Miriam Student Stories

I watched my daughter Jaden slowly slip through the cracks of the public school system. She couldn’t read, write, or do basic math, yet year after year, she was moved ahead simply because she had an IEP.

Daytona was told a high school diploma was out of reach. She heard she would never make it through the English and math requirements. Her mom, Lisa, believed she could do it, so she transferred her from the small, Catholic special education school to a public high school. Drama and bullying enveloped Daytona. She and her entire family were in crisis.

“At Miriam, I’m around people who get where I’m coming from and understand who I am.”

This is huge for Caleb, whose learning differences have - in the past - kept him from reaching his potential. Bullying and anxiety dominated his day-to-day life, and his confidence plummeted. 

Good education has always been a top priority of mine, because I am a certified teacher (now stay-at-home mom) and had studied in college how important early childhood education and experiences really are. We bought a house in a good school district before we even had kids.

When she was starting middle school, we wanted an environment for Marissa that would support her in expressing her needs and making friends. Marissa has a receptive and early language disorder, and she has struggled with social challenges and delays caused by early childhood trauma. 

Thatcher was 6 years old and entering 1st grade when he started school at Miriam. We decided to have him go to Miriam because the Montessori school he had been attending wasn't working out for him.

As Demetrius was finishing middle school, his parents knew they needed to choose just the right high school environment for him - one that would accommodate his challenges AND give him the academic foundation he would need for the future.

Andrew began eighth grade at a local independent school, after graduating out of a Montessori school. It was during COVID, and he went from a small school where everyone knew, loved and accepted him to a large school where he knew nobody. 

Jude has been cheering on his classmates and teachers at Miriam since sixth grade, when he started attending Miriam Middle School. Whether it’s at the high school variety show or offering treats from the weekly snack cart, Jude is a happy presence at Miriam and will be missed after graduation.