The academic program at Meredith-Dunn provides a daily schedule that places weighted emphasis on language arts and math instruction due to the critical needs of our students. Students are named by grade level and are grouped according to instructional level, chronological age, and social maturity. The daily schedule is consistent with all students having language art and math at the same time to support instructional groupings. In addition, there is daily direct instruction in SOS, in social studies/science/health, and in one daily special area of art, computer lab, music, social skills, and brain gym. Special area teachers in collaboration with classroom teachers, work, to integrate their specific disciplines across curriculum. Specialized instructional programs and adapted materials pertinent to specific students are used and supported by a variety of technology resources, such as iPads, laptops, word processors, remedial software programs, and surround sound classroom amplification systems.
Movement is a critical component to our curricular program and is incorporated throughout the day. Students in grades first through fifth participate in the Minds in Motion Maze each day, a series of neuromotor development exercises integrating coordination and movement. And our Physical Education program was recently changed into Stretch-N-Grow, a developmental approach focusing on sports, coordination and activities that encourage students to develop motor skills and to cross the middle line. Each day begins with Smart Moves, a 3-5 minute cognitive fitness program.
Meredith-Dunn School places a great emphasis on the professional development and training of its teachers and staff. The All Kinds of Minds Institute named Meredith-Dunn School a School of Distinction, a result of sixty hours of intensive professional training for the entire faculty. Additionally, our faculty has participated in a series of training on Waldorf inspired teaching methods with ongoing support in integration of those methods into the classroom. Many of our staff are trained in Wilson Reading Systems, Carbo Reading, and Reading Mastery, to mention a few.
Meredith-Dunn School has developed a specialized SOS curriculum which was written with the intent to provide direct instruction in the areas of self-advocacy, organization and study skills.
Self-advocacy is fostered by helping students understand their strengths and weaknesses as learners. We take the mystery out of a learning difference by helping students understand what their learning difference is.
Organization is essentially learning how to organize one’s self, materials, space and time to facilitate an effective learning process.
The Study Skills Component consists of strategies that support study skills and the specific strategies that support learning, memory and retrieval, as well as application of information.
The SOS Curriculum is directly taught daily during a 30-minute class time, but is integrated and reinforced throughout all curricular areas and in all aspects of the school day.
On staff at Meredith-Dunn School are two Speech and Language pathologists and Guidance Counselor/Art Therapist.
Meredith-Dunn Schools offers a wide range of extracurricular activities to address a variety of student interests. The opportunities provided enable students to enrich their lives, pursue interests or explore new ones and interact with peers and staff members in a relaxed atmosphere. Presently offered are Art Club, Basketball, Intramural Bowling, Drama Club, Golf, Music Club, Soccer, Volleyball, Girls on the Run, Lego Club, and Chess.