Gillen Brewer School

My son was struggling in public school. GBS helped him discover his strengths and improve his weaknesses. They uncovered the specialness in him. I'm grateful for all the support my son received at this school and everything he accomplished in such a short period. I recommend this school for kids with language-based learning disabilities.

Gillen Brewer is the most special little school. We had our son in a local nursery school with a SEIT from the age of two until he was three and a half. It was painful as parents to realize that despite everyone's best efforts, our son was not taking much away from his time there. Initially, we struggled with the idea of a special education school. However, it was by far the best decision we've made to date. It is amazing to see the difference in a program that is designed specifically with the needs of our son in mind: his developmental level, his support needs, and his special interests guide the teachers' decisions, all of the teachers and therapists work together on the same goals, and it is a true therapeutic approach to schooling. The teachers are some of the kindest, hardest-working people we've come across, and they make our son feel loved, supported and proud of himself. Our son LOVES school and literally skips into school each morning! We are in constant communication with his teachers and therapists, as well, and I know I can ask for help with just about anything. As parents, it's also been powerful to connect with other families living through similar experiences, and Gillen Brewer is now a huge source of support and encouragement for us. We are so grateful for this one-of-a-kind school.

My son enrolled in Gillen Brewer in kindergarten, and it was the first time since his needs became apparent as an infant that I felt I was able to breathe. I felt relief that he was cared for closely, relief that he was receiving all of the services he needed, relief that he was both emotionally and physically safe and relief that I no longer had to spend time and emotional energy advocating for him to receive the services he needed from quality providers. I appreciate how the school helps children with a variety of needs. The search process was challenging for us because many specialized schools cater to children with language-based learning differences, but that is my son's strength. His teachers and therapists have been loving and invested in his growth, every year. He feels "seen" and his confidence is well-protected. Because of their incredible teacher-to-student ratio, he has benefitted from working in small groups (~3 kids) during academic periods to receive targeted instruction.

Gillen Brewer has been a second home for my daughters. From the day they started at 3 years old, to now going into their 7th year, we are just as happy as the day they started. The teaching staff and therapists are top notches and they truly care about their well-being within the school setting and at home. We are in constant communication with their teachers and therapists and always know what our girls are working on, what progress they have made, and how they are working to achieve their goals. The school has an amazing community where I've met some of my closest friends, they just "get it". Overall we can't recommend Gillen Brewer enough.

My son joined Gillen Brewer in 2017 and it has been a remarkable journey thus far. We are grateful for the level of attention and support the school gives our son and family. The teachers and therapists truly go above and beyond to cater to every child's individual needs. We love the school and look forward to the new middle school in 2024.

My son started The Gillen Brewer school in September 2017. The drastic change that has taken place since we enrolled him can`t be put into words. The Gillen Brewer School took the time to get to know Michael and his personality. They tailored the style of teaching him, to his style of learning. They expressed constant recognition of his efforts. They challenged him gently, and also let him understand just how smart he was. They comforted him when his confidence waned, but pushed him to go further than he thought he could. The confident child that we knew was in there shined through! They did something that we could`ve never done on our own! Again, teachers are powerful. Teachers have the power to make or break a child, and Gillen Brewer pours their energy into making life-long learners daily. Anytime we may be faced with a challenging moment, they reassure us that we are not fighting this battle ALONE.

We are SO THANKFUL for Gillen Brewer. Our son began at 3 years old when we first recognized his differences and the school has been everything for our family. The teachers and therapists, as well as the administration, have become like family- they are such a huge support system for him and for us. He has come so far in just three years and we have learned so much about not only how to help him, but how to celebrate him exactly where he is.