Individualized Educational Therapy
DC’s program of individualized educational therapy exists to make a Christian college preparatory education possible for students with diagnosed learning disabilities. These students have average to superior intelligence but often struggle in the regular classroom setting because of one or more difficulties in perception, cognition, processing speed, working memory, fluency or academic skills. The goal of educational therapy is to move the student toward independence and success in the regular classroom and to realize his/her God-given abilities.

Students are scheduled during the school day (out of study halls or classes) for two, 90-minute sessions per six-day cycle. Direct, individualized instruction rather than compensatory methods or tutoring is employed to stimulate deficits in perception, cognition, or academic areas such as reading, spelling, math or written expression. The educational therapist, choosing from 25 NILD techniques, plans an individualized program based on each student’s identified needs. Enrollment is by an annual, contractual agreement; average enrollment in educational therapy is three to five years.

Parents play an important part in their child’s success through faithful monitoring of therapy homework and Rhythmic Writing (one of the five core NILD techniques). There is also regular communication with classroom teacher(s) and effort is made to train students to transfer the skills they learn in educational therapy to other learning situations.

The educational therapy program is recognized as a Program of Excellence by the National Institute for Learning Development (NILD) with offices in Norfolk, Virginia. All educational therapists are trained and certified by NILD and participate in ongoing in-service opportunities. DC also serves as a training center for NILD and hosts one of their three graduate courses each June.

Contact Information
610-353-6522 x.2290

Dr. Susan K. Hutchison, Director
shutchison@dccs.org

Linda Bonsall, Ed.M., NCSP
Certified School Psychologist
Licensed Psychologist
lbonsall@dccs.org

Educational Therapists
Cynthia B. Ciemania, MA,
cciemania@dccs.org
Susan R. Kanaley, skanaley@dccs.org
Kristen J. Mitchell, kmitchell@dccs.org
Renee C. Perri, rperri@dccs.org
Barbara S. Witmer
MA, CCC/SLP,
bwitmer@dccs.org

Resource Rooms
Suzanne K. Calderwood, M.Ed., Elementary,
scalderwood@dccs.org
Regina S. Critchlow, M.Ed.,
Midlle School
gcritchlow@dccs.org
Charles W. Patterson, Ed.M.
High School (10-12),
cpatterson@dccs.org
Joanne D. Puckett, M.Ed.,
High School (9th),
jpuckett@dccs.org

Enrichment Programs
Suzanne K. Calderwood, M.Ed., Elementary,
scalderwood@dccs.org
Janet O. Smyth,
Middle School,
jsmyth@dccs.org

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