Academics

Academics at Lake House Academy

At Lake House Academy, a therapeutic boarding school for girls, we understand the importance of fully integrating emotional and social development with a comprehensive and rigorous education while also developing a love for lifelong learning.

Take a closer look at our academic approach and learn how our students thrive academically, emotionally and socially.

Meeting Students Where They Are at Lake House

We, at Lake House, understand that the purpose of education is not to primarily assist children in knowing more; rather, it is to help children become better able to care, imagine, think, understand and adapt to become an autonomous learner.

With that philosophy in mind, our highly-qualified teachers lead students in a curriculum that is aligned with national standards. In addition, our Academic Team Lead supports the school environment by providing supplemental assistance and nurture throughout the day.

Each Lake House classroom has a maximum of 10 students, which allows for academic, emotional and social success.

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Getting Students Where They Want to Go at Lake House Academy

We know academic success is crucial to the overall health and well-being of a student. We also know that a secure student-teacher connection can trigger brain growth and enhance learning. These new pathways create a clear route to allow students to meet their individualized academic goals.

“It can seem counterintuitive to argue that education is best improved by focusing on something other than the material the students are expected to learn. At Lake House Academy, we focus on building relationships, which increases students’ motivation to learn more, learn better and learn by themselves.
The teacher’s dedication to creating a nurturing relationship at Lake House translates to our students learning more by increasing their motivation to learn. They build a safe and supportive classroom that allows students to open up and take intellectual risks.”
- Deana Collins, M. Ed., Academic Director at Lake House Academy

Our focus on relationships is pervasive throughout our school. We carefully monitor the use of Chromebooks and we believe the best academic approach is to have individualized direct instruction from highly qualified teachers. Computer use is coordinated throughout the day so that it is used purposefully and sparingly. This creates an environment where the emphasis is on the teacher-student relationship. Building relationships and developing critical thinking is of utmost importance.

Setting the Standard for Academic Excellence at Lake House

Students at Lake House Academy come to love learning while also working on life skills that will benefit them inside and outside the classroom. We provide a unique set of electives that focus on the strengths of the students, such as arts, music and sports, but also develop skills that may have been lacking, such as executive functioning and life skills.

Additionally, we use Theraplay to create an atmosphere that helps support students’ motivation and regulation. Theraplay brings an element of fun to their day that promotes relationship building with adults. It also helps to engage those hard to reach children while addressing their cognitive, emotional and social development.

We optimize learning by enhancing motivation, regulating anxiety and triggering neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to reorganize itself. The first step to helping our students learn is to help them control their emotions. Once the students can do this, we can begin to work with them on learning and applying classroom behaviors and executive functioning skills, all of which have a dramatic effect on the mastery of academic content.

Instruction at Lake House Academy

Upon admission to Lake House, an Individualized Academic Plan (IAP) is created by our Academic Director for each student.

This fluid document is created after a review of a student’s records, including school transcripts and report cards, neuropsychological testing, individualized education program (IEP) and/or 504 plans. Additionally, each student’s progress is monitored by administering the Measure of Academic Progress (MAP) test, which provides up-to-date information to guide in making informed decisions to promote a student’s academic growth.

Lake House works to teach students the skills to identify and advocate for their academic needs. With the use of the IAP, students can work towards academic enrichment and/or recovery.

We integrate our students’ academic and therapeutic needs to provide them with the all-around support they need.

Teachers work directly with each student to meet measurable goals that target a student’s individualized learning style and needs. Each student works directly with their academic advisor to ensure progress is being made, and if any changes need to be noted in the IAP to help ensure the student’s success.

What Happens When A Student Does Not Engage?

Many Lake House Academy students have struggled with academics and schooling in the past. Our academic team works to design a FAIR Plan for each student that includes:

Functional hypothesis
Accommodations
Interaction strategies
Response strategies

By carefully following the FAIR Plan, we understand what the student is communicating, how we can replace those behaviors and build a strong relationship with teachers that allows each student to thrive.

During the school day, our Academic Team Leader supports the students by providing extra boundary control and nurturing while maintaining a positive learning environment.

Lake House Academy is recognized as a non-public school in the state of North Carolina and is accredited with the National Independent Private School Association (NIPSA).

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