610-687-9660
Woodlynde School welcomes and serves students who learn differently and empowers them to become strategic thinkers and self-advocates in a challenging and supportive college preparatory environment.
Our students enjoy the following benefits of a Woodlynde education:
List of 6 items.
-
Expert and caring
teachers, learning specialists, and school counselors who collaborate across disciplines and divisions to shape each student's educational path. -
Nurturing
small classroom environments that enable teachers to deeply understand each student's learning needs, support student achievement, and foster peer-to-peer friendships that will last a lifetime. -
Comprehensive
education programs of multi-sensory, evidence-based teaching methods; differentiated instruction; metacognition strategies; and innovative assistive technology. -
A Challenging
college prep curriculum, senior college courses, and a dedicated College Guidance Program. -
A Focus on student personal growth
that encourages participation in the Arts and Athletics, leadership and volunteer programs, and our active L.E.A.D. Student Life Program. -
Student- and parent-centric support
through our renowned Literacy Institute, with its expertise in the Wilson Reading System® as well as its comprehensive array of workshops, lectures, and national and regional speakers that provide information and guidance to families of students who learn differently. Woodlynde is one of a select group of private schools in the country that are Wilson® Accredited Partners.
Woodlynde's History
List of 1 items.
-
History
Woodlynde School is an independent co-educational college prep school located in suburban Philadelphia for intelligent, talented students with learning differences. Many of our students have been diagnosed with language- or math-based learning differences (such as dyslexia, dysgraphia, or dyscalculia), executive function challenges, ADHD, or auditory processing disorder, while others simply need a small classroom environment in which to be successful.
Founded in 1976 by a small group of parents led by Gordon A. Hughes, Janet and Robert M. Hewes, III, and first Board Chair Arthur M. Tofani, Jr., Woodlynde opened its doors on a former Episcopal diocesan estate called "Denbigh" in Gulph Mills. Starting with an enrollment of approximately 40 students, Woodlynde's student body grew each year under the first head of school, Jack Hughes.
Appointed head of school in 1981, John M. "Hench" Murray implemented programs that established Woodlynde as a school that offers differentiated instruction to accommodate a wide variety of learning styles. Woodlynde flourished, and upon purchasing the former Strafford Elementary School in 1984, moved to its present campus. In 1990 then-Board Chair David P. Montgomery launched the "New Generation" campaign in support of a new Lower School wing, an additional cafeteria, and a photography dark room.
Woodlynde continued to flourish under the leadership of Head of School Jack Rogers, with the support of Board Chairs Kay Thomas and Michael Stiles. New outreach programs were established and community service became a cornerstone of the Woodlynde educational experience.
Upon Jack Rogers' retirement in 2004, Hench Murray returned as head of school until 2009 when Dr. Christopher Fulco became head of school. With the support of then-Board Chair Jane Mullany and current Board Chair Maryann O'Conor, Dr. Fulco led a dramatic expansion of Woodlynde's academic, learning support, college guidance, and student life programs.
In 2018, while the Board of Trustees conducted a nation-wide search for a permanent head of school, George N. King, Jr. was selected as Woodynde’s interim head. During his tenure, a broad range of initiatives--including a new marketing campaign, website and viewbook redesign, and increased Alumni Society activities—were undertaken. On July 1, 2019, Amy L. Clemons began her tenure as Woodlynde’s 5th head of school.
Mission Statement
List of 1 items.
-
Mission Statement
Woodlynde School welcomes and serves students who learn differently and empowers them to become strategic thinkers and self-advocates in a challenging and supportive college preparatory environment.
Diversity Statement
List of 1 items.
-
Diversity Statement
Woodlynde School is committed to fostering, cultivating, and preserving a culture of diversity and inclusion in order that its students and colleagues achieve their full potential.
We believe that everyone's unique life experience and background adds valuable perspective to our community and that our community is stronger because of the differences represented by our students, colleagues, and families. We embrace community members of all ages, races, ethnicities, religions, gender identities and expressions, physical and learning abilities, languages, national origins, political affiliations, sexual orientations, and socio-economic statuses.
Woodlynde School is a safe space with a zero-tolerance policy toward identity-based harassment of any kind. In addition to adopting non-discrimination best practices, Woodlynde School seeks to proactively include community members of all backgrounds through its curriculum, colleague development, hiring practices, admissions, and event programming.*
Testimonials
Accredited by the Pennsylvania Association of Independent Schools (PAIS), which is a member in good standing of the National Association of Independent Schools' Commission on Accreditation (NAIS), and the International Dyslexia Association (IDA). Woodlynde is an active member of the Association of Delaware Valley Independent Schools (ADVIS).
Notice of Non-Discrimination
Based on receipt of federal financial assistance through a Paycheck Protection Program loan administered through the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) under the CARES Act, The Woodlynde School acknowledges its obligation to prohibit discrimination, harassment, or retaliation on the basis of race, color, religion, age, national origin, sex, citizenship status, genetic information, handicap or disability in admissions, access, employment, tuition assistance, educational policies, or other school administered student and employee programs and activities. Questions regarding the School’s compliance with the application and administration of the School’s nondiscrimination policies should be directed to Amy Clemons, The Woodlynde School, 445 Upper Gulph Road, Strafford, PA 19087 or email them at clemons@woodlynde.org, or to the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights (OCR) or to the SBA. Please refer to the School’s SBA Non-Discrimination Compliance Policy on the School’s website for information on how to file complaints with OCR or the SBA.
-
-
FooterAccreditation
-
Woodlynde School is a private, co-ed college prep day school located in suburban Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that serves intelligent, talented students with learning differences in grades K - 12. Woodlynde provides a comprehensive, evidence-based Kindergarten, elementary, middle and high school program in a challenging yet nurturing environment for students with average to above average cognitive abilities (IQ) who have language- or math-based learning differences (such as Dyslexia, Dysgraphia or Dyscalculia), Executive Function Challenges, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), or Auditory Processing Disorder. Even for those students without a diagnosed learning disability (LD), Woodlynde offers expert and caring teachers in small classroom settings that support academic success. Woodlynde School also offers a post-graduate (PG) program in partnership with Rosemont College as well as a regional Summer Camp for students who learn differently.
©2023 Woodlynde School All Rights Reserved