DePaul is for the 1 in 5 kids with dyslexia. Our multisensory program uses the Orton-Gillingham approach.

The typical DePaul student is intelligent, hard-working, a good school citizen, and has dyslexia (or symptoms of dyslexia). DePaul uses research-based techniques to deliver outstanding instruction that makes sense to these students and their unique neurological wiring.

In other words, we teach the way they learn.

We currently serve grades 2 through 8.

DePaul is accredited on the state and national levels through the Association of Independent Schools of Florida (AISF) and the National Council for Private School Accreditation (NCPSA). We meet all requirements for the scholarship programs utilized by our students, including the McKay Scholarship and Step Up For Students.

Additionally, we’re accountable to an independent board of directors—local leaders, business owners, and parents who oversee the direction of the school.

All staff members have Orton-Gillingham International Certification, and are also trained in Lindamood Bell. After we run diagnostics on each student and fit him/her for core academic classes, we use a combination of Orton Gillingham instruction, Handwriting Without Tears, Visualizing and Verbalizing, Ready Reading, Wilson Reading, iReady Math, SRA Imagine It by McGraw Hill, the Barton Reading and Spelling System, Saxon Math, and more, depending on the needs of our students.

Our curriculum is prescriptive for each student, with teaching plans based on continuous assessment of individual progress. One-size-fits-all instruction doesn’t work for our kids, so we use creative, immersive lessons full of experimental and hands-on learning.

At DePaul, we don’t assume the kids are learning just because our program is research-based. We put several checks and balances in place to measure their progress. The DRA2 (Direct Reading Assessment), iReady Reading, and iReady Mathematics give us data to help us place, monitor, and plan for each student.

Most importantly, we make school FUN. Most kids come to us hating school. It takes strong relationships, motivation, and FUN to help them believe in the process, and in their own capabilities again.

Yes. These are a big part of our multisensory curriculum, as they give students a chance to apply core academics lessons in other contexts. This year, we have LionWorks Entrepreneurship, Broadcasting, Music, Art, Drama, Cooking, Gardening, Sign Language, P.E., and Technology/Keyboarding.

Yes, but we do not overload our students with it. They may read any material of their choosing for 20 minutes every night, and each week they will have an iReady exercise, a spelling worksheet, and a short math exercise.

We have an optional Homework Help program every Monday through Thursday from 3:15-4:00.

We believe in brain breaks! Every morning our kids get a 10-minute brain break, and we send them outside to play for 30 minutes of recess on every pretty day. We also assign every student to a P.E. class.

There’s NO fighting to get an IEP at DePaul. Our entire school is an accommodation!

Since all of our students have learning differences, we match our multisensory lessons as closely as we can with their needs. We:

-Regularly assess students for Reading, Language, and Math levels, then sort them into classes by ability, teach the curriculum to mastery, then bump them to the next level when they are ready
-Allow extra time for assessments
-Realistically estimate the time it takes our kids to do homework, then avoid overloading them
-Engage kids in a variety of creative lessons and their real-life applications
-Feature flexible seating, kick bands, and standing desks for kids with wiggle worms

DePaul is not a school for behavioral remediation. We are a school for children affected academically by dyslexia or a related learning difference. Our small student-to-teacher ratio helps us to see and address issues quickly and effectively.

DePaul students are expected to:
-show up on time and attend regularly unless they are sick
-go to class on their own every school day without excessive coaxing from staff or parents
-avoid distracting other students from instruction, or interrupting teaching for non emergencies
-participate in class to the best of their ability
-respond to redirection in ways that show personal growth
-follow rules and be respectful to everyone in the building

We regularly give children advice and tools to handle frustrations with school work. We also have a zero tolerance policy for bullying.