Skip To Main Content
Student during our next steps fair
Meet Lucy & Major: A Night-and-Day Educational Difference
Katie Stalter


When you see Major happily walking laps around the hallway at Miriam School or Lucy hanging out with her friends, you wouldn’t guess the turmoil they and their family were dealing with just a few years ago.

For the Bridges family, traditional public school felt like a source of constant stress, rather than a place of learning. Each morning was a battle to get their twins to school, and each evening brought a breakdown after another overwhelming day. 

Between Major’s autism diagnosis at age 4 and Lucy’s ADHD diagnosis at 7, the twins struggled in school from the very start. In their experience, classes were too large, and teachers often lacked the specialized training to work with students who learn and think differently. 

Then, the pandemic hit - and they spent second grade falling even further behind as they tried to learn virtually. The twins’ parents, Amy and Mitch, knew they needed to find a different school environment.

Lucy had received her ADHD diagnosis from Miriam Learning Center, so the Bridges were familiar with the school. They visited the summer before third grade, and both Major and Lucy came home excited about Miriam. 

“Mitch and I knew at that point Miriam was where our kids needed to be,” she said. “They started at Miriam in third grade and have been there ever since. It has truly changed their life!”

Now in seventh grade, Major and Lucy are still both benefiting - each in their own way - from life at Miriam. 

Major dressed for Halloween in a DoodleBob costume outside in the parking lot.

Major’s Victory: Literacy and Security
When Major was still in public school, Amy and Mitch were told that he may never learn to read. “We just could not accept that for him,” Amy said.

Because of Miriam’s small classes, therapeutic services, explicit instruction and academic accommodations, they didn’t have to. “At Miriam, Major has not only learned to read, but he no longer fights with us to get him to read,” Amy said. “He still has a ways to go before he will be at grade level for reading, but the strides he has made while at Miriam are amazing.”

Teachers at Miriam fundamentally understand autism and how to help students work through their challenges. “Major knows Miriam is a safe environment for him,” Amy said. “He no longer fears being punished for behaviors that overwhelm him and sometimes get away from him.”

Major is learning strategies from his teachers and therapists to deal with difficulties he faces both socially/emotionally and academically. 

“He tells us all the time that Miriam is where he needs to be, and that he loves the school.”

Lucy at the Zoo with three friends in front of the penguin exhibit.

Lucy’s Growth: Confidence and Competence
With inattentive ADHD and struggles in math, Lucy was falling through the cracks in public school. School days were completely overwhelming for Lucy, and after keeping it together all day, she would fall apart in the evenings with her family.

Miriam’s small class sizes and individualized learning plans have completely turned her school days around. Lucy now has confidence in herself and her abilities. She knows she’s understood at Miriam, so she doesn’t feel the need to mask throughout the school day.

“Now that she is at Miriam, in a smaller classroom and with teachers who help her individually, Lucy is just soaring,” Amy said. “She loves school, loves to learn, loves to read, and even likes math now.”

A Weight Lifted
Amy said she often tells other parents about her PTSD after leaving their previous school and going to Miriam. “We used to live in fear from day-to-day that the public school would call about one of the kids. Once we moved to Miriam, I have rarely received a call from the school.”

The twins feel that sense of comfort and security, as well. Major understands that his challenging behaviors do not define him, and Lucy knows she is smart and capable despite her occasional difficulties paying attention.

“It has just been such a night-and-day difference between our public school experience and Miriam,” Amy said.

“I have so much trust and faith in the teachers and administrators at Miriam that it has lifted a weight off my soul to have the kids at Miriam.”

If this story sounds familiar, you’re not alone.

Many Miriam families come to us looking for a school that truly understands and supports their child. Often, their children are navigating ADHD, level 1 autism, anxiety, language processing disorders, or other learning differences, and they’ve found that traditional school environments simply aren’t built with those needs in mind. 

At Miriam, support isn’t something families have to advocate for to get. It’s built into everything we do through expert staff, a personalized curriculum, and integrated therapies. Every aspect is designed to help your child thrive. If you or your child is feeling overwhelmed or unsupported in a traditional school setting, Miriam could be the right fit for your family. Learn more about our admissions process here.

LEARN MORE

Student during our next steps fair
Starlit's Story: A place to be herself

As a first-time mother, I found out while pregnant with my daughter Starlit that I was sick with an environmental cancer. I was told that if I had not been pregnant, they may not have found my cancer in time to save me. I was determined then to do whatever was best for my precious daughter, no matter what. At that time, this meant I would win this battle so I could watch her grow.

 
Read More about Starlit's Story: A place to be herself