By: Ann Kavanaugh, Middle School Teacher This year, Horizon Academy is focusing on a different approach to teaching writing: The Writing Revolution (TWR).  One of the essential aspects of this method is the recognition that writing is integral to all of the core subjects, and as such should be integrated into all of the subject areas throughout the day. Recently, our school’s O-G Fellow of Record through AOGPE, Janet George, reminded us that, according to NAEP data, “students with disabilities are significantly underachieving” in writing and should be “writing 1 hour a day cross-curricular.” The TWR approach to writing instruction integrates…

For more than 26 years, Mr. Barry Soltz has been continuously trying to find new ways to make science interactive and fun for students. Part of the reason he pursued a career in science and special education was that he wanted to teach the child, not the grade. Barry taught in a public school setting before finding Horizon Academy. Soltz enjoys teaching a wide range of age groups about the subject he adores.  Soltz gives a lot of credit to the movie “Dead Poets Society” for his inspiration and lives by the motto carpe diem (seize the day). Our words and…

By Brenna Watson, Lower School Teacher It’s not uncommon that a special education teacher is led to the profession because of their own struggles in school. For me, it was math. I remember feeling so ostracized when my entire class grasped a concept that made no sense to me. To this day, my parents still talk about the stress and tears induced by math homework most nights. Ironically, math is now my favorite subject to teach. I’m very thankful for the shift in math instruction that’s been unfolding throughout my career.  One of my favorite “best practices” is fostering a…

Mrs. Teri Truog has wanted to be a teacher for as long as she can remember. She had many teachers who influenced her throughout her life, and she was continually reinforced with the thought that teaching was for her. During her time as a special education camp counselor, Teri knew she wanted to become a SPED teacher because she wanted to learn how to teach every kind of child in the way they needed to learn.  Since taking her first Orton-Gillingham course over ten years ago at Horizon Academy, Truog has carried it with her to every school she has…

By Shaynee Sherwood, Lower School Teacher “What is it like having dyslexia?” I have been asked this question dozens of times since my own diagnosis in 2nd grade, and for a long time, I was unsure how to fully respond. Dyslexia is frustrating. It’s a lot of work: A lot of extra work. It’s working your hardest and still sometimes missing the mark. Or, oftentimes, missing the mark. It’s time-consuming. It’s knowing that you’ll almost always need extra time on language-based tasks. It’s being the last student to finish the test. It’s being the kid who accidentally left the completed homework at…

Ms. Katlin Gardner grew up in Kansas City, Missouri. She had a hard time moving through the Kansas City public school system but had one particular teacher in 3rd-5th grade that advocated for her. This experience made her realize that she wanted to be a source of help for students struggling in school.  Growing up with a mom who taught preschool, Gardner recognized first-hand that, ‘teaching young children is exhausting and time-consuming, but if you’re meant to do it, you can see the joy it brings to the teacher every time they teach.’ This is what Gardner saw in her…

Mrs. Brett Lasseter has known she wanted to be a teacher since she was a child herself! Having family members diagnosed with learning disabilities, she was exposed at a young age to appreciate the different ways people learn. After obtaining a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary and Special Education with a Minor in deaf studies from Northwest Missouri State University, Lasseter worked in various places before landing at Horizon Academy.  Lasseter has had previous experiences where teachers have the attitude of, not my student not my problem. That is one thing she really appreciates about Horizon Academy. In fact,…

By: Jackie Thomas Does your child?: Have difficulty sitting still in class for a 30-minute lesson?Have meltdowns when having to go to an assembly in a loud gym?Refuse to wear certain clothes?Bump into things or people when walking the halls?Get upset during lunch with the smell of a peer’s lunch?Get distracted by a visually stimulating classroom?Have difficulty with bladder control? If you answered yes to some of these questions then your child may have a sensory processing disorder (SPD).  Sensory processing is the ability of the brain to take in, organize, and interpret information from our senses. Our senses give…

By Alicia Carr, Counseling Director At Horizon Academy, we cherish building relationships with each individual student. Ultimately the goal for every student is to transition back to a traditional school setting; we strive to provide our students with the skills needed to make that transition. We support our students in meeting their educational, social, and emotional goals; helping them to be strong, independent self-advocates with social skills; and improving confidence in their academic abilities.  The duration of a student’s stay at Horizon Academy varies greatly depending on the needs of the student. The four foundational skills we look for in…

By: Michael McConnell Over the last 3 years, Collaborative Storytelling Club has become one of Horizon Academy’s most popular clubs with sessions every quarter even during our online 4th quarter last year. If you have or have had a child enrolled in this club, you may have heard them come home telling some truly bizarre stories about what they did at school that day. “Well, we needed to get the DJ dragon to play at the party.” “I befriended a stalactite tentacle monster.” “I jumped off the Hoover Dam, but I didn’t reach the water.” These are all things students…