns best. They should know their strengths and areas that need work. They should know how to ask for what they need politely and calmly and without embarrassment.

Listen to your child’s concerns. Giving your child a chance to express their feelings without your advice, corrections or dismissals is extremely important to helping them work things out. If your child complains that they hate school. Our first reaction is to tell them why it is important or what they could do to enjoy it better. What your child wants is for you to hear them. Know what they are feeling.  Validating their feelings does not mean you agree with them. Try something like, “It must be awful to go to a place every day that you don’t like.” Once they realize they are not being judged on their comments they may share the more intimate reasons they dislike school. You can also prompt a reason by asking what they dislike most about school. Suggest you both think of plan to make that situation better.

Get them excited about organization.  This will be a challenge; however studies show that children can improve their performance at school by improving their organization. Go shopping for practical and fun school supplies.  Create an organization station somewhere in the house. You may not have a permanent desk or study, in which case you can use a bin that can be taken out at homework time and tucked away again. Your organization station should include all supplies that would be necessary for completing homework and projects, including a file folder that is labelled with each subject for storing old papers that may be needed later for a test.  Designate a place for homework such as the front sleeve of a binder so your child will always know where his homework is.  Create a check list with the steps to completing homework that includes putting it in its proper place so that it makes it to class, the steps to cleaning out their book bag and replenishing it of necessary supplies. Doing this every night will ensure a good habit.

Give your child a place to shine. Quite often students who have a learning disability suffer from low self-esteem and poor self-concept as their weaknesses are often on display and judged. Getting them evolved in an activity (in or outside of school), where they can shine and their strengths are highlighted, will assist in developing a healthy self image. Sometimes it is hard to find a talent or interest, but everyone has one. This may need some creative thought. It may mean having a dinosaur club at your home every Wednesday night.

Put outside of school supports in place before there is an issue. Whether it is education about your child’s specific strengths and areas of need, social skills training, organizational skills training, homework help or reading support there are plenty programs available to give your child the extra boost they may need.

A leader in education honoured

In April of this year, our Founder and Director Lucinda Low was presented with an Honourary Doctorate in Civil Laws by Acadia University.  This was a fitting tribute to a woman who has spent 30 years fighting for the rights of students with learning disabilities across Nova Scotia.  Her first school opened in Wolfville, the home of Acadia, in the early 80's with one student and one teacher at her kitchen table.  Today, Bridgeway Academy serves more than 100 students at two schools in Dartmouth and Truro.  We help hundreds of other students, parents and professionals through our Turning Tides Community Outreach programs. 

Here's a bit more on Cindy and her journey to becoming Dr. Lucinda Low.

Rhonda 

Lucinda Low

Founder and Executive Director
Bridgeway Academy

Lucinda Low believes in children.  She believes any child with a learning disability can learn, and she refuses to give up on that belief, even when that child may have given up on herself.

It’s that belief that led a woman with only a grade nine education to demand that her son receive the services he needed from the province of Nova Scotia.  When the right program could not be found, it’s the same belief that led her to started Bridgeway Academy, a school for children with learning disabilities. 

Over the last 27 years, Bridgeway has helped hundreds of students do more than learn.  They leave the school believing in themselves, with an understanding of their learning disabilities and an ability to advocate for the services they need to succeed.

Lucinda’s advocacy work extends over 30 years.  She was the Founder and President of Children’s Opportunities Mean Everything, a support group for parents with children with learning disabilities in the Halifax area.  She held executive positions with the Atlantic Conference on Learning Disabilities and the Learning Disabilities Association of Nova Scotia (LDANS).  She also served on the Nova Scotia Advisory Council on Learning Disabilities. 

Lucinda has received many accolades over the years.  In 1982, she received the Mary Hornby Award from the Atlantic Conference on Learning Disabilities for her contributions to the goal of achieving respect and understanding for youth with special learning needs.  In 1992, she was presented with the President’s Award by the Association of Psychologists of Nova Scotia for her contributions to the mental health community.  In 2010, Cindy was presented with a Progress Women of Excellence Award in the field of Research and Education.  And in 2001, Bridgeway Academy received the National Excellence of Education Award from the Learning Disabilities Association of Canada for outstanding contribution to the field of learning disabilities and education.

Lucinda is married and has three children, three grandchildren, and in her spare time, creates and sells jewellery with her sister in a business they call “Sisters Too.”

Back to school, Back to blogging

Wow, it's been a while since the last blog post!  It's amazing how quickly the months can slide by.  But as we gear up to welcome back new and returning students, it feels like the perfect time to start blogging once again.  To start, I thought I'd take some time to get everyone caught up.  Here's a quick rundown of what we have been up to and what's coming up this fall.

So far

Atlantic Conference on Learning Disabilities - Held on May 12-13, 2011, the conference was a big success.  We were delighted to welcome approximately 300 volunteers, delegates, workshop facilitators, guest speakers to two days of practical learning on learning disabilities.  The feedback we received was so positive that we're planning to do it again!  More details to follow over the coming months.


Graduation 2011 - Attending a Bridgeway graduation ceremony really puts the work that we do into perspective.  I have had the priveledge of attending two graduation ceremonies now.  From the care and attention to detail that all of the teachers put into transforming the gym and creating a program that would make any high schooler proud, to the glowing sense of accomplishment on the faces of the graduates, it is a wonderful site to behold.  But what really puts a lump in my throat is watching parents react to that moment when their child stands at the front of the room in cap and gown with diploma in hand.  It's not uncommon for parents and extended family members to weep openly.  Many will tell me that they never thought that their child would see this day, convinced that the struggle to learn would prove to be too much to take for the long term.  To see them not only succeed, to finish no only high school but have plans for university or college or career, is a treasured gift for every parent in the room.  I shared our 2010 Valedictorian's comments on this blog in the past, and hope to have the 2011 Valedictorian's comments available here soon.  Read and be inspired by the stories these graduates have to share.


Social Skills Summer Camp - A lot of people assume that our schools are closed in the summertime, but nothing could be further from the truth.  We offer several summer learning opportunities in both Dartmouth and Truro through our Turning Tides Community Outreach programs, including tutoring, assessments and our popular (and growing!) Summer Social Skills Camps.  It has been a pleasure watching and listening to these wonderful groups of kids who have spent three mornings at week in our gym, our classrooms and in our playground.  All are here learning essential social skills like first impressions, evaluating friendships, being a good friend, communication, problem solving and avoiding fights.  And the learning is anything but dry and boring!  I have seen the groups participating in puppet shows, sports, water balloon games and dancing, all while learning the skills they need to initiate, build and maintain friendships. 


Still to come

Bridgeway presents...Dancing for our Stars - This is the biggest event we have ever been involved in, and we are so excited!  Six wonderful celebrities in our community have volunteered their time to learn to dance (and fundraise) over the summer.  On September 24, they will go toe-to-toe on the dance floor, competing for the title of the city's best dancer! 

We'll be posting more on the event in the coming days, but in the meantime we invite you to visit the website or the Facebook page for more information or to buy your tickets.  See you there!