POST FALLS, Idaho — A unique school in Post Falls has made it a goal to help the students they say are falling through the cracks of the school system.
One in five students in the United States has a learning disability. At Wired 2 Learn Academy in Post Falls, instructors realize that traditional educational is not the answer for many of these students.
Ethan Hime is one of 14 students that attend the academy and, like many others, he came to the school with what is called "educational trauma" from his previous school.
At the end of 4th grade, Hime had been in a special educational program for four years and could only read ten words per minute.
"When we asked him to write something, he would break down crying. A lot of anxiety," said Alyssa Pukkila, the director of Wired 2 Learn Academy. "But now we got to a point where he just finished his science fair project, did the entire scientific method, wrote everything for it, researched everything for it and presented it with confidence."
Pukkila said she starting working with Hime three days a week and after three months he could already read 40 words per minute.
"I feel like I can read better than I did back then and I can actually write and not have to just kind of scribble," Hime said.
The school opened in the fall and teaches students in third through twelfth grade with average or above average IQs.
Wired 2 Learn teaches students through a three-part integrated program: cognitive remediation, clinical-based remediation and project-based learning.
Cognitive programs are tailored individually to students to sharpen specific skills that are not fully developed due to their learning disability. Students are also given emotional support and able to put their learning to practice with project-based learning.
Pukkila said she hopes the school will expand and reach more kids.
