Student Support

We believe that all of our students are created in the image of God, and we are called by Him to steward their education in a manner that glorifies Christ.

The Individual Learning Center (ILC) has expanded its resources to more fully serve our students and their learning in a way that helps them to make progress. We praise God for the many ways He has provided and allowed us to enhance student support in the following ways:

Three Academic Specialists increasing focused support of our lower school, middle school, and high school students
Increasing progress monitoring of student learning through data management and teacher feedback
Providing one-on-one and small group intervention sessions that focus on reading and math skills
Facilitating focused, skill-building resource blocks for middle and high school students to support the progression of executive functioning skills and subject-specific academic support
Extending increased consultation with teachers as they work with students in the classroom setting

Individual Learning Center
The Ridge

Individual Learning Center

Mission Statement:

The Ben Lippen student body is comprised of a rich diversity of students. The Individual Learning Center (ILC) offers programs to assist the specific needs of pre-kindergarten through 12th-grade students with learning differences.

We believe all of our students are created in the image of God, and we are called by Him to steward their education in a manner that glorifies Christ.

The goal of the Individual Learning Center is to help students develop healthy work habits and improve academic skills that move students toward academic independence.

A variety of programs are offered through the Individual Learning Center that reinforce classroom instruction to help meet the varying needs of students.

About Individual Learning Center:

The Individual Learning Center offers services to support many different styles of learners, however, we are not equipped to serve students whose learning differences are due to significant emotional, social, or behavioral concerns. Additionally, students must demonstrate the intellectual potential to master a college-preparatory curriculum. The Individual Learning Center at Ben Lippen is equipped to serve students with the following needs:

Services and Eligibility

Learning needs supported through the individual learning center

Mild to moderate learning differences: A learning difference is defined as a learning condition that makes it particularly difficult for a student to complete his work or adequately demonstrate learning. Common learning differences among students at Ben Lippen include ADHD, Dyslexia, and other mild to moderate Specific Learning Disabilities in reading, writing, and/or math.
Mild to moderate emotional challenges: An emotional challenge is defined as a condition that affects the student’s ability to function well emotionally under normal circumstances at school or in schoolwork. Examples of emotional challenges for students may be anxiety or depression. With a medical/psychiatric report, temporary accommodations may be offered for some emotional challenges; however, a comprehensive psychoeducational evaluation and report will be required to maintain accommodations past 90 days.
Mild to moderate medical conditions: A medical condition is defined as a physical ailment that makes it difficult for a student to accurately demonstrate learning at school. Medical conditions among Ben Lippen students may include concussions, seizures, surgeries that require prolonged absence, diabetes, and some chronic illnesses.

Services offered through the individual learning center

The Individual Learning Center services the unique needs of learners in a variety of ways. Qualification requirements for specific Individual Learning Center services vary by level of support.

Individual Learning Plan (ILP)
- Students in kindergarten-12th grade who have been diagnosed with a learning difference and demonstrate a need in the classroom may be eligible for classroom accommodations through an Individual Learning Plan.
Resource periods for middle school students
- An ILC instructor provides support in a quiet, structured environment to students in grades 5-8; support with the following
  - study skills
  - executive functioning
  - test/project preparation
- Available for middle school students who have been found eligible for an ILP and who need more support from the ILC staff to make academic progress

Resource blocks for high school students
- An ILC instructor provides support in a quiet, structured environment to students in grades 9-12; support with the following:
  - study skills
  - executive functioning
  - test/project preparation
- Available for high school students who have been found eligible for an ILP and who need more support from the ILC staff to make academic progress
- High school students earn ½ credit per semester for participating in a resource block

Additional support from Academic Specialists
- Small group intervention (1:5) targeted at building specific skills for students who fall below benchmarks
- Available to lower, middle, and high school students who need additional academic support but may not have been diagnosed with a specific learning need

Speech therapy services
- Available to students who have difficulty articulating specific speech sounds and those who have difficulty with language processing
- Speech therapy services at Ben Lippen are delivered either through Prisma (payment arrangements are between Prisma and the parent) or the local public school system

Occupational therapy services
- Available to students who need additional support with fine motor skills, visual-motor integration, and sensory processing
- Occupational therapy services at Ben Lippen are delivered through Prisma (payment arrangements are between Prisma and the parent)

Student eligibilty for individual learning center

Students in kindergarten-12th grade who have been diagnosed with a learning difference and demonstrate a need in the classroom may be eligible for classroom accommodations through an Individual Learning Plan.

