Triad
Children with dyslexia learn differently.
As a nationally accredited Orton-Gillingham program, we're committed to helping students overcome the challenges of print-based reading and written language difficulties.
Students in the Triad division blossom into self-assured creative thinkers, problem solvers, and vibrant lifelong learners.
We are one of two schools in North Carolina, and one of only 18 in the U.S. to receive the Orton-Gillingham Academy accreditation.
Have you ever wondered what it's like for a dyslexic person to read, listen or write in a variety of challenging environments?
Several fellows in training from Triad hosted a dyslexia simulation allowing people to experience just that.
Triad 5th Graders Explore Bridge Building
Using the lessons learned from their math curriculum, students used that foundational knowledge to expand into this creative engineering project.
More about Triad
Environment
Small classroom settings allow our highly-trained teachers to focus on each child's unique gifts and help close the gap between cognitive potential and academic achievement.
Our innovative instructional program is highly individualized, research based, and designed to meet the unique learning needs of students with dyslexia and related language based learning differences.
Often, our students come to us having experienced confusion and failure in a traditional classroom despite having good academic potential. These very students are those whose creative problem solving abilities, artistic talents, and innovative thinking can serve as a springboard to success, if nurtured and appreciated in an environment designed specifically to tap into these strengths. They find that environment at Triad Academy at Summit School.
The cornerstone of our academic program is grounded in the principles of Orton-Gillingham instruction. In all areas of our curriculum, we teach the underlying structure of the English language using an approach which is cognitively based, direct and explicit, diagnostic and prescriptive, cumulative, structured, sequential, and multisensory.
Culture
Success Stories
While we are most proud of the strong academic foundation we provide for our students, we never underestimate the profound and positive impact this program has on self-esteem.
Since our program’s founding in 1999, hundreds of students have left Triad with a solid educational foundation, an understanding of their own strengths and weaknesses, an arsenal of compensatory learning strategies, and the confidence to be successful, independent learners.
Former Triad Parent Mark Petersen talks about Orton-Gillingham
Portrait of a Teacher
The faculty of Summit School commit to these characteristics as defining features of our work in serving the needs of our students, their families, our colleagues and the school.
- As an educator striving to develop the full potential of each child, I
- As a lifelong learner committed to professional growth, I
- As a fully engaged member of the Summit community, I
As an educator striving to develop the full potential of each child, I
- Respect, affirm and protect the dignity and worth of all children
- Understand the important stages in child/adolescent development
- Observe children, giving particular attention to the unique qualities of each child and their life experiences, recognizing their backgrounds and identities
- Facilitate and guide, fostering discovery, thinking, creativity and the construction of knowledge
- Teach for deep understanding by designing diverse and culturally responsive curricula organized around meaningful problems, projects, and questions
- Encourage students to form habits of mind as mathematician, scientist, historian, reader, writer, and artist
- Cultivate Summit’s core competencies in all students
- Gauge students’ understanding through multiple forms of progress-oriented and authentic assessment
- Honor children as citizens, encouraging them to participate in a democratic society
As a lifelong learner committed to professional growth, I
- Reflect on the art of teaching and study the science of learning, always seeking to apply what I learn
- Engage in ongoing personal and professional growth, embracing its inherent change
- Study the Progressive Education tradition and apply its evolving principles in my practice: both pedagogical & curricular
- Strive for excellence in my planning and preparation, classroom environment, instruction and professional responsibilities
As a fully engaged member of the Summit community, I
- Embrace inclusivity, diversity and equity as essential facets of the Summit Community
- Demonstrate an attitude of service and flexibility, and use strengths and talents in a variety of ways to benefit the entire school community
- Actively engage parents in partnerships for the good of the child
- Model and uphold Summit’s Code of Conduct
- Participate positively and with joy in the community life of the school
Curriculum
Our students receive intensive, comprehensive and coordinated remedial instruction in language arts, generally their area of greatest academic weakness. In coordination with our Upper and Lower School teaching faculty, students are exposed to the same concepts and themes. We practice a seamless integration of signature events so students are ready to move into other divisions. When students are ready to transition from the Triad division to a traditional classroom, our learning support team provides guidance for successful transition.
