The BMO RUN4HOPE is fast approaching and we are so grateful for all the amazing people committing their valuable time and resources to run and raise funds as part of Team KGMS
At Kenneth Gordon Maplewood School we hear the same message from both our current families and alumni: KGMS is a school that changes lives. Families often come through our doors feeling defeated and looking for a place that not only meets the academic needs of their exceptional children, but a place where their children can flourish socially, find connection and feel seen.
KGMS does not only provide students with the skills to feel confident in themselves as learners, but it provides families with a community of educators that value diversity and embrace individuality.
We believe there is no one size fits all approach to educating students, and find the best pathway to success by working with each learner to find the right fit for both their individual strengths and stretches. We have included a testimonial from one of our current parents that talks about their KGMS journey:
Every kid deserves to learn to read and write.
Ella joined our local public school in 2020, in the midst of the pandemic. Ella’s entry to Kindergarten was great. We loved the school and she had a very supportive teacher. Although there were a few signs of reading/writing challenges, it was too early to tell if Ella required extra help, but we kept a close eye on her progress.
Fast forward to the end of Grade 1 when it became clear she was struggling and not keeping up. Rebecca worked with Ella every day, to try and learn her words, practicing for her spelling test at the end of the week. Each week, Ella failed her test and it reinforced that something was wrong. Ella really loves books, but she began to notice she was the only kid in her class that could not read. We watched her self-confidence and joy of learning wane.
20% of people struggle to learn to read and write, a challenge known as Dyslexia. We quickly came to learn that these kids are not adequately supported in our public education system. Ella was diagnosed with reading, writing and math learning disabilities and while she could remain in the public system, she would not get the help she needed to realize her potential. It was also sad to learn that kids who do not get help early, often end up in adulthood, with anxiety, depression and low self-esteem.
Ella joined Grade 2 this year at Kenneth Gordon Maplewood School (KGMS). KGMS is an amazing private school that teaches kids with special brains, like Ella. They use a multisensory learning curriculum and provide Orton Gillingham tutoring to every child, each day. It is a very special community. My wife and I no longer feel we have to fight for Ella’s needs, because they are being met at KGMS. We believe literacy is the foundation to success in life, and every child deserves to learn how to read and write.
We have been very fortunate to have found this special school with the expertise and passion to teach kids who learn differently. We also recognize many kids and their parents do not have the means to access this intervention. By fundraising for KGMS, we want to help the school to thrive and to create opportunities for other kids, through bursaries.
Your donation, as I run the BMO, will help a dyslexic child learn to read, write and thrive.
Our heartfelt thanks,
Tony, Rebecca and Ella