What is Feller School?
Feller School will be the first K-5 nonprofit school in Wisconsin focused on students identified as having dyslexia and other unique learning needs to acquire reading skills. Our focus at Feller will be ensuring that all students – especially those students who have a difficulty with learning to read – can become proficient readers, as well as successful students and life learners.
Does Feller School serve non-dyslexic kids?
Yes. While Feller School primarily serves students who experience challenges with learning to read, as well as those who are at-risk for reading difficulties due to family history of dyslexia, we are also equipped to teach students with other learning needs.
Older students (ages 8+) who struggle with reading often have an IEP (Individualized Educational Plan) in the area of reading. However, it is not a requirement to have an IEP for admission to Feller School. Students who have been identified as having Dyslexia or ADHD are encouraged to enroll.
What is the cost to attend Feller School? What plans does Feller School have to help parents who may struggle to pay tuition?
As a private school, Feller School requires tuition in order to hire the best staff and to serve students with a high-quality education. As has been shown through extensive research, students who struggle with learning how to read need specialized reading instruction in order to become successful readers given that ‘reading is not a natural task,’ such as speaking and walking.
Feller School offers needs-based tuition assistance. Contact our office at fellerschool@gmail.com to receive more information. Families can also use a 529 Plan, traditionally a college savings plan, which offers tax and financial aid benefits to families.
When will Feller School open? What if my child needs help now?
Currently, a number of children attend the Auburn Reading Center, LLC founded by Kim Feller, founder of Feller School. Auburn Reading Center has been expanding its services over the last few years, including serving the children of employees at Tri-North Builders in Fitchburg. Feller School is offering its first Summer Camp starting in June 2021. See Summer School information at FellerSchool.com.
How will Feller School differ from private, public, and other schools?
Feller School will have many similarities to public, private, and charter schools. These similarities include a strong school community, a holistic curriculum with a focus on rigorous core academic and related arts courses, as well as a regular full-day schedule all housed within a single location/building.
Our supportive team of educators will build nurturing relationships with each student to facilitate a growth mindset for life. We specialize in teaching all students to become proficient readers through our science-based reading and other practices.
How will Feller School ensure that children thrive?
We are focused on high-quality, science-based instruction to advance student learning and accelerate all students toward lifelong success. We are committed to ensuring that our students thrive. We can do this by helping students set both personal and academic goals. We believe every child will flourish at Feller School given our focus on having a positive, caring, and engaging environment.
How do I know if my child is a struggling reader if he or she is only 5 years old?
Feller School staff will administer a short assessment called the Predictive Assessment for Reading (PAR) and other screening tools to identify a child’s reading skills, the type of intervention needed, and to predict future reading achievement. We will also meet with parents to learn about their child’s early development and family history.
Once the screening tool and parent meeting are complete, the FS Educational Team will analyze the results and determine an appropriate educational plan for the student. A staff member will then reach out to the parents to determine next steps.
What are the qualifications of FS teachers?
Feller School teachers have a passion for teaching young children and care deeply that every student feels safe, loved, and respected. All classroom teachers will hold a Wisconsin DPI teaching license in elementary education and have previous experience teaching students who struggle to learn, including the sensitivity needed to help kids with learning differences.
Why does a child need to go to a specialized school such as Feller if you are training teachers from other schools?
Feller School believes in building a community of educators that effectively meets the needs of children regardless of where they attend school. At Feller School, we are highly focused on those students who need effective instruction, such as students with dyslexia, ADHD and other learning differences.
In a typical classroom, close to 20% of students will struggle with learning to read. Out of those students, as many as 1 in 5 are likely to have dyslexia. Since Feller School will serve only a portion of these students, we want to help educate all teachers who are interested in learning a methodology for teaching based on the science of reading.
Data from the state-mandated reading assessments indicate that only 39% of 4th grade students in Wisconsin met the proficiency standards in the area of reading. One of the strategies we believe will help improve these numbers is to train teachers in methods grounded in the science of teaching reading, a method currently used only by a small percentage of teachers.
In summary, students at-risk for being identified as having Dyslexia and those already identified need more support and resources than is generally available at schools. Feller School will be well-equipped with trained teachers and supportive materials to effectively and efficiently help students become proficient readers.
What is the law in Wisconsin regarding dyslexia identification and student rights?
The Feller School Team will use Wisconsin DPI law as a guide to meet the unique learning needs of a student. According to WI DPI guidelines on Specific Learning Disabilities: “Schools are working to develop systematic methods for identifying struggling students, matching students with interventions, and building the capacity for data analysis inherent in progress monitoring and improving outcomes for students.”
In other words, regardless of a special education identification label such as dyslexia, which describes the learning needs of a child, what matters most is how the team of educators respond to a child’s particular needs and what is being done to help a child learn. At Feller School, our teachers are highly skilled to identify a reading skill to target in order to help a child learn to read.
Through the implementation of screening assessments, careful observations of a child performing reading tasks and a thorough analysis of a student’s work samples, a team of educators will identify a child’s learning needs, create and implement a learning plan, and then monitor a child’s progress. If needed, the team will reconvene to assess the child’s growth and progress and adjust the instructional plan.
Will children be at or above grade level in other subjects when they leave Feller?
The goal of Feller School is for all students to perform at or above grade level through the use of specialized programming in the area of reading. Feller School focuses on both the growth and progress toward grade level standards, and mastering grade-level reading skills. This will be achieved through the implementation of science-based reading practices and frequent monitoring of student progress.
Feller School staff will continuously study and review students’ learning plans and their progress, and adjust plans to ensure the best possible outcome. Teaching a student to read is a complex endeavor and relies upon the science of teaching reading coupled with a focus on social-emotional skills. With high-quality instruction, good planning, collaborative teamwork, and a nurturing learning environment, we are confident that our students will thrive!
What will the transition from 5th to 6th grade look like? Will children be able to easily transition to public or another private school after 5th grade?
Our Feller School Team will help families make the transition smooth and as easy as possible. We will begin with a meeting with the parents, teachers, and coordinators at Feller School to discuss and plan for the transition. The learning needs of every child are extremely important to us and we will help with the transition. It is very common for children to transition from one school to another at the 5th grade level. We are very familiar with the process and while we don’t expect difficulties, staff will be available to assist following the transition to the new school.Add block