Lower School Curriculum (1st – 5th Grade)
Language Tutorial
This reading remediation course is based on the Orton-Gillingham principles of instruction, which is a proven, research-validated approach in which students are taught the sounds, symbols and structure of the English language in a gradual, logical, and orderly progression. Reading and spelling skills are mastered simultaneously and cumulatively as students are taught to decode (take words apart for reading) and encode (put words together for spelling) rather than guess. Fluency drills and opportunities to practice oral reading throughout the day facilitate comprehension and automatic recognition.
Written Expression
Essential skills for writing are taught in coordination with the Language Tutorial program, and at a student’s reading/spelling ability level. Following a logical progression of skills hierarchy, students are taught the grammatical and structural components necessary for building sentences, paragraphs, essays, and writing reports. Outlining strategies, graphic organizers and color-coding are used to help students identify parts of speech and produce organized writing samples. Vocabulary development focuses on direct instruction in understanding the Anglo-Saxon, Latin and Greek origins of words and word parts and their meanings, which are the morphological layers of the English language.
Multisensory Math
Multisensory math applies strategies from reading instruction to conceptually based mathematics instruction. With an emphasis on instructional language, multisensory math helps students develop skills that can be applied to mathematical concepts; it uses explicit language to make math concepts memorable. Based on the Orton-Gillingham approach to learning, multisensory math allows students to receive and process information visually, auditorily and kinesthetically. Taught in a sequential order, multisensory math begins with basic elements and progresses methodically toward more difficult material. The use of daily routines and structures help to build fluency as well as automaticity. The use of manipulatives, along with repetition helps to reinforce concepts and aid in memory. Like Orton-Gillingham, multisensory math is diagnostic and prescriptive for each student. A teaching plan is based on careful and continuous assessment of the student’s needs.
Reading Comprehension
Students with significant language processing problems are taught visualization, or imaging techniques, to facilitate growth in receptive language, reading comprehension and verbal reasoning skills. Those whose comprehension is impeded by weak decoding skills, and students whose comprehension skills have been remediated to a level commensurate with their intellectual ability read selections at their independent reading level. Students are taught to identify and interpret standard components of novels, short stories, essays and expository writing samples using techniques specifically developed for use with students with learning differences.
Science
Our science curriculum provides multi-sensory, hands-on, inquiry based learning experiences with an emphasis on developing process skills, science reasoning ability, and selected science concepts. With a focus on depth of understanding vs. breadth of presentation, the Triad Science curriculum mirrors the Lower School Science curriculum by presenting a balanced study of earth, physical, and biological sciences. Topics include nutrition, the digestive system, insects, landforms, weather and climate, Earth materials, and forces and simple machines. We teach strategies and skills to achieve at grade level while students gain facility in reading and written language. Students attend science lab taught by an Orton-Gillingham trained specialist twice a week in second and third grades and every other day in fourth and fifth grades.
Upper School Curriculum (6th-8th Grade)
Language Tutorial
This reading remediation course is based on the Orton-Gillingham principles of instruction, which is a proven, research-validated approach in which students are taught the sounds, symbols and structure of the English language in a gradual, logical, and orderly progression. Reading and spelling skills are mastered simultaneously and cumulatively as students are taught to decode (take words apart for reading) and encode (put words together for spelling) rather than guess. Fluency drills and opportunities to practice oral reading throughout the day facilitate comprehension and automatic recognition.
Written Expression
Essential skills for writing are taught in coordination with the Language Tutorial program, and at a student’s reading/spelling ability level. Following a logical progression of skills hierarchy, students are taught the grammatical and structural components necessary for building sentences, paragraphs, essays, and writing reports. Outlining strategies, graphic organizers and color coding are used to help students identify parts of speech and produce organized writing samples. Vocabulary development focuses on direct instruction in understanding the Anglo-Saxon, Latin and Greek origins of words and word parts and their meaning, which are the morphological layers of the English language.
Multisensory Math
Multisensory math applies strategies from reading instruction to conceptually based mathematics instruction. With an emphasis on instructional language, multisensory math helps students develop skills that can be applied to mathematical concepts; it uses explicit language to make math concepts memorable. Based on the Orton-Gillingham approach to learning, multisensory math allows students to receive and process information visually, auditorily and kinesthetically. Taught in a sequential order, multisensory math begins with basic elements and progresses methodically toward more difficult material. The use of daily routines and structures help to build fluency as well as automaticity. The use of manipulatives, along with repetition helps to reinforce concepts and aid in memory. Like Orton-Gillingham, multisensory math is diagnostic and prescriptive for each student. A teaching plan is based on careful and continuous assessment of the student’s needs.
Science
Our science curriculum provides multi-sensory, hands-on, inquiry based learning experiences with an emphasis on developing process skills, science reasoning ability, and selected science concepts. With a focus on depth of understanding vs. breadth of presentation, select goals from the North Carolina Standard Course of Study are used to build a rotating four-year strand that focuses on life, physical, or earth science and an additional science elective such as environmental science. Science is integrated with other subject areas when possible and technology is used as a tool to help students develop concepts, and gather, record and display information. Emphasis is placed on using science texts to develop note taking, study skills and textbook mining strategies to prepare students to succeed.Our science curriculum provides multi-sensory, hands-on, inquiry based learning experiences with an emphasis on developing process skills, science reasoning ability, and selected science concepts. With a focus on depth of understanding vs. breadth of presentation, the Triad Science curriculum mirrors the Lower School Science curriculum by presenting a balanced study of earth, physical, and biological sciences. Topics include nutrition, the digestive system, insects, landforms, weather and climate, Earth materials, and forces and simple machines. We teach strategies and skills to achieve at grade level while students gain facility in reading and written language. Students attend science lab taught by an Orton-Gillingham trained specialist twice a week in second and third grades and every other day in fourth and fifth grades.
History
Our history curriculum provides a multi-sensory and hands-on approach to learning while teaching students specific skills such as note taking strategies, study skills, and textbook mining. Select goals from the North Carolina Standard Course of Study are used to build a four-year rotating strand that focuses on economics, legal and political systems, United States history, world history and a history elective such as European history. Students are engaged in the time period being taught through the use of the performing and visual arts in the classroom.
Literature
Our literature curriculum provides students with the ability to appreciate literature through many avenues while learning and utilizing reading comprehension strategies that are directly taught, modeled and emphasized. The curriculum provides a hands-on approach to learning various uses of figurative language, content-based vocabulary, and story grammar. Different types of literature are taught such as poetry, short stories, novels, autobiographies, biographies, memoirs, essays and factual material. Select goals from the North Carolina Standard Course of Study are used to build a four-year rotating strand that focuses on British literature, world literature, American literature and a literature elective.
After School Options
Summit Afterschool strives to engage the whole child with a carefully designed schedule that gives students plenty of time to create, play, move and learn. Experienced staff members supervise all programs and diligently oversee the safety and well being of each child. Students have the chance to experience school with a little less structure and enjoy an extra dose of hands-on indoor/outdoor activities. There is a built-in study time for older students and opportunities for each child to explore and develop his or her own interests. Parents and students can choose from a variety of program options to create the ideal schedule.
Programs
- Beforeschool, 7 to 8 am (Eaglets - 9th Grade)
- Eaglet's Bridge 12:30 to 1:30 pm (Eaglets)
- Early Childhood Afternoon, 1:30-3 pm (Eaglets, JrK and K)
- Early Childhood Full Day, 1:30 to 5:15 pm (Eaglets, JrK and K)
- Lower School Full Day, 3 to 5:15 pm (1st - 5th Grade)
- Three-Thirty Express, 3 to 3:30 pm (Eaglets - 5th Grade)
- Late Stay, 5:15-5:45 pm (Eaglets - 5th Grade)
- Extended Day Program, 3:30 to 5:45 pm (6th - 9th Grade)
Beforeschool, 7 to 8 am (Eaglets - 9th Grade)
This program is designed to give students a positive start to the school day. The instructor is sensitive to the individual needs of younger and older students as they make the morning transition from home to school. The program is a relaxing place to make new friends, catch up on homework and enjoy the quiet activities. Students are dismissed or escorted to their classrooms at 8 am. Students will be grouped according to grade for this program.
