Support is Our Superpower

Every student who comes to Marvelwood arrives with a distinct constellation of strengths, challenges, and ways of interpreting the world. 

Instead of trying to fit them into a box, we honor their differences and celebrate their strengths. We give them the tools to develop real confidence in what they can achieve. 

This is who we’ve always been. From the very beginning, Marvelwood’s ethos has centered upon and set the standard for individualized learning. Our team is passionate about helping every child advance to the next level in their academic journey with empathy and expert support. And, in the process, they will discover a genuine love for learning that wasn’t accessible before.

The outcomes that matter most here aren't just academic. Students leave Marvelwood with a deep understanding of how they learn best, where they get stuck, and what they need to succeed. They learn how to advocate for themselves in a college classroom, in a workplace, and in life.
 

Structure That Propels Students Forward Experienced teachers and strong support.   Marvelwood offers three levels of structured academic support, ranging from intensive one-on-one instruction to self-guided review with faculty guidance. Unlike traditional learning centers or drop-in models, our support is a class built into each student's daily schedule for consistent, intentional instruction that evolves with the learner.   Our tiered approach helps students move from strong support to increasing independence over time. Those with learning challenges gain the skills and strategies to succeed in college-preparatory classes, build confidence, and become effective self-advocates—skills essential for success in college and beyond.   Marvelwood's experienced and compassionate teachers are highly skilled in identifying and addressing foundational learning gaps. Through targeted strategies, they help students bridge challenges and thrive in college-prep coursework.

Succeeding Without Stigmas

Many Marvelwood students receive some form of learning support. 

That shapes who we are as a community. Support here is an inherent part of our culture that can be seen and felt in the way our students respect and root for each other, and how our faculty cares for their students. 
 

“A student can be in learning support AND be enrolled in an honors-level class. They are in classes with their friends, some of whom receive support and some of whom don't. That proximity builds confidence in the students receiving support, and real perspective and empathy in those who aren't.”

"We all have a unique pattern of strengths and weaknesses. Being aware that something is a weakness IS a strength." 

- Learning Support Faculty

That reframe is at the heart of what happens here. Students who once feared reading aloud, who couldn't get their thoughts onto a page in a way that reflected their actual intelligence, who felt like school was a system designed for someone else—they find that Marvelwood was, in fact, designed with them in mind.
 

In their own words…   “The Orton-Gillingham program has been huge for me. I came from a school strictly for dyslexia and it was a terrible experience. I told my mom I would never go to boarding school again. But when I came here, it was completely different. Teachers live on campus and bond with you beyond the classroom. At my old school, when I cried because I was homesick, teachers told me there was nothing they could do. Here, my OG teacher came multiple nights in a row to check on me—even though she lives 40 minutes away. That level of care changed everything for me. At my old school, I was at the bottom in English. Now I’m in honors English. Marvelwood is nurturing and supportive of your goals. It helps you come out of your shell.” - MARVELWOOD Senior

The Clark Center for Learning Support

We start with the understanding that there is no one-size-fits-all mold for learning. Our main goal is to know every student deeply enough to help them know themselves. Our faculty make even the most challenging college preparatory curricula accessible to students of all abilities, talents, interests and learning styles.

“We teach with empathy, professionalism and humor.”

- Learning Support Faculty
 

ORTON-GILLINGHAM INTENSIVE

Daily 1:1 intensive language remediation using Orton-Gillingham (OG), a diagnostic, prescriptive, and multi-sensory approach that varies widely from individual to individual and is used to support students with dyslexia and other language-based learning challenges.

This structured, sequential, and cumulative approach was developed in the nineteenth century and is the forebear of what is widely known as structured literacy today. Enrollment in the Orton-Gillingham Intensive program includes a separate daily period of Strategies 2. 

Faculty Expertise

• Our Director of Learning Support is a full-time faculty member and Fellow in the Orton-Gillingham Academy. 
   
• Orton-Gillingham faculty have completed at least 70 hours of Associate Level training. 
   
• Faculty are either already certified by the Orton-Gillingham Academy or actively pursuing their practicum and certification.
   
• All Marvelwood faculty are required to take the Orton-Gillingham training within their first two years of employment at the school. Even if they don't teach OG, they have a background in the methodology.
   

“The Learning Support faculty takes tremendous pride in how often our students win end-of-year awards for Most Improved Performance.”

- Learning Support Department Chair 

What Students Gain The tools built here travel with students for the rest of their lives.  Executive function skills such as organization, time management, and task prioritization Awareness of their learning styles and the strategies that help them thrive Personal responsibility and habits for success that support academic and campus life Social-emotional intelligence, including empathy, communication, and self-regulation Confidence to push through challenges and advocate for their needs