Parent Testimonials

Charlie's Story

Homework for Charlie and me was the nightmare before bedtime. For 2 hours every night, we did his homework and the school work he had not finished for that day. Two nights a week, Charlie would leave school, go to tutoring for an hour, and then home to do 2 hours homework. No wonder we both sometimes dissolved into tears, and he began suffering migraines. I had little time to help Charlie's brother and sister, and there was very little 'fun time' during the school week for any of us.

It took a month or two after Charlie had started at Bridgeway for us to realize the homework nightmare was over. The penny finally dropped when I walked into the living room to find Charlie quietly finishing his homework, and not once had he asked for my help. He looked up and smiled and said, "do you remember this used to make us cry?" I remembered the bewildered and tired boy 'before Bridgeway' and walked back into the kitchen and cried again!

Those memories are still painful, and I know we will be forever grateful to Bridgeway for restoring Charlie's faith in his ability to learn. Bridgeway brought balance back into our family lives and enabled me to spend time with all my children. Our evenings have again become a time to anticipate with pleasure.

John's Story

By grade 3 we were aware our son was significantly dyslexic. Despite the supportive attitude expressed by his teachers, the public school system lacked the resources to deliver effective programming. As a result, there was a constant need for us to be at the school, advocating, explaining, and trying to keep John on track with his work. Each day was a struggle, which inevitably spilled over to home life.

With junior high looming, we were desperate to avoid plunging John into an even more chaotic school environment. Bridgeway was recommended to us by the psychologist who assessed John, who shared our fear that our son would not reach his full intellectual potential in the public school system.

John is now in his senior year at Bridgeway, where he has fluorished as a member of the school community. He now participates in student council, drama, and debating. I doubt that he would have participated at this level at any other school.

It was a tremendous relief to John and ourselves to find this school. We were met with complete and immediate acceptance and understanding. What a gift it has been to not need to explain my son to his educators. Thank you Bridgeway!

Ellen's Story

Life before Bridgeway was filled with frustration for all members of our family. Through our daughter¹s school years she struggled to learn how to read and do math. She would fight us every step of the way when we tried to help her with her school work. We spent many nights trying to do homework together and the end result would be anger and tears for all of us. When our daughter was in junior high she began failing courses and actually dropped out of school three years in a row. She became an angry and sad young woman with very little feeling of self-worth.

Our daughter met a kind and bright young woman who tutored her. This young woman helped her to realize that she was not stupid and that she could learn. This tutor was a teacher at Bridgeway, who persuaded Ellen to give Bridgeway a try. The day she started at Bridgeway we never dreamed the outcome would be so positive. We now have a happy daughter who is excelling at school and at home. She is filled with self-confidence and loves to go to school. The whole family is a happier unit and there are no more nights of fighting about school work. We can never thank the staff at Bridgeway enough for what they have done.

Grant's Story

By the end of grade 2, our son Grant could not read, and math was a big mystery. School days meant hours of tutoring, followed by seemingly futile attempts to make it through the homework without losing our sanity. As his frustration over school escalated, life became an endless series of tantrums, tears, and objects being tossed perilously close to my head. Living with Grant's learning disability was like living in the eye of a hurricane, which was wreaking havoc on our family life.

One of my most painful memories as a parent was the day I accepted the fact the public education system simply could not help my son. That was the day I walked into Bridgeway my last hope.

Grant entered Bridgeway in grade 3. On the first day of school, I dropped him off with apprehension in my heart. Was this the miracle cure our family was so desperately seeking? After his third day of school, he jumped into the car and said "Mom, I LOVE school! Am I allowed to stay at Bridgeway?" I cried tears of joy the whole way home.

After 3 short months, Grant read his very first book cover to cover. He also began to grasp basic math concepts, and for the first time was able to share with us how he sees the world differently. We rejoiced when we received a report card that celebrated his strengths, instead of displaying his limitations in big, looming black type. But more importantly, Grant began to laugh again. And that, in a nutshell, is the greatest gift of all.