*Eaglets are students enrolled in our 3 year old program
Bathroom policy. All students enrolled in Afterschool must be potty trained. We request that children come to school in underwear – no diapers or pull-ups. If a child needs to be changed while at school, a parent or guardian may be asked to come to school to do so.
Eaglet's Bridge 12:30 to 1:30 pm (Eaglets)
This hour-long program is designed to bridge the 12:30 pm Eaglet dismissal until 1:30 pm. This allows Eaglets to be picked up with JrK and K siblings. It also connects Eaglets with the extended Afterschool day. Children are supervised by the same teacher each day.
Bathroom policy. All students enrolled in Afterschool must be potty trained. We request that children come to school in underwear – no diapers or pull-ups. If a child needs to be changed while at school, a parent or guardian may be asked to come to school to do so.
Early Childhood Afternoon, 1:30-3 pm (Eaglets, JrK and K)
Eaglets, Junior Kindergarten, and Kindergarten students will stay with their grade-level peers during this 90 minute program. Children socialize and work together as they build, create, relax, and play. This early afternoon program ends with a play period on the front playground followed by dismissal at 3 pm. All Eaglets have a rest time on mats during the second half of this program.
To enroll in this program Eaglets should also register for Eaglet’s Bridge.
Early Childhood Full Day, 1:30 to 5:15 pm (Eaglets, JrK and K)
This option includes the features of our Early Childhood Afternoon program and continues until the end of the day. Eaglets, Junior Kindergarten, and Kindergarten students will remain in their grade-level groups. Children socialize and work together as they build, create, relax, and play. They also spend time enjoying the front playground including the music station and sand boxes. All Eaglets have a rest time. At 3 pm, these children enjoy a story time before splitting up into teacher-led activity groups including art, outdoor exploration and games. The program ends with more time on the playground or in the gym.
To enroll in this program Eaglets should also register for Eaglet’s Bridge.
Lower School Full Day, 3 to 5:15 pm (1st - 5th Grade)
At the 3pm dismissal, 1st-5th Graders stay with their grade-level groups for indoor/outdoor play and snack. Our 2nd-5th graders have a 30-minute study time before splitting up into activity groups led by Afterschool teachers focusing on tinkering, outdoor exploration, and games/sports. The program ends with more time on the playground or in the gym. At the end of the week, students enjoy Fun Friday with special events and no study time.
Three-Thirty Express, 3 to 3:30 pm (Eaglets - 5th Grade)
This program is designed to supervise Lower School students until the Upper School dismissal time. The Three-Thirty Express is a helpful service to parents who prefer one pick-up time for Lower and Upper School students. At 3 pm, children gather in a designated room to relax, socialize or work on homework. At 3:30 pm, our Three-Thirty Express teacher supervises their dismissal. Eaglets, JrK and K students are eligible for this program, but rather than moving them to the Three-Thirty Express room, they remain with their Afternoon group until the 3:30 dismissal.
Late Stay, 5:15-5:45 pm (Eaglets - 5th Grade)
Extended Day Program, 3:30 to 5:45 pm (6th - 9th Grade)
This is a supervised drop-in Afterschool program for Upper School students who are not involved in athletics or other school-sponsored activities. At dismissal time, students report to the Dining Hall for check-in and snack. Students have plenty of time to study, socialize and engage in outdoor activities under the supervision of the Afterschool Extended Day teacher. This is the perfect place for athletes on seasonal break or students waiting for a late ride home. Students can join this program throughout the afternoon as clubs and sports come to an end. Parents can sign-out students by calling the main Afterschool room.
Small classroom settings allow our teachers to focus on each child's unique gifts.