To be considered eligible for an Individual Learning Plan, students must have a current psychoeducational evaluation indicating the presence of a diagnosis that contributes to a learning difference that would impact students in the school environment. The evaluation must be completed with a licensed psychologist at the Ph.D. level or a public school district school psychologist. The acceptance of any evaluation report completed by an evaluator outside of these parameters will be up to the discretion of the Ben Lippen Individual Learning Center.
The psychoeducational evaluation should minimally include the following components:
- Measure of cognitive ability
- Measure of academic achievement
- Measure of phonological processing
- Measure of behavior and/or executive functioning
Comprehensive evaluations must be updated every three years to determine continued eligibility for an ILP.

Services and Fees

FAQs

How does my student get accommodations?

How often will my student’s ilp be updated?

Why do I need to update my student’s evaluation every 3 years?

Is there a cost associated with individual learning center services?

Does my student need to have a diagnosis in order to receive academic support?

How is my student's progress monitored by the academic specialist?

Can my student have a diagnosed learning difference and not need an individual learning plan or other academic support?

Yes. Students who have been diagnosed with a disability are not required to have an Individual Learning Plan. Ben Lippen School strives to support individual learning needs. As students gain skills and become increasingly independent in academics, they may not require additional support. The Individual Learning Center works closely with parents, teachers, and students to monitor student progress and determine what level of support is needed for individual student needs.

The Ridge

What is The Ridge?

The Ridge is a multi-phase specialized program to increase our ability to serve students with dyslexia in a Christ-centered environment. We understand and utilize research-based approaches to meet the unique needs of learners with dyslexia using the Orton Gillingham approach through small group or one-on-one sessions two times per week.

The 2024-2025 school year will mark the beginning of Phase 1 of The Ridge.

Our mission is to educate and equip students in The Ridge with a biblical worldview by assisting students spiritually, academically, socially, and physically under the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

Spiritually- The Ridge understands students are fearfully and wonderfully made in the image of Christ and gifted in many ways.

Academically- The Ridge sets our goal for students to become independent learners and become successful in the traditional classroom setting. Along the way, we will partner with parents to

Foster student confidence and self-esteem
Provide reading remediation to close the achievement gap
Improve executive-functioning skills

Socially- The Ridge allows students to showcase their talents and be a part of a bigger story at Ben Lippen School.

Physically- The Ridge allows students to use a variety of practices that provide the most support for the dyslexic learner. Taking a multi-sensory approach and specialized instruction, our dyslexic learners unlock the power of print. Our methodology uses a structured lesson plan involving visual, auditory, and kinesthetic/tactile learning. Students at The Ridge will exercise their brains to reach their fullest potential.

What is dyslexia?

What is dyslexia?

Dyslexia is a common condition that makes it hard to work with language. Although students with Dyslexia are intelligent and creative, some aspects of school can be more of a challenge for them than for their peers. Research suggests that as many as 5-10% of students meet the criteria for dyslexia. Characteristics of dyslexia include significant difficulties with:

Decoding
Spelling
Phonological awareness
Reading fluency
Encoding/writing
Executive functioning skills

Research-based methods to address weaknesses associated with Dyslexia include:

Systematic, prescriptive instruction in phonics
Multi-sensory approaches across all subject areas
Organizational and time management skills

Students served in the Ridge

Eligibility for the Ridge

To be eligible for the program, students must be in K-4th grade and have completed a psychoeducational evaluation by a licensed psychologist at the Ph.D. level or a public school district school psychologist and must demonstrate a need in the classroom. The acceptance of any evaluation report completed by an evaluator outside of these parameters will be up to the discretion of The Ridge admissions team.

The psychoeducational evaluation should minimally include the following